Journalism (BJ)
Total Hours Required: 120
Plan of Study
The Plan of Study is a suggested four-year course sequence to support academic planning and serves as a helpful guide. Currently enrolled students should meet with their academic advisor to tailor their course selections and timelines to their individual goals and circumstances.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
| J 301F | Fundamental Issues in Journalism | 3 |
| Natural Science and Technology, Part I (030) | 3 | |
| First-Year Signature Course (090) | 3 | |
| RHE 306 | Rhetoric and Writing | 3 |
| COM 301E | Introduction to Communication Foundations | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| J 302F | Digital Storytelling Basics | 3 |
| Mathematics (020) | 3 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (080) | 3 | |
| Natural Science and Technology, Part I (030) | 3 | |
| J 304F | The Journalist Voice | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| J 310F or J 311F |
Reporting: Words or Reporting: Images |
3 |
| COM 302E | Interdisciplinary Communication Foundations | 3 |
| Natural Science and Technology, Part II (093) | 3 | |
| Language, Communication, and Culture | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| J 311F or J 310F |
Reporting: Images or Reporting: Words |
3 |
| Language, Communication, and Culture | 6 | |
| Humanities (040) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| J 350F | Media Law | 3 |
| GOV 310L | American and Texas Government | 3 |
| Upper-division Skills course | 3 | |
| Language, Communication, and Culture | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| Free Elective (upper-division) | 3 | |
| Upper-division Skills course | 3 | |
| Upper-division Skills or Concepts course | 3 | |
| U.S. History (060) | 3 | |
| GOV 312L | Issues and Policies in American Government | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| Upper-division Skills course | 3 | |
| Upper-division Professional Practices course | 3 | |
| Journalism course | 3 | |
| Upper-division non-Journalism elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division non-Moody elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| Upper-division Professional Practices course | 3 | |
| Upper-division Concepts course | 3 | |
| Non-Journalism elective | 3 | |
| Non-Moody elective | 3 | |
| Visual and Performing Arts (050) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Requirements
All requirements are listed below, starting with the most specialized moving to the most general. Additional requirements may follow the table, so be sure to read the entire page. Some required courses listed below may also satisfy General Education requirements, including Core Curriculum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major | ||
| Foundations | ||
| J 301F | Fundamental Issues in Journalism | 3 |
| J 302F | Digital Storytelling Basics | 3 |
| J 304F | The Journalist Voice | 3 |
| Applications | ||
| J 310F | Reporting: Words | 3 |
| J 311F | Reporting: Images | 3 |
| Specialized Skills (See Course List) | 9 | |
| Concepts Courses (See Course List) | 3 | |
| Professional Practices (See Course List) (No more than three hours of internship credit may be counted) | 6 | |
| J 350F | Media Law | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: Additional J course (Specialized Skills or Concept Courses) | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: Additional J coursework | 3 | |
| Subtotal | 42 | |
| Free electives: Additional coursework to reach total hours required. | 24 | |
| Subtotal | 24 | |
| General Education | ||
| Core Curriculum | 42 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Beginning Proficiency | ||
| Subtotal | 42 | |
| College Requirements - Communication | 12 | |
| General University Requirements | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Additional Requirements and Policies
- Journalism students must complete 42 semester hours in journalism, but no more than 48 journalism hours may be counted toward the degree.
- Students are required to take J 302F, J 304F, J 310F, and J 311F in residence.
- J 310F and J 311F require a grade of at least B-.
- A candidate for a degree must have an officially declared major in the Moody College of Communication at the time the degree is awarded.
Course Lists
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Specialized Skills and Concepts | ||
| Courses that fulfill this requirement include, but are not limited to: | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 9 | |
| Covering Politics | ||
| Introduction to Coding for Journalists | ||
| Reporting Sports | ||
| Reporting With Data | ||
| Television Reporting | ||
| Creative Nonfiction for Magazines and Books | ||
| Editing Techniques | ||
| Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship | ||
| The Interview Process | ||
| Music Journalism | ||
| For the full list of approved courses, visit https://moody.utexas.edu/academics/degree-programs/bachelor-journalism | ||
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Concepts Courses | ||
| Courses that fulfill this requirement include, but are not limited to: | ||
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Documentary Tradition of Latin America | ||
| Understanding African Americans and the Media | ||
| Visual Media and the News | ||
| Gender and the News | ||
| News Media and Politics | ||
| Technology and Culture | ||
| Ethics in Journalism | ||
| Nonprofit Journalism | ||
| Race and Digital Media Cultures | ||
| Online Incivility | ||
| For the full list of approved courses, visit https://moody.utexas.edu/academics/degree-programs/bachelor-journalism | ||
| Total Hours | 3 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Practices | ||
| Courses that fulfill this requirement include, but are not limited to: | ||
| Hours chosen from (no more than three hours of internship credit may be counted): | 6 | |
| Internship | ||
| Reporting Texas | ||
| Journalism Portfolio | ||
| Broadcast Capstone | ||
| Digital Innovations Capstone | ||
| News Documentaries | ||
| Capstone in Podcasting | ||
| Visual Capstone | ||
| Reporting Capstone | ||
| For the full list of approved courses, visit https://moody.utexas.edu/academics/degree-programs/bachelor-journalism | ||
| Total Hours | 6 | |