Departments & Programs

The Media School

B.A. in Journalism
Concentration in News Reporting and Editing—Bachelor of Arts in Journalism

The News Reporting and Editing concentration of the B.A.J. combines foundational journalism courses with courses focused on various forms of reporting and editing that use writing, photography, video recording, audio recording and graphic design to present truthful and reliable messages to a wide range of audience types. The three-course specializations in Audio Journalism, Broadcast Journalism, Digital Journalism, Graphic Communication, News Writing, Photojournalism, and Video Journalism will provide news students with the opportunity to develop, practice, and master high-level reporting and editing skills within a context of journalism theory and ethics.  The concentration prepares them for careers with news organizations employing a wide spectrum of media technologies.

B.A.J. Required Courses

1)   The Media School Core (12 cr.):

See "Choosing Managing/Thinking/Making Courses Based on Degree Sequence."

2)  Students in the News Reporting and Editing concentration must complete the following four courses (12 cr.):
  • MSCH-C 225* Reporting, Writing and Editing I (3 cr.) (formerly J200)
  • MSCH-C 226* Visual Communication (from "Making Media") (3 cr.) (formerly J210)
  • MSCH-J 300 Communications Law (3 cr.)
  • MSCH-J 410 The Media as Social Institutions (3 cr.) (ethics)

*Students in the News Reporting and Editing concentration may count either MSCH-C 225 or MSCH-C 226 towards completion of the Making Media requirement of the core.

3)  An approved statistics course** chosen from CJUS-K 300, ECON-E 370, LAMP-L 316, MATH-K 310, PSY-K 300, PSY-K 310, SOC-S 371, STAT-S 211, STAT-S 300, or STAT-S 303. **This course counts towards partial satisfaction of the CASE N&M Breadth of Inquiry requirement.

4)  Students must also complete one research course from this list (3 cr.):

  • MSCH-J 407 Newsgathering and the Law (3 cr.)
  • MSCH-J 409 Media Management (3 cr.)
  • MSCH-J 423 Public Opinion (3 cr.)
  • MSCH-J 448 Global Journalism: Issues and Research (3 cr.)
  • MSCH-J 450 History of Journalism (3 cr.)
  • MSCH-J 460 Topics Colloquium (3 cr.) (approved topics only)
  • MSCH-J 470 Broadcast Media Analysis (3 cr.)

5) One specialization (9 cr.) approved for News Reporting and Editing must be completed, including a capstone project, capstone seminar, or field experience chosen from the following list:

a. Audio Journalism d. Graphic Communication g. Video Journalism
b. Broadcast Journalism e. News Writing
c. Digital Journalism f. Photojournalism

6)  A second concentration of at least 24 unique credit hours that may include a second Media School concentration with specialization, a College-approved certificate or a College-approved minor. With written approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS), students may choose to complete an Outside Area (the equivalent to a second major) 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. Students interested in a major must follow the College's second degree application process.

7)  Students must also complete the B.A. degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.