Photojournalism Degree and Emphasis Area Requirements

Sports Photojournalism

Photojournalism Degree and Emphasis Area Requirements

Journalism Degree Requirements

Total Credits
All students who have been admitted to the School will need to complete 39 credits in Journalism as specified by their emphasis area requirements if they enrolled before FS05. Effective FS05 and later, incoming students will need 40 credits in Journalism.

Residency Requirement
All Journalism courses must be taken on the MU campus.

Electives and Course Load
Students may enroll in electives in emphasis areas other than their own as long as they have completed the necessary requirements. A maximum of 10 credits in Journalism are allowed per semester.

Journalism Degree Requirements

  • 18-19 credits of core courses required of all Journalism students
  • JOURN 1010 Career Explorations in Journalism (1 Credit) This will be taught for the first time in WS06.
  • JOURN 1100 Principles of American Journalism (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 2000 Cross Cultural Journalism (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 2100 News (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 3000 History of American Journalism (3 Credits) or JOURN 4950 Solving Practical Problems (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4000 Communications Law (3 Credits)
  • The emphasis area capstone course (3 Credits)

Emphasis Area Requirements

Starting Emphasis Area Course Work
Students generally start their emphasis area course work in the first semester of their junior year.

Core/Required Photojournalism Courses

  • JOURN 4450 News Reporting (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4556 Fundamentals of Photojournalism (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4558 Advanced Techniques in Photojournalism (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4560 Staff Photography (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4980 The Picture Story and Photographic Essay (3 Credits)

Semester One

  • JOURN 4000 Communications Law (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4556 Fundamentals of Photojournalism (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4950 Solving Practical Problems (3 Credits) or JOURN 3000 History of American Journalism (3 Credits)

Semester Two

  • JOURN 4450 News Reporting (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4558 Advanced Techniques in Photojournalism (3 Credits)

Semester Three

  • JOURN 4560 Staff Photojournalism (3 Credits)
  • Journalism elective (3 Credits)

Semester Four

  • Capstone: JOURN 4980 The Picture Story and Photographic Essay (3 Credits)
  • Journalism electives (6 Credits)

Suggested Photojournalism Electives

  • JOURN 4500 News Design (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4506 Magazine Design (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4566 Electronic Photojournalism (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4568 History of Photojournalism (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4670 Newspaper Graphics Desk Management (3 Credits)

Other Options for Electives

  • You can take courses from other emphasis areas if you have satisfied prerequisites for that course.
  • You can set up an individual study course with one of your professors for 1-3 credits.
    • JOURN 4050 Communications Practice, generally project-related, requires a contract available from Journalism Advising, 76 Gannett.
    • JOURN 4350 Problems in Journalism, generally research and paper writing, requires a contract available from Journalism Advising, 76 Gannett.
  • New York Program
  • Study Abroad (Journalism-approved programs only)
  • Washington Program