Advising
Degree Requirements
Credit Hour and Grade Point Requirements
Journalism Major Requirements
Transfer Credit in Journalism
The Certificate in Journalism
The Second Concentration
Fundamental Skills
Distribution Requirements (12 courses)
Culture Studies (three courses)
Courses Outside the School of Journalism
Academic counseling for each student in the School of Journalism is provided by a faculty member or an academic advisor prior to each semester’s enrollment. Although academic counseling is intended to provide effective guidance, students are responsible for planning their own programs and for meeting the following degree requirements for graduation. Students are advised to read IU bulletin descriptions of all courses selected, paying careful attention to conditions concerning awarding of credit.
The Degree Progress Report, a computerized degree-audit system is available to all students. Students may use the Degree Progress Report to monitor their completed and remaining requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism (B.A.J.) degree. Students may view their Degree Progress Report on the Web through the OneStart portal at onestart.iu.edu or obtain a printed copy from their advisor.
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The School of Journalism offers the B.A.J. degree on the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses. Students on either campus must complete the following for the B.A.J. degree:
Journalism major (30 credit hours)
Second concentration (24 credit hours)
Fundamental skills
Writing, two courses
Mathematics, one college-level course
Foreign language, two years of one language at the college level or equivalent
Statistics, one course
Research Techniques for Journalists, one course
Distribution
United States history, one course
American political science, one course
Economics, one course
Literature or fine arts history/appreciation, one course
Arts and Humanities, two courses
Social and Historical Studies, two courses
Natural and Mathematical Sciences, four courses
Culture Studies, three courses
123 credit hours total
Journalism courses from either campus will satisfy requirements for the journalism major.
Students who intend to receive their degree from the Bloomington campus must satisfy all nonmajor requirements with courses as defined by the College of Arts and Sciences. Students who intend to receive their degree from the Indianapolis campus must satisfy all nonmajor requirements with courses as defined by the Schools of Liberal Arts and Science. Students who plan to transfer permanently to the Indianapolis campus and receive the degree from that campus should contact the School at Indianapolis, by phone at (317) 278-5320, or by e-mail at jour@iupui.edu, for information and a bulletin.
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- 123 credit hours required for graduation, including the following minimums:
- At least 30 but no more than 39 credit hours of mass communications courses (journalism, telecommunications, and selected communication and culture)
- At least 65 credit hours from the College of Arts and Sciences, excluding Linguistics L100, all telecommunications courses, and selected communication and culture courses
- At least 98 credit hours combined from journalism and the College of Arts and Sciences
- At least 24 credit hours in a second concentration selected from one academic discipline outside of journalism, telecommunications, and selected communication and culture courses
- At least 36 credit hours at the 300 and 400 level
- At least 10 credit hours of journalism from the Bloomington campus
- At least 26 credit hours of course work during the senior year from the Bloomington campus
- Credit hour limits
- No more than 39 credit hours of mass communication courses (journalism, telecommunications, and selected communication and culture courses)
- No more than 12 transfer credit hours of mass communications (journalism, telecommunications, and selected communication and culture courses)
- No more than 3 credit hours total of internship credit, either from JOUR-J 492 or any other academic unit
- No more than 60 transfer credit hours from a community college
- Optional electives: 25 or fewer credit hours outside the School of Journalism and the College of Arts and Sciences
- For students satisfying the requirements for a secondary teaching certificate, no more than 29 credit hours of approved education courses
- Grade Point Average
- A minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average in all course work
- A minimum 2.0 grade point average in all major course work (journalism, telecommunications, and selected communication and culture), C or higher in each course
- A minimum 2.0 grade point average in all course work for the second concentration, C or higher in each course
- The Extended-X policy will not be used in calculating grade point averages for internal purposes. FX or WF will be calculated as F, DX as D, etc.)
