Bachelor of Journalism

To be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Journalism, the candidate must complete 120 semester hours of coursework and must fulfill the University's General Requirements for graduation, the Core Curriculum requirements, the college graduation requirements, the requirements and policies listed in Academic Policies and Procedures, and the requirements given in Prescribed Work, Major Requirements, and Special Requirements of the Major, below.

Core Curriculum

All students must complete the University’s Core Curriculum. In some cases, a course required for the Bachelor of Journalism may also be counted toward the core curriculum

Prescribed Work

  1. Six semester hours of coursework focusing on communication foundations: Communication 301E and 302E.
  2. Three courses with a writing flag; one course with a quantitative reasoning flag; one course with a global cultures flag; one course with a cultural diversity in the United States flag; one course with an ethics flag; and one course with an independent inquiry flag. The same course cannot be used to satisfy the global cultures and cultural diversity flags even if the course carries both flags. Courses that fulfill flag requirements are identified in the Course Schedule. They may also be used to fulfill other degree requirements.
  3. Students must satisfy a foreign language and culture requirement in one of the following ways: (a) Demonstrating intermediate proficiency in a single foreign language; (b) Taking two consecutive courses in one language and one approved culture course in a culture that is relevant to the language. A list of approved culture and language courses and combinations will be posted on the Student Advising website before registration for each semester and summer session. An extensive foreign language testing program is available at the University. Students with knowledge of a language are encouraged to take appropriate tests both to earn as much credit as possible and to be placed at the proper level for further study. Students should consult with an academic advisor for information on testing.
  4. At least 40, but no more than 45, semester hours of journalism coursework, as described in Major Requirements, below.
  5. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours.

Major Requirements

Journalism students must complete 40 semester hours in journalism, but no more than 45 journalism hours may be counted toward the degree. Students must complete the following coursework:

Level I, Foundations (Six hours): Journalism 301F and 302F

Level II, Applications (Six hours): Journalism 310F and 311F

Level III, Specialized Skills and Concepts (18 hours):

Level IV, Professional Practices (six hours): Six hours chosen from Journalism 360F, 160G, 361F, 362F, 363D, 363F, 363K, 363L, 363N, 363P, 363S, 363V, 363W. Students should consult the School of Journalism and Media for the most updated course list.

Students must take four additional hours of journalism coursework.

Special Requirements of the Major

Students are required to take Journalism 302F , 310F, and 311F in residence.

Journalism 310F and 311F require a grade of at least B-; students who do not fulfill this requirement cannot register for upper-division journalism Skills courses.

The student must complete at least 72 semester hours outside journalism.

A student majoring in journalism may not register for more than nine semester hours in journalism in one semester or summer session. The director or associate director may make exceptions to this rule for students who need additional journalism courses in order to graduate on time.

Courses

Any student enrolled in a journalism course who does not attend the first class meeting or laboratory session may be dropped from that course.

Because prerequisites are subject to change, students should consult the Course Schedule before registering.

Order and Choice of Work

First Year

  1. The student must take three courses from the following group each semester:
    1. Rhetoric and Writing 306
    2. Courses to be counted toward the American history, American and Texas government, social and behavioral sciences, mathematics, visual and performing arts, and science and technology requirements of the core curriculum.
    3. Courses in a foreign language.
  2. Journalism 301F and 302F.
  3. Communication 301E.
  4. Students who plan to take advanced photojournalism courses are encouraged to take Communication 316 in their first or second semester.
  5. Two courses that meet flag requirements.
  6. Enough additional coursework to raise the student’s course load to 12 or 16 hours each semester. Courses should be chosen with the guidance of a college academic advisor.

Second Year

  1. The student should take three courses from the following group each semester; four are recommended:
    1. English 316L, 316M, 316N, or 316P.
    2. Courses to be counted toward the American history, American and Texas government, social and behavioral sciences, mathematics, visual and performing arts, and science and technology requirements of the core curriculum.
    3. Courses in the foreign language, unless the language requirement has been fulfilled.
  2. Journalism 310F and 311F and additional coursework to fulfill the major requirements.
  3. Communication 302E.
  4. Two courses that meet flag requirements.
  5. Enough additional coursework, if needed, to raise the student’s course load to 15 or 16 hours each semester. Courses should be chosen with the guidance of a college academic advisor.

Third Year

  1. Two courses that meet flag requirements.
  2. Any remaining courses in the core curriculum and the prescribed work.
  3. Journalism Level III and IV coursework to fulfill the major requirements. Courses should be chosen with the guidance of a college academic advisor.
  4. Upper-division electives chosen to support the major.

Fourth Year

  1. Upper-division electives chosen to support the major.
  2. Any remaining major requirements from Levels III and IV. Courses should be chosen with the guidance of a college academic advisor.
  3. Any remaining flag requirements.
  4. Any remaining courses in the core curriculum and the prescribed work.