Schools, Departments & Programs

The Media School

B.A. in Journalism
Purpose

The Bachelor of Arts in Journalism (B.A.J.) provides students with a liberal arts education and includes the necessary training and tools to thrive in our digital era. Media School undergraduates will be taught to think critically, creatively and independently. They will learn to conduct research, evaluate information, and write and edit using the forms and styles appropriate to a variety of media. In addition to completing coursework and requirements specific to the B.A.J., students will also complete a second concentration consisting of 24 hours in a field other than journalism or public relations.

Learning Outcomes

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree learn to read, think, and communicate clearly, critically, and creatively. The program is committed to liberal education in the arts and sciences as well as to professional training in the skills of journalism and mass communication. To achieve this balance, the B.A.J. requires students to complete at least 72 credit hours in coursework outside the disciplines of journalism and mass communication. The Media School believes that both breadth and depth of learning must characterize the undergraduate journalism experience. To this end, the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree emphasizes:

  • Development of strong skills in writing, critical thinking, independent learning, mathematics, foreign language, computers, and new information technologies;
  • Exposure to a broad range of coursework in the liberal arts and sciences, both in the College of Arts and Sciences and in the liberal arts courses within IU Journalism;
  • Understanding of cultures outside the United States and of minority cultures within the United States;
  • Training in the professional skills of journalism and mass communication, including reporting, writing, editing, visual communication, new communications technology, and collaborative group work;
  • Training in statistical analysis and quantitative and qualitative research methods;
  • Awareness of the institutions, processes, and effects of mass media in society;
  • In-depth exploration of a subject other than journalism and mass communications; and
  • Preparation for a lifetime of learning.
Concentrations
News Reporting and Editing Concentration Description
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.
Public Relations Concentration Description
The Public Relations concentration of the B.A.J. combines foundational journalism courses with public relations course work focusing on principles, concepts, research and application of best practices in developing and managing effective communication campaigns. The required three-course specialization in Public Relations and Strategic Communication provides Public Relations students with the opportunity to develop, practice, and launch a public relations campaign. The concentration prepares them for careers with public relations and advertising agencies, corporation communication departments, and nonprofit organizations employing a wide spectrum of media technologies.
Requirements

Students must complete at least 36 credit hours in the Journalism major (1–3 below), including the CASE Credit Hour and Residency Requirements and the following:

  1. The Media School Core. Complete both a and b below. 
    1. Introduction to Media. Complete the following course:
      • MSCH-C 101 Media
    2. Concept Clusters. Complete one (1) course from each of the following*:
      • Managing Media
        • MSCH-C 200 The Videogame Industry: Systems and Management
        • MSCH-C 204 Behind the Prize
        • MSCH-C 206 Media Reporting in a Global World
        • MSCH-C 207 Introduction to Media Industry and Management
      • Thinking Media
        • MSCH-C 210 Introduction to Games
        • MSCH-C 211 Screening Gender and Sexuality
        • MSCH-C 212 Screening Race and Ethnicity
        • MSCH-C 213 Introduction to Media and Society
        • MSCH-C 214 Race, Prejudice, and the Media
        • MSCH-C 215 History of Videogames
        • MSCH-C 216 Social Scientific Perspectives of Gender and Media
        • MSCH-C 217 Image Cultures
        • MSCH-C 218 Sports, Media and Society
        • MSCH-C 219 Media in the Global Context
      • Making Media
        • MSCH-C 221 Writing for Electronic Media
        • MSCH-C 223 Introduction to Design and Production
        • MSCH-C 225 Reporting, Writing, and Editing I
        • MSCH-C 226 Visual Communication
        • MSCH-C 227 Introduction to Sports Media
        • MSCH-C 228 Introduction to Production Techniques and Practices
      *Students should consult the Managing/Thinking/Making Courses Based on Degree Sequence chart to determine the best concept cluster courses to take based on the concentration selected.
  2. Statistics. Complete one (1) approved course:
    • Statistics Course List
      • CJUS-K 300 Techniques of Data Analysis
      • ECON-E 370 Statistical Analysis for Business and Economics
      • LAMP-L 316 Junior Seminar: Analytical Problem Solving
      • MATH-K 310 Statistical Techniques
      • PSY-K 300 Statistical Techniques
      • PSY-K 310 Statistical Techniques
      • SOC-S 371 Statistics in Sociology
      • STAT-S 211 Statistics for Journalists
      • STAT-S 300 Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods
      • STAT-S 303 Applied Statistical Methods for the Life Sciences
  3. Concentration and Specialization. Complete one (1) of the following concentrations:
    1. News Reporting and Editing
      1. Complete each of the following courses (4 courses):
        • MSCH-C 225 Reporting, Writing and Editing I*
        • MSCH-C 226 Visual Communication*
        • MSCH-J 300 Communications Law
        • MSCH-J 410 The Media as Social Institutions
      2. Complete one (1) course from the following:
        • MSCH-J 407 Newsgathering and the Law
        • MSCH-J 409 Media Management
        • MSCH-J 423 Public Opinion
        • MSCH-J 448 Global Journalism: Issues and Research
        • MSCH-J 450 History of Journalism
        • MSCH-J 460 Topics Colloquium (Approved topics only)
        • MSCH-J 470 Broadcast Media Analysis
      3. Specialization. Complete one (1) of the following specializations:
      *Students in the News Reporting and Editing concentration may count either MSCH-C 225 or MSCH-C 226 toward completion of the Making Media requirement of the core.
    2. Public Relations
      1. Complete each of the following courses (5 courses):
        • MSCH-C 225 Reporting, Writing and Editing I*
        • MSCH-C 226 Visual Communication*
        • MSCH-J 300 Communications Law
        • MSCH-J 410 The Media as Social Institutions 
        • MSCH-R 321 Principles of Public Relations
      2. Specialization.
      *Students in the Public Relations concentration may count either MSCH-C 225 or MSCH-C 226 toward completion of the Making Media requirement of the core.
  4. Second Concentration. Complete a second concentration of at least 24 credit hours.

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