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Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of journalism courses with a grade of C or higher in each course from the following categories:
- Core courses, 18 credit hours:
- J 110 Foundations of Journalism and Mass Communication
- J 200 Reporting, Writing, and Editing I
- J 201 Reporting, Writing, and Editing II
- J 210 Visual Communication
- J 300 Communications Law
- J 410 The Media as Social Institutions
- One course from the approved list of advanced skills courses, 3 credit hours:
- J 315 Feature Writing
- J 341 Newspaper Reporting
- J 342 Magazine Reporting
- J 343 Broadcast News
- J 344 Photojournalism Reporting
- J 351 Newspaper Editing
- J 352 Magazine Editing
- J 354 Photojournalism Editing
- J 420 Advertising as Communication
- J 429 Public Relations Campaigns
- J 455 News Analysis and Opinion Writing
- J 463 Computerized Publication Design I
- One course from the approved list of research courses, 3 credit hours:
- J 407 Newsgathering and the Law
- J 409 Media Management
- J 414 International News-Gathering Systems
- J 423 Public Opinion
- J 428 Public Relations Management
- J 438 Problems in Advertising
- J 450 History of Journalism
- J 462 History of 20th Century Photography
- J 470 Broadcast Media Analysis
- Journalism electives, 6 credit hours:
Courses may be selected from any other journalism courses open to undergraduates except JOUR-C courses and JOUR-J 492. Students may include other advanced skills and research courses in addition to the courses taken to satisfy the advanced skills and research course requirements above.
Students have the option of taking additional mass communications courses (journalism, telecommunications, and selected communication and culture), but no more than 39 credit hours total of mass communications courses may be counted in the total 123 credit hours required for the degree.
The grade point average in all journalism, telecommunications, and selected communication and culture courses must be at least a 2.0.
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In order to comply with accreditation standards set by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC), no more than 12 credit hours of communications courses from any other journalism program will be accepted for credit toward the 123 credit hours required for graduation.
All transfer communications courses must be evaluated by the associate dean in order to be accepted in fulfillment of requirements for the journalism major.
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The Certificate in Journalism is offered on both the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses. See "The Certificate in Journalism" in this bulletin for details.
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Students must complete a second concentration of at least 24 credit hours in an academic discipline outside of journalism, telecommunications, and selected communication and culture courses. Students must earn a C or higher in each course and a grade point average of at least 2.0 in all courses taken for the second concentration (exceptions: see Business and Informatics below). No internship credit from any other academic unit may be used to satisfy the second concentration.
With written approval from the department, students may choose to complete a second major in an outside area in any of the departments of the College of Arts and Sciences offering the B.A. degree. This option is not a second degree from the College of Arts and Sciences. The second major in an outside area will be entered only on the final transcript at graduation.
Students may complete any of the certificates included in the College of Arts and Sciences Bulletin for the second concentration requirement. Students must complete a minimum of 24 credit hours of courses approved for the certificate. The School of Journalism requires that students pursuing this option meet with an advisor of the department offering the certificate, obtain the advisor’s signature on a planned program, and submit a copy of the program to the School of Journalism advisor.
With the approval of the dean, students have the option to complete a split second concentration, incorporating two or more departments. Students must propose selected courses in consultation with their faculty advisor and complete a written explanation of the educational value or goal of their choice. The selection of courses should show evidence of a coherent body of knowledge. The faculty advisor must sign the application and submit it to the dean for final approval.
Students selecting second concentrations in the Schools of Business; Education; Health, Physical Education and Recreation; Informatics; Public and Environmental Affairs; or Music should be aware of the 25 hour limit on credit hours outside the College of Arts and Sciences in courses with the following prefixes: BUS, EDUC, HPER, INFO, SLIS, MUS, SPEA, AERO, MIL and SWK. See Credit Hour Requirements and consult with an academic advisor.
Following are additional conditions for the second concentration in specific areas:
Business
Students must earn a C or higher in all BUS courses. All 300-level BUS courses must be taken on the IU Bloomington campus (or fall under the current Intercampus Transfer policy) and none of the BUS courses used for the business concentration may be taken by independent study/correspondence, distance education or "Courses To Go." Students should be aware of the 25 hour limit on credit hours from BUS, EDUC, HPER, INFO, SLIS, MUS, SPEA, AERO, MIL and SWK. Students may complete one of the following options:
- Journalism Minor in Business (24 cr.)
