Curriculum

The school's curriculum takes into account changes in the industry, including the move toward increased use of a wider variety of channels to communicate.

The school's core— News Writing, Professional Problems and Ethics, and Introduction to Mass Communication Law—remains the same. These three courses will continue to provide the necessary foundation for the curriculum.

Access worksheets to help guide course selection in working toward an academic specialization. Separate worksheets are available for students entering the school before Fall 2009, for students entering the school Fall 2009 and after, and for students accepted as business journalism majors.

JOMC Curriculum Goals

1. To enable students to understand the roles of media in society and media’s social, economic and political impacts locally, nationally and globally.
2. To enable students to conceptualize and produce news and information.

Curriculum Quick View

Students may take up to 40 credit hours in JOMC.

Students may choose to specialize further than is required by completing the requirements for a certificate in Sports Communication or Business Journalism or by taking additional electives in any specialization.

Curriculum Core

Required of all JOMC Majors

• JOMC 141 Professional Problems and Ethics
• JOMC 153 News Writing
• JOMC 340 Introduction to Mass Communication Law (prerequisite 153)

Advertising / PR Curriculum

The advertising/public relations curriculum is for students who wish to communicate on behalf of organizations, including corporations, government agencies, nonprofit and advocacy groups and public relations and advertising agencies. Students may learn to develop persuasive advertising messages or focus on strategic communication efforts for an organization. Both are pursued within an ethical framework of communication.

Advertising / PR Core

• JOMC 137 Principles of Advertising and Public Relations
• JOMC 279 Advertising and Public Relations Research (prerequisite 137)

Advertising / Public Relations Specializations

• Advertising

  (four-course minimum) Choose from: JOMC 271 (prerequisite 137), 272 (prerequisite 137), 472 (prerequisite 137 and 271), 473 (prerequisite 271 or 272), 491 (when appropriate topic), 670

• Public Relations

  (four-course minimum) JOMC 232 (prerequisite 137 and 153), 431 (prerequisite 137), 434 (prerequisite 232, 279 and 431). Choose at least one of the following to complete the four-course minimum (Not all of the following courses may be offered every semester.): JOMC 182, 187, 333, 433, 435, 491 (when appropriate topic)

• Strategic Communication

  (four-course minimum) Choose from: JOMC 232 (prerequisite 137 and 153), 271 (prerequisite 137), 272 (prerequisite 137), 431 (prerequisite 137), 491 (when appropriate topic)

Journalism Curriculum

The journalism curriculum is for students who wish to become journalists; that is, who want to broadcast, report, write, photograph, and present news and information to better inform society. These students learn techniques and theories to conceptualize information within the context of an independent press designed to create an informed public able to govern itself.

Journalism Core

• JOMC 221 Audio-Video Information Gathering (prerequisite 153)
• JOMC 253 Reporting (prerequisite 153). Students are encouraged to take this simultaneously with 221. Students specializing in Editing and Graphic Design take 157 (prerequisite 153) instead of 253.

Journalism Specializations

• Editing and Graphic Design

  (four-course minimum) Students must take JOMC 182 (permission of the school). Choose three: 187 (permission of the school), 253 (prerequisite 153), 457 (prerequisite 157), 463, 482 (prerequisite 182 and 153), 483 (prerequisite 482), 484 (prerequisite 182).

• Electronic Communication

  (four-course minimum) 121, 421 (prerequisite 121 and 221), either 422 or 426. Choose one: 422 (prerequisite 421), 423 (prerequisite 422), 424, 425, 426 (prerequisite 121), 427 (prerequisite 221), 428.

• Multimedia

  (four-course minimum) JOMC 187 (permission of the school), 586 (prerequisite 187), 581 (prerequisite 187), 582 (prerequisite 180 or 187; 221) or 583 (prerequisite 586)

• Photojournalism

  (four-course minimum) JOMC 180 (permission of the school), 480 (prerequisite 180 and 153, or concurrent enrollment in 153), 481 (prerequisite 480), 582 (prerequisite 180 or 187; 221) or 584 (prerequisite 180 or 187)

• Reporting

  (four-course minimum) Students must take JOMC 157 (prerequisite 153). Choose three: 121, 256 (prerequisite 153), 258 (prerequisite 153), 451 (prerequisite 153), 452 (prerequisite 153), 453 (prerequisite 153 and 253), 454 (prerequisite 153 and 256), 456 (prerequisite 153 and 256), 457 (prerequisite 157), 459 (prerequisite 153), 463, 491 (when appropriate topic)

Immersions

Students in the school must also complete at least two courses from a single group in an immersion area.

• The Audience: JOMC 376, 445, 449, 463, 475, 490 (when appropriate topic)
• History, Law, and Regulation: JOMC 242, 342, 424, 428, 440, 448, 450, 458, 490 (when appropriate topic)
• Digital Media: JOMC 349, 440, 449, 463, 551, 552, 490 (when appropriate topic)
• Diversity: JOMC 342, 441, 442, 443, 446, 447, 490 (when appropriate topic)
• Political Communication: JOMC 244, 446, 447, 458, 475, 490 (when appropriate topic)
• Business, and Entrepreneurship: JOMC 424, 450, 475, 551, 552, 490 (when appropriate topic)
• Sports Communication: JOMC 245, 376, 377, 455, 476, 490 (when appropriate topic)
• Mass Communication Theory: JOMC 240, 445, 490 (when appropriate topic)
• Honors: JOMC 691H, 692H