Undergraduate Courses

Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC)

JMC 101 Grammar for Journalists (1)
Grammar course specifically designed to help journalism majors master the essentials of grammar. All majors must achieve an 80 percent in the course, indicating a mastery of grammar, before they can move on to any other journalism courses.
Prerequisite: JMC major.

JMC 110 Principles and History of Journalism (3)
Organization, function, and responsibilities of the media and adjunct services. Primary emphasis on newspapers, radio, television and magazines. Credit is allowed for only JMC 110 or MCO 120.
Prerequisite: JMC major.
General Studies – SB

JMC 201 News Reporting and Writing (3)
Basic news reporting and writing techniques. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 110; successful completion of the English Grammar Test administered by the Cronkite School or JMC 101 Grammar for Journalists.
General Studies – L

JMC 301 Intermediate Reporting and Writing (Print) (3)
Intermediate news reporting and writing techniques. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 201; ENG 102.
General Studies – L

JMC 305 Online Media (3)
Focuses on the Internet from the perspective of the journalist—the best way to tell a story using words, photos, video and audio.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 201.

JMC 310 Public Relations (3)
Theory and practice of publicity, public relations, and related techniques and procedures.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 201.

JMC 313 Introduction to Editing (3)
Copy editing and headline writing. Electronic editing on personal computer terminals. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 201.

JMC 315 Intermediate Reporting and Writing (Broadcast) (3)
Intermediate broadcast news reporting and writing techniques with emphasis on audio. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 201; ENG 102.
General Studies – L

JMC 320 Newscast Producing (3)
Supervising editorial content of the television newscast. Focuses on writing, use of graphics and video. Students learn how to design, write and supervise the television newscast. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 315.

JMC 330 Television Reporting (3)
Writing, reporting and editing for television. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 315, 345.

JMC 345 Videography (3)
Develops an understanding of visual storytelling and how to craft a good, compelling story with pictures and sound. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 201.

JMC 351 Photojournalism I (3)
Basic camera, lighting and scanning skills. Discusses ethics. Emphasizes shooting pictures for newspaper assignments on deadline. Students should have a DSLR camera. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 201

JMC 366 Journalism Ethics and Diversity (3)
Explores contemporary news media ethical problems in a seminar setting. Uses journalism ethical perspectives to obtain keys to unlock contemporary dilemmas surrounding the news media. Seminar.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 110; 25 earned hours

JMC 402 Mass Communication Law (3)
Legal aspects of the rights, privileges and obligations of the press, radio and television.
Prerequisites: JMC major; 56 earned hours.
General Studies: L

JMC 413 Advanced Editing (3)
Theory and practice of newspaper editing, layout and design, picture and story selection. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 313.

JMC 414 Graphic Design for Print and Web (3)
Theory, organization and practice of layout, typography and design in traditional and multimedia publishing. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 201.

JMC 415 Writing for Public Relations (3)
Development of specific writing techniques for the practitioner in public relations agencies and divisions of major organizations. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 301, 310.

JMC 417 Public Relations Campaigns (3)
Theory, principles and literature of public relations and how they relate to audiences, campaigns and ethics.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 415.

JMC 437 Documentary Production (3)
Emphasizes individual production projects of the students' own conception and design utilizing studio, field and postproduction techniques. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 345.

JMC 440 Magazine Writing (3)
Writing and marketing magazine articles for publication. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 301.

JMC 445 Science and Medical Writing (3)
Develops writing, reporting and an understanding of key concepts in science as they relate to medical science research and practice. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 301 or instructor approval.

JMC 451 Photojournalism II (3)
Emphasizes shooting and Photoshop skills for newspaper and magazine assignments. Film and digital photography, flash and studio lighting. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 351.

JMC 452 Photojournalism III (3)
Continued practice in shooting (film and digital) and Photoshop skills for newspapers and magazines. Emphasizes single images, picture stories, editorial illustrations and portfolio development. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 451.

JMC 460 Advanced Online Media (3)
Covers online trends, Web design and usability, and copyright, legal and ethical issues facing online journalists. Hands-on experience in using Photoshop, Dreamweaver, CSS, Soundslides, Final Cut, and Flash to produce original, compelling multimedia stories as well as an award-winning online magazine. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 305 with a C or better or currently enrolled; or MMC student.

JMC 465 Precision Journalism (3)
Advanced reporting methods using Internet research and data analysis tools for beat and investigative stories. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 301 or JMC 315.

JMC 470 Depth Reporting (3)
Introduces strategies for writing in-depth newspaper or magazine articles. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 301; instructor approval.

JMC 473 The Business and Future of Journalism (3)
Exposes advanced journalism students to broad media management problems; helps students understand how essential the bottom line and quality journalism are to the entire journalistic enterprise; helps students think about how to balance those two concerns.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 201.

JMC 475 Television Newscast Production (3 – 9)
Writing, reporting and production of the television newscast. May be repeated once for credit. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 330 (or instructor approval).

JMC 478 Cronkite News Service (3-9)
Supervising editorial content of the television newscast. Focuses on writing, use of graphics and video. Fee.
Prerequisites: JMC major; JMC 301 or JMC 315.

JMC 494 Special Topics (1-4)
Omnibus Courses. For an explanation of courses offered but not specifically listed in the catalog, see “Omnibus Courses.”

Mass Communication (MCO)

MCO 120 Media and Society (3)
Role of newspapers, magazines, radio, television and motion pictures in American society. Credit is allowed for only MCO 120 or JMC 110. Designed for non-majors.
General Studies – SB

MCO 200 Introduction to Electronic Media (3)
Surveys electronic media in the United States: history, regulation, organization, programming and effects.

MCO 240 Media Issues in American Pop Culture (3)
Examines the production and consumption of popular culture as disseminated by the mass media with emphasis on the societal implications. Lecture, discussion.

MCO 302 Media Research Methods (3)
Surveys research methods used in the social sciences, with a focus on mass communication.

MCO 418 History of Mass Communication (3)
American journalism from its English and colonial origins to the present day. Development and influence of newspapers, magazines, radio, television and newsgathering agencies.
General Studies - SB & H

MCO 421 Media Problems (3)
Trends and problems of the mass media, emphasizing editorial decisions in the processing of information.

MCO 430 International Mass Communication (3)
Comparative study of communication and media systems. Information gathering and dissemination under different political and cultural systems.
General Studies - G

MCO 450 Visual Communication (3)
Theory and tradition of communication through the visual media with emphasis on the continuity of traditions common to modern visual media.
General Studies – HU

MCO 460 Race, Gender, and Media (3)
Readings seminar designed to give a probing examination of the interface between AHANA Americans and the mass media in the United States. Lecture, discussion. Cross-listed as AFR 460. Credit is allowed for only AFR 460 or MCO 460.
General Studies – C

MCO 473 Sex, Love, and Romance in the Mass Media (3)
The role of the mass media in constructing and/or reinforcing unrealistic mythic and stereotypic images of sex, love and romance. Lecture, discussion.
Prerequisites for non majors: 24 hours; 2.00 GPA.
Prerequisites for majors: 40 hours; 2.50 GPA.
General Studies – SB

MCO 494 Special Topics (1-4)
Omnibus Courses. For an explanation of courses offered but not specifically listed in the catalog, see “Omnibus Courses.”