Complete these two economics courses (6 cr.):
- E 201 Introduction to Microeconomics
- E 202 Introduction to Macroeconomics
Complete these three business courses (9 cr.):
- A 200 Foundations of Accounting
- L 201 Legal Environments of Business
- Z 302 Managing and Behavior in Organizations
Complete three courses from one of the following areas (9 cr.):
International
- D 301 The International Business Environment
- D 302 International Business: Operations of International Enterprises
- G 406 Business Enterprise and Public Policy
- G 494 Public Policy and the International Economy
- L 411 International Business Law
- L 412 The Ethical Responsibilities of Business
- M 401 International Marketing
- X 330 International Communication Strategies
Marketing
- M 300 Introduction to Marketing (required)
- M 405 Buyer Behavior
- M 407 Business-to-Business Marketing
- M 415 Advertising and Promotion Management
- M 419 Retail Management
- M 426 Sales Management
- M 429 Legal Aspects of Marketing
Business Economics
- G 300 Introduction to Managerial Economics (required)
- G 345 Money, Banking and Capital Markets
- G 406 Business Enterprise and Public Policy
- G 494 Public Policy and the International Economy
Law (Legal Studies)
- L 250 Law and the Arts
- L 315 Business and the Law of Sports and Entertainment
- L 350 Online Law
- L 405 The Corporation in America Today
- L 406 Employment Problems and the Law
- L 409 Law and the Environment
- L 411 International Business Law
- L 412 The Ethical Responsibilities of Business
Entrepreneurship
- W 211 Contemporary Entrepreneurship
- W 300 Small Business Management
- W 430 Organizations and Organizational Change
- Z 404 Effective Negotiations
- Z 440 Personnel—Human Resources Management
- Minor in Business (24 cr.)
Complete ECON-E 201 Introduction to Microeconomics (3 cr.)
Complete these seven business courses (21 cr.):
- A 200 Foundations of Accounting
- K 201 The Computer in Business
- L 201 Legal Environments of Business
- F 300 Introduction to Financial Management o M 300 Introduction to Marketing
- P 300 Introduction to Operations Management
- Z 302 Managing and Behavior in Organizations or J 306 Strategic Management and Leadership
(BUS-G 300 may be substituted for one of the following: F 300, M 300, P 300 or Z 302.)
- Minor in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management (24 cr.)
Complete these two economics courses (6 cr.):
- E 201 Introduction to Microeconomics
- E 202 Introduction to Macroeconomics
Complete these six business courses (18 cr.):
- A 200 Foundations of Accounting
- K 201 The Computer in Business
- L 201 Legal Environments of Business
- W 211 Contemporary Entrepreneurship
- M 300 Introduction to Marketing
- W 300 Small Business Management
Communication and Culture (CMCL)
The following courses are considered mass communications courses by the School of Journalism and
may not be included in a second concentration:
C 201 Race, Ethnicity, and the Media
C 202 World Media
C 204 Topics in Media, Culture, and Society
C 306 Writing Media Criticism
C 311 Media History
C 312 Introduction to Television Criticism
C 335 Production as Criticism
C 337 New Media
C 392 Media Genres
C 411 Media Industries and Cultural Production
C 412 Race, Gender, and Representation
C 420 Topics in Media History
C 435 Documentary Filmmaking: Theory and Practice
Any other communication and culture courses may be used for a second concentration.
Education—Secondary Teacher Certification
Courses are limited to those required for teacher certification. Students should be aware of the 25 hour limit on credit hours from BUS, EDUC, HPER, INFO, SLIS, MUS, SPEA, AERO, MIL and SWK. The School of Journalism cooperates with the School of Education in preparing students to teach journalism in high school. Interested students should see Jack Dvorak, High School Journalism Institute, Ernie Pyle Hall 200, Bloomington, (812) 855-0865.
Fine Arts
A minimum of 12 credit hours of art history or appreciation are required. FINA-A 443 History of 20th Century Photography will not count in the concentration.
General Science
Selection of courses and departments must show evidence of guided study in one subject. Premedical and predental course work is allowed, as designated by the Health Professions and Prelaw Information Center.
HPER
Students must complete the official minor in kinesiology, offered by HPER, and additional approved courses to total 24 credit hours. Students should be aware of the 25 hour limit on credit hours from BUS, EDUC, HPER, INFO, SLIS, MUS, SPEA, AERO, MIL and SWK.
Informatics
Students must complete the Certificate in Informatics, which is 26 credit hours. A minimum grade of C in all courses taken for the certificate is required. No journalism or telecommunications courses may be used to fulfill the certificate requirements. Students should be aware of the 25 hour limit on credit hours from BUS, EDUC, HPER, INFO, SLIS, MUS, SPEA, AERO, MIL and SWK.
Languages
No 100-level courses are allowed unless the particular department allows the 100-level course to apply toward a major in that language.
