Diversity

The school is committed to diversity in fulfilling its teaching, research and service missions to students and to the citizens of North Carolina. Diversity enhances the educational experience for students, helping to build their skills on a stronger foundation of accuracy, clarity, fairness and ethics.

The school's faculty is constantly engaged in identifying opportunities to expand the school's diversity initiatives. This is true in the courses taught, guest speakers invited or the professional development offered. Alumni and friends play an important role by supporting programs and scholarships that encourage diverse perspectives in the school.

Minority students constitute about 16 percent of the school's enrollment, and the school has eight full-time faculty members of racial or ethnic minorities and two international faculty members. The school's efforts to increase minority student enrollment and to retain minority faculty members lead to increased diversity in professional mass communication.

Professionally, the school has forged strong ties to national and state diversity organizations, the National Association of Black Journalists, the N.C. Press Association and the Triangle Association of Black Journalists, among others. The school supports the Carolina Association of Black Journalists (CABJ), an active student chapter affiliated with the National Association of Black Journalists, that was named the best student chapter in the country in 2001, 2002 and 2007.

Assistant professor Queenie Byars is the school’s diversity coordinator and works with the University’s Diversity and Multicultural Affairs Office. She blogs about diversity issues in journalism at diversityspeak.org. Read the University’s Diversity Plan Report 2008–09.

Byars can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Diversity-focused courses

Beyond its core classes, the school offers courses that focus on diversity’s role within media and on minorities and minority issues.

• JOMC 342: "The Black Press and U.S. History" A chronological survey of the African-American press in the United States since 1827. Emphasis is on key people and issues during critical areas in the African-American experience.

• JOMC 441: "Diversity and Communication" An examination of racial stereotypes and minority portrayals in United States culture and communication. Emphasis is on the portrayal of Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans in the mass media.

• JOMC 443: "Latino Media Studies" An introductory course to the study of United States Latina/os and the media. It analyzes the media portrayal of Latina/os in United States mainstream media. The course also examines media that cater to Latina/os and explores the way in which Latina/o audiences use the multiple media offerings available to them.

• JOMC 446: "International Communication and Comparative Journalism" Development of international communication; the flow of news and international propaganda; the role of communication in international relations; communication in developing nations; comparison of press systems.

• JOMC 447: "International Media Studies" The study of media system operations in a particular country, such as Mexico, including how news and information are disseminated and used by audiences. Taught in the spring semester and includes a trip to that country during spring break.

• JOMC 490:"Special Topics in Mass Communication" Small classes on various aspects of journalism-mass communication with subjects and instructors varying each semester. Descriptions for each section available on the school’s Web site under Course Details.