2017-18 Undergraduate Catalog

Journalism (JOUR) JOUR-1000 Introduction to Media Writing –Sp 3 hours This intensive writing course prepares students to write news copy for a variety of media. Students learn basic journalistic practices and writing formats. Priority given to majors. JOUR-2000 Introduction to Reporting –Sp 3 hours This course is designed to develop and enhance the primary journalistic skills presented in JOUR-1000. The objective for this course is to provide opportunity for students to polish their writing skills. Each student will have the opportunity to expand their abilities as a writer, to write more sophisticated stories, and to receive greater feedback on their reporting style and content. Prerequisites: JOUR-1000 Introduction to Media Writing. (Fee: $50) JOUR-2500 Introduction to Public Relations –Fa 3 hours This course acquaints students with the foundations of public relations as a profession. The course includes discussion of key individuals and events in its development. It provides an overview of the theoretical aspects of public relations practices and techniques. The media relationship of public relations practitioners to the mass media is examined. Codes of ethics for practitioners are also explored. JOUR-3100 Media Law –Sp 3 hours Examines the rights and responsibilities of journalists in American society. It explores and applies federal and state laws and regulations associated with the media. Topic areas will include the journalist and the first amendment, access to government information, libel, and privacy. Special attention will be given to legal issues related to new media. Prerequisite: junior or senior status. JOUR-3150 Media Ethics –Fa 2 hours This course examines the rights and responsibilities of the journalist in American society. It examines and applies federal and state laws and regulations associated with the media. Topic areas will include the journalist and the first amendment, access to government information, libel, and privacy. Special attention will be given to legal issues related to new media. Crosslisted with BRDM-3150. Prerequisite: junior or senior status. JOUR-3310 3 hours Advanced Newswriting and Reporting for Broadcasting –Sp Building on basics of newswriting, this course provides the opportunity to focus on reporting and writing techniques unique for broadcast media. Includes advanced skills in the organization and presentation of news stories. It provides in-depth broadcasting techniques in reporting and interviewing, as well as the use of computer-assisted reporting. Prerequisite: JOUR-2000 Introduction to Reporting. (Fee: $50) JOUR-3320 3 hours Advanced Newswriting and Reporting for Print –Fa This course will provide students with the opportunity to develop in-depth newswriting skills for print media. Changing concepts of news will be discussed and appropriate writing methods for traditional and new media outlets will be presented. The student will apply reporting principles to a variety of news contexts including accidents, crime and the courts, sports, business, and local government. The techniques of computer-assisted journalism will also be presented and applied. The ethics of sound reporting will be an important instructional component of the course. The challenges of sound reporting after 9/11 will be discussed. Prerequisite: JOUR-2000 Introduction to Reporting. (Fee: $50) JOUR-3350 Television News Production –Fa 3 hours This course provides the basis for broadcast journalism students to understand the components of studio production of television news programs. Instruction focuses on the process and elements needed to produce a televised newscast. Prerequisite: JOUR-3310 Advanced Newswriting and Reporting for Broadcasting; JOUR-3320 Advanced Newswriting and Reporting for Print. (Fee: $50) JOUR-3420 Editing and Design –Sp 3 hours This course will teach students the methods to edit news stories for publication. In this course, students will learn the role of the editor in the news process and the editorial skills to prepare news stories for publication. The course will also cover the development of appropriate headlines and methods of designing story layout in ways that are clear and appealing to a target audience. Students will be taught to bring both a detailed and holistic approach to the development of the news story for printed media. Current developments in the field of editing and design will be applied to contemporary news events to facilitate application of the principles of the course. Prerequisites: JOUR-3310 Advanced Newswriting and Reporting for Broadcasting; JOUR-3320 Advanced Newswriting and Reporting for Print. (Fee: $50) JOUR-3500 3 hours Public Relations Principles and Writing –Sp This course provides instruction in effective public relations communication both within organizations and to various media outlets. Students develop problem-solving approaches to PR challenges and apply appropriate written, visual, and spoken messages to audiences using different media of communication. Prerequisite: JOUR-2500 Introduction to Public Relations. JOUR-3550 3 hours Advanced Public Relations Writing –Sp Building on the basics of public relations principles and writing, this course provides the opportunity to focus on particular writing techniques employed in specialized public relations contexts. This includes writing for internal publics in the form of reports, proposals, backgrounders, and position papers. In addition, students will learn to write for external publics in print, broadcasting, and online media contexts, developing proficiency in presentational and speech communication, news, feature and advertising copy. Prerequisite: JOUR-3500 Public Relations Principles and Writing. JOUR-3600 Computer-Assisted Reporting –Fa 3 hours This course teaches students the basic skills needed to use a computer to collect and analyze data necessary to write news stories. Students will learn how to gather background information, mine databases, analyze public records, study political and demographic trends with information system mapping, and conduct interviews by email. Prerequisites: JOUR-3310 Advanced Newswriting and Reporting for Broadcasting; or JOUR-3320 Advanced Newswriting and Reporting for Print. (even years) (Fee: $50) JOUR-3605 3 hours Writing and Design for Web and Mobile Media –Sp The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the special design and writing necessary for emerging new media, including the web, mobile media, and social networking sites and services. Crosslisted with BRDM. JOUR-3650 Networked Audience –Fa 3 hours What is happening to the audience for media content and how is that likely to change over the next five years? That is the question that this course seeks to answer. Students will develop a framework for understanding the audience by looking at the intersection of a wide variety of factors that shape the media environment. The students will then project current trends to anticipate where the audience will be in the next five years. Crosslisted as BRDM . (Fee:$10) 2017–18 Undergraduate Academic Catalog Page 235 Course Descriptions JOUR-1000 – JOUR-3650 COMMUNICATION