Music
At least 14 credit hours of I, K, M, T or Z courses are required. Applied music courses must be in private instruction in one instrument. No ensemble work may apply. Students should be aware of the 25 hour limit on credit hours from BUS, EDUC, HPER, INFO, SLIS, MUS, SPEA, AERO, MIL and SWK.
SPEA
Students should be aware of the 25 hour limit on credit hours from BUS, EDUC, HPER, INFO, SLIS, MUS, SPEA, AERO, MIL and SWK.
Students may complete one of the following three options:
-
- V 160 National and International Policy
- V 161 Urban Problems and Solutions
- One of the following:
E 162 Environment and People
E 272 Introduction to Environmental Science
- Five additional SPEA courses, 3 credit hours each, at the 300 or 400 level, excluding any internship or career development courses.
- Complete any of the SPEA minors offered at Bloomington and additional SPEA courses to total 24 credit hours.
- Complete any of the SPEA certificates offered at Bloomington and additional SPEA courses to total 24 credit hours.
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Students may test out of all but 3 credit hours of the fundamental skills requirement. Requirements completed in one area may, under certain conditions, also fulfill requirements in other areas.
Cross-listing policy:
Courses used for English composition and 100-level fundamental skills foreign language may not be used to fulfill any other requirement.
Exceptions:
Three credits from each of the following courses may be applied to other appropriate requirements: ENG-L 141, L 142; AFRO-A 141, A 142. Comparative Literature, Religious Studies or Slavic Languages and Literatures courses taken with ENG-W 143 may be applied to other appropriate requirements. Only mathematics courses listed as both fundamental skills and natural and mathematical science may cross list. Foreign language courses at the 100-level, from departments that allow 100-level courses to fulfill major requirements, may be applied to other appropriate requirements.
Writing (two courses)
English Composition
Students may fulfill this requirement in any one of the following ways:
- Exemption without credit. One of the following scores required: SAT Verbal 670 or above; ACT English 32 or above; or Advanced Placement English 4 or 5.
- Exemption with credit. Scores required: SAT II English Writing Test 660 or above and one of the following: SAT Verbal 670 or above, ACT English 32 or above, or Advanced English Placement 4 or 5. Students must also apply to the Department of English, Ballantine Hall 442, Bloomington, IN 47405.
- Completion of any of the following options with a grade of C or higher:
- ENG-W 110
- ENG-W 132
- ENG-L 141 and L 142
- ENG-W 170
- AFRO-A 141 and A 142
- two semesters of ENG-W 143 with approved courses from the Departments of Comparative Literature, Religious Studies or Slavic Languages and Literatures.
- ENG-L 141 or L 142, or AFRO-A 141 or A 142, and one semester of ENG-W 143 taken concurrently with an approved course.
Advanced Composition
Students must complete, with a grade of C or higher, one advanced composition or intensive writing course at the 200 level or above after completing the English composition requirement. Students must check "Special Course Listings, College of Arts and Sciences Intensive Writing Requirement Courses" in the
Enrollment and Student Academic Information bulletin each semester to see which course sections are offered as intensive writing courses. Students may also select from advanced composition courses. These following courses do not need to be offered as intensive writing courses:
English
W 203 Creative Writing
W 231 Professional Writing Skills
W 270 Argumentative Writing
W 301 Writing Fiction
W 303 Writing Poetry
W 350 Advanced Expository Writing
W 401 Advanced Fiction Writing
W 403 Advanced Poetry Writing
W 410 Indiana Writing Workshop
Journalism
J 341 Newspaper Reporting
J 342 Magazine Reporting
J 343 Broadcast Reporting
J 455 News Analysis and Opinion Writing
J 551 Seminar: Reporting the Law
J 552 Seminar: Reporting the Arts
J 553 Education and the Media
J 554 Seminar: Science Writing
J 556 Seminar: Urban Affairs Reporting
Mathematics (one course)
Students may satisfy this requirement in one of four ways:
- Complete MATH-M 025 with a grade of C or higher. Credit for MATH-M 025 will not count toward the 123 credit hours required for the degree.
- Complete one course from MATH-M 118,* A 118, M 119, M 211, or COAS-J 113 with a grade of C or higher. Credit for these courses may count toward the 123 credit hours required for the degree.
- Complete MATH-D 116 and MATH-D 117 with grades of C or higher in each course. Credit not given in D 116 until D 117 is completed with a passing grade.
