Print and Digital News Degree and Emphasis Area Requirements

Print and Digital News

Print and Digital News 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 Print and Digital News Courses

  • JOURN 4400 Introduction to News Editing (2 Credits)
  • JOURN 4406 News Editing (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4450 News Reporting (3 Credits)
  • Advanced course. Select one.
    • Reporting and Writing Track: JOURN 4460 Advanced News Reporting. (3 Credits)
    • Editing and Design Track: JOURN 4500 News Design. (3 Credits)
    • Online Media Track: JOURN 4700 Participatory Journalism (Formerly Online Journalism). (3 Credits)
  • Capstone Course: JOURN 4990 Journalism and Democracy. (3 Credits)

Semester One
This is generally the first semester of the junior year.

  • JOURN 4400 Introduction to News Editing (2 Credits)
  • JOURN 4450 News Reporting. (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4950 Solving Practical Problems. (3 Credits) or JOURN 3000 History of American Journalism. (3 Credits)

Semester Two

  • JOURN 4000 Communications Law. (3 Credits)

Semester Three

  • JOURN 4406 News Editing. (3 Credits)
  • Journalism Electives (6 Credits)

Semester Four

  • Capstone Course: JOURN 4990 Journalism and Democracy (3 Credits)
  • Advanced course. Select track.
    • Reporting and Writing Track: JOURN 4460 Advanced News Reporting. (3 Credits)
    • Editing and Design Track: JOURN 4500 News Design. (3 Credits)
    • Online Media Track: JOURN 4700 Participatory Journalism (Formerly Online Journalism). (3 Credits)
  • Journalism Electives. (3 Credits)

Suggested Print and Digital News Electives

  • JOURN 4416 Science, Health & Environmental Writing. (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4410 Intermediate Writing (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4420 Editorial Writing (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4430 Computer Assisted Reporting (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4436 Investigative Reporting (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4438 Business and Economics Reporting (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4460 Advanced News Reporting (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4508 Information Graphics (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4706 The Community Newspaper (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4710 Newspaper Management (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4720 Internet Law (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4986 Advanced Writing (3 Credits)

Additional Electives for Students Interested in Editing or Design

  • JOURN 4408 Magazine Editing (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4500 News (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4506 Magazine Design (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4510 Visual Communications (3 Credits)
  • JOURN 4550 Basic Press Photography (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