2024-2025 Academic Catalog

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Bachelor of Arts in Communication

Multimedia Journalism Major

Program Curriculum

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Degree Core Requirements
COMM 1004	First-Semester Experience in Communication	1
COMM 1014	Introduction to Communication	3
COMM 2024	Media Writing	3
COMM 2084	Media and Society	3
COMM 2094	Communication and Issues of Diversity	3
COMM 2124	Introduction to Communication Research	3
COMM 4024	Communication Law	3
Subtotal		19
Major Requirements
JMC 2034	Visual News Reporting	3
JMC 3154	Multimedia Reporting	3
JMC 3174	Advanced Multimedia Reporting	3
JMC 4334	Communication Ethics	3
JMC 4814	Digital Newsroom: Online	3
or JMC 4824	Digital Newsroom: Broadcast
Major Restricted Electives
Application Courses
Select three of the following:		9
JMC 1114	Introduction to Media Production Technology
JMC 3114	Video Production: Studio
JMC 3184	Media Weather Reporting
JMC 3284	Data Journalism
JMC 4064	Social Media Analytics
JMC 4114	Photojournalism
JMC 4134	Editorial Writing
JMC 4144	Magazine Writing
JMC 4254	Topics Multimedia Journalism (application topic)
JMC 4274	Broadcasting Performance
COMM 4204	Communication Internship
Theory Courses
Select two of the following:		6
JMC 4014	Media Effects
JMC 4254	Topics Multimedia Journalism (theory topic)
JMC 4264	Social Media Theory and Practice
JMC 4344	Free Speech in Cyberspace
JMC 4374	New Communications Technology
Subtotal		30
Free Electives
Complete 26 credits of minor, cognate, or double major and electives ¹		26
Subtotal		26
Pathways to General Education
Pathways Concept 1 - Discourse
COMM 1015	Communication Skills ²	3
COMM 1016	Communication Skills ²	3
Select three credits in Pathway 1a		3
Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities
Select six credits in Pathway 2		6
Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences
Select six credits in Pathway 3		6
Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences
Select six credits in Pathway 4		6
Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking
Select six credits in Pathway 5f		6
Select three credits in Pathway 5a		3
Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts
Select three credits in Pathway 6a		3
Select three credits in Pathway 6d		3
Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States
Select three credits in Pathway 7		3
Subtotal		45
Total Credits		120

¹

In addition to degree core, major, and Pathways requirements, students must complete at least 26 credit hours in the following categories to reach 120 credit hours for graduation:

Minor, cognate, or double major—Beyond studies in Multimedia Journalism and other mass communication disciplines, students must build content knowledge in another area of focus by completing a minor or cognate (minimum 18 credits) or double major (credits vary by major).
Electives—Once students complete a minor or cognate, they may still need additional credit hours for graduation. Students might consider education abroad, an internship, a field study, undergraduate research, independent study, or other non-required Pathways or foreign language courses. Students should not include ADV, COMM, JMC, or PR courses among these electives.

²

Students who transfer into the major after their freshman year may substitute ENGL 1105 First-Year Writing and ENGL 1106 First-Year Writing for COMM 1015 Communication Skills and COMM 1016 Communication Skills. Those transfer students should take COMM 2004 Public Speaking for Pathways Concept 1A and COMM 2014 Speech Communication for 3 of the required credits hours toward Pathways Concept 3.

Progress Toward Degree

A student will be certified as making satisfactory progress toward a degree by meeting these requirements:

Completion of COMM 1004 First-Semester Experience in Communication within the first 3 classes (9 credits) in the major.
Completion of COMM 1014 Introduction to Communication within the first 6 classes (18 credits) in the major. Minimum grade of C- required.
Completion of COMM 2124 Introduction to Communication Research within the first 8 classes (24 credits) in the major.
Overall GPA—Students who fall below 2.0 will follow university policies for probation and subsequent suspension if the GPA is not raised during the probation period.
Major GPA—Students who fall below 2.0 in their major coursework will have one semester to regain the required GPA standards. All ADV, COMM, JMC, and PR courses are included in this calculation. A student who fails to make satisfactory progress toward degree after that semester will be blocked from continuing in MJ or another School of Communication major.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum of 120 semester credit hours from the following categories: Core Degree Requirements, Major Requirements, Major Restricted Electives, Pathways to General Education, Minor and Electives.
Minimum of 46 credits in ADV, COMM, JMC, or PR; minimum 70 credits outside ADV, COMM, JMC, or PR.
Overall GPA of 2.0; major GPA 2.0, based on all ADV, COMM, JMC, and PR courses the student has completed.
Courses taken in major to fulfill graduation requirements must be graded A-F (not pass/fail).
ADV, COMM, JMC, and PR courses taken for a minor may not be counted toward major requirements.

Foreign Language Requirement

2 years of single foreign or classical language or American Sign Language in middle or high school, OR
Credit by examination for a foreign or classical language or American Sign Language (This option is available only to students who learned a foreign language without the benefit of formal training.), OR
6 college-level semester credits in a single foreign or classical language or American Sign Language. These credits are in addition to the 120 required for graduation.

Roadmap

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall Semester		Credits
COMM 1004	First-Semester Experience in Communication	1
COMM 1015	Communication Skills	3
Pathway 2		3
Pathway 3		3
Pathway 4		3
Pathway 5f		3
	Credits	16
Spring Semester
COMM 1014	Introduction to Communication	3
COMM 1016	Communication Skills	3
Pathway 4		3
Pathway 5f		3
Pathway 6a		3
	Credits	15
Second Year
Fall Semester
COMM 2024	Media Writing	3
COMM 2084	Media and Society	3
COMM 2094	Communication and Issues of Diversity	3
Pathway 1a		3
Pathway 5a		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
COMM 2124	Introduction to Communication Research	3
JMC 2034	Visual News Reporting	3
Pathway 2		3
Pathway 3		3
Pathway 6d		3
	Credits	15
Third Year
Fall Semester
JMC 3154	Multimedia Reporting	3
Restricted Electives		3
Restricted Electives		3
Pathway 7		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
JMC 3174	Advanced Multimedia Reporting	3
JMC 4334	Communication Ethics	3
Restricted Electives		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
COMM 4024	Communication Law	3
Restricted Electives		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
JMC 4814 or JMC 4824	Digital Newsroom: Online or Digital Newsroom: Broadcast	3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		2
	Credits	14
	Total Credits	120

Major Restricted Electives

Application Courses

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
JMC 1114	Introduction to Media Production Technology	3
JMC 3114	Video Production: Studio	3
JMC 3184	Media Weather Reporting	3
JMC 3284	Data Journalism	3
JMC 4064	Social Media Analytics	3
JMC 4114	Photojournalism	3
JMC 4134	Editorial Writing	3
JMC 4144	Magazine Writing	3
JMC 4254	Topics Multimedia Journalism (application topic)	3
JMC 4274	Broadcasting Performance	3
COMM 4204	Communication Internship	1-6

Theory Courses

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
JMC 4014	Media Effects	3
JMC 4254	Topics Multimedia Journalism (theory topic)	3
JMC 4264	Social Media Theory and Practice	3
JMC 4344	Free Speech in Cyberspace	3
JMC 4374	New Communications Technology	3