- Students with a mathematics SAT score of 650 or higher or a mathematics ACT score of 29 or higher are exempt from this requirement.
*MATH-M 118, A 118, or D 116 and D 117 are recommended for students who want to prepare for the required statistics course.
Foreign Language
Students must complete the study of a single foreign language through the second semester of the second year of college-level course work. All or part of this requirement may be fulfilled by performance on placement examinations. Students may fulfill the entire foreign language requirement by placing into the third-year level.
International students whose native language is not English may demonstrate required proficiency in their native language. They may not, however, earn credit for any course at the first- or second-year level in their native language.
Statistics (one course)
One course selected from: CJUS-K 300, ECON-E 370, MATH/PSY-K 300, MATH-K 305, MATH/PSY-K 310, SOC-S 371, or SPEA-K 300.
Research Techniques for Journalists (one course)
JOUR-J 155. This course must be taken with JOUR-J 200.
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Approved courses that will fulfill Arts and Humanities, Social and Historical Studies, and Natural and Mathematical Sciences requirements are listed in Appendix A, "Approved Distribution Courses by Departments," in this bulletin. Note: Students are advised to read carefully course descriptions in the College of Arts and Sciences Bulletin for prerequisites and conditions concerning awarding of credit. Distribution courses may be cross-listed to Culture Studies and Second Concentrations when they are included on these requirements’ approved lists.
To ensure a rich and varied general education, the School of Journalism requires students to complete the distribution requirements as follows:
U.S. History (one course)
Students may select from:
- HIST-H 105, H 106, H 220, H 259, H 263, or
- Any HIST-A course
- AFRO-A 355 or A 356.
Political Science (one course)
Students may select from POLS-Y 100, Y 103, Y 301, Y 302, Y 303, Y 304, Y 305, Y 306, Y 307, Y 308, Y 311, Y 313, Y 315, Y 317, Y 318, Y 319, Y 320, Y 324, Y 325, Y 326, Y 394, and approved topics for Y 200.
Economics (one course)
Students may select from approved distribution courses in the College of Arts and Sciences economics department. See Appendix A, "Approved Distribution Courses by Departments," in this bulletin.
Literature or Fine Arts History or Appreciation (one course)
Literature courses must be devoted entirely to print literature. Fine arts courses must be selected from FINA-A or FINA-H courses. Courses must be approved distribution courses in the College of Arts and Sciences. See Appendix A, "Approved Distribution Courses by Departments," in this bulletin.
Arts and Humanities (two courses)
See Appendix A, "Approved Distribution Courses by Departments," in this bulletin.
Social and Historical Studies (two courses)
See Appendix A, "Approved Distribution Courses by Departments," in this bulletin.
Natural and Mathematical Sciences (four courses)
See Appendix A, "Approved Distribution Courses by Departments," in this bulletin. Students are advised to read all course descriptions in the College of Arts and Sciences Bulletin regarding awarding of credit.
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Complete three courses selected from Appendix B, "Approved Culture Studies Courses," in this bulletin.
- Complete one of the three courses from list A.
- Complete a second course, either from list A or from list B.
- Complete a third course from list C.
Students who successfully complete an academic semester abroad in a program sponsored by the Indiana University Office of Overseas Study will partially satisfy the culture studies requirement of one course from list A. Similarly, students who successfully complete an academic year abroad in a program sponsored by the Indiana University Office of Overseas Study will partially satisfy the culture studies requirement of one course from list A and a second course from lists A or B. Students participating in academic programs sponsored by other universities may petition for a similar exception, providing materials from courses taken and evidence of the general cultural emphasis of the program.
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Students must complete a minimum of 98 credit hours offered by the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Journalism. LING-L 100 will not count toward the 98 credit hours. School of Music courses in history, literature, composition, appreciation, and theory of music may be counted among the 98 credit hours.
Students may select the remaining 25 credit hours in the College of Arts and Sciences at Bloomington. Students also have the option of including in these 25 credit hours any courses from BUS, EDUC, HPER, INFO, SLIS, MUS, SPEA, AERO, MIL and SWK. The school will not accept engineering, technology, or self-acquired competency credit.
Students satisfying requirements for a teaching certificate may under consultation with an adviser take a maximum of 29 credit hours outside the School of Journalism and the College of Arts and Sciences.
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