Bulletin--Journalism Program

Journalism

College of Humanities
Dean: Nancy McDermid

Department of Journalism
HUM 305
415-338-1689
Chair: Erna Smith

Center for Integration and Improvement of Journalism
Director: Jon Funabiki
HUM 307
415-338-7434

Faculty

Professors—Burks, Johnson, J.T., Kobré, Medsger, Sellers

Associate Professors—Long-Scott, Smith, E., Thompson, V.

Lecturers—Hogan, Mangelsdorf, Ramirez, Soler, Wagstaffe

Programs

B.A. in Journalism

Minor in Journalism

Program Scope

The Bachelor of Arts in Journalism prepares students for careers in journalism. This is accomplished by providing instruction that requires students to develop a working knowledge of the skills, laws, ethics, power, and responsibilities of the news media. A strong liberal arts education also is required.

The main goals of the program's skills courses are to help students become accurate and thorough researchers, precise and graceful writers, technically and aesthetically fine photojournalists. Introductory courses emphasize the need to think and write clearly. Many students choose the major because these skills provide excellent preparation for numerous occupations, not only for journalism.

Writing students are required to take introductory courses in research, reporting, writing, and editing. Photojournalism students are required to take introductory courses in writing and reporting as well as courses in basic photography and news photography. Advanced courses are more specialized—feature writing, depth reporting, public affairs reporting, and magazine writing for writers and editors; newspaper, magazine, documentary, and studio photography for photographers. In order to understand the role of journalism in society, students also are required to take courses in journalism ethics, law, history, and ethnic diversity. Students are strongly urged to develop speaking, writing, and listening competency in a second language.

To give students pre-professional experience, the program requires students to work on these laboratory publications: Golden Gater, a twice-a-week newspaper; Prism, a general interest magazine published three times each semester; and a department newsletter. These publications are produced by classes and are taken for credit. Consistent with the department's commitment to protect students' First Amendment rights, students have editorial control of the publications.

All students are required to consult with a faculty adviser each semester. They can choose their adviser or have one assigned by the department office. Students are asked to provide advisers with on-going written records of their complete academic record for department records.

Services are available to all journalism students at the department's Center for Integration and Improvement of Journalism. Coaching is provided by Bay Area journalists who volunteer to work through the center with any student enrolled in department skills courses. Advanced students may be assigned a professional as a mentor. The privately funded center was established in 1990 to create programs that increase retention rates and job/internship placement of journalism students and to increase ethnic minority enrollment and graduation rates. It conducts special programs for high school students and for Bay Area journalists. Through the center, department faculty and students and center staff engage in research that consistently has had a national and international impact on journalism, with an emphasis on research about the coverage on ethnic minority people and issues.

The department is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). It is a member of the California Newspaper Publishers Association and sponsors a student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi.

The faculty includes eight full-time members and a fluctuating number of part-time instructors, most of them active journalists. Faculty encourage and assist students in finding jobs and internships. Students may earn up to three units in JOUR 409 for journalism internships. Consult department office to arrange credit for internships.

Career Outlook

The writing, editing, and photography skills taught in the department prepare students for entry level jobs on a wide variety of print journalism newspapers and magazines. Though the laboratory experience in the department is in print journalism, some graduates become broadcast journalists. The critical thinking and clear expression that are taught in department courses prepare students well for jobs in broadcast journalism and in many fields outside journalism. Because of the department's national reputation for excellent preparation of students and for being ethnically diverse, students in the department are recruited from throughout the nation for internships and entry-level jobs in journalism.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN JOURNALISM

To earn the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, students must complete the core requirements of nineteen journalism units and take a total of 34 journalism units. For students in news-editorial and magazine sequences, only six journalism units may be lower division—JOUR 200 and JOUR 221 (plus JOUR 235 for photojournalism students), or their equivalents taken elsewhere. Courses numbered 300 and above are not open to freshmen.

In order to assure that every journalism student's education is as rich and varied as possible, the department has established these requirements:

A journalism major must complete at least nine upper division units in one of the areas of study approved by the faculty. Majors must have this nine-unit block approved by a department adviser before enrolling in the courses.
A journalism major must have a minimum of 90 non-journalism units in the 124 minimal overall units required for graduation. These 90 units must include at least 65 units in liberal arts and science courses. Included in these 90 units must be the nine-unit upper division block in a single subject area chosen in consultation with the adviser. The 90-unit requirement is consistent with the department's philosophy that a well-rounded education is crucial preparation for journalism and is consistent with the standards of the national accrediting agency that evaluates journalism education programs. These standards exclude most classes in broadcasting, public relations, and advertising from qualifying as non-journalism units. Journalism majors may take more journalism units than the 34 required.

Program						Units
Core course units				 19
Sequence course units				 15
		Total required Journalism units	 34
Non-Journalism units (The 90 must include the 
nine-unit upper division block in a single 
subject chosen in consultation with an adviser 
and at least 65 units in liberal arts and 
sciences. Classes in broadcasting, public 
relations, and advertising cannot qualify as 
non-journalism units.) 				 90
		Total				124

Courses for this program are listed in alphabetical sequence (see Journalism discipline in the Announcement of Courses section).

Core						Units
JOUR 200	Journalism and the Mass Media	 3
JOUR 221	Newswriting			 3
JOUR 300	Reporting			 3
JOUR 301	History of Journalism		 3
JOUR 305	Mass Communication Law		 3
JOUR 610	Ethnic Diversity and U.S. 
		Journalism			 1
JOUR 666	Ethical Issues in Journalism	 3
		Total for core			19
Courses selected from one of the sequences
listed below					15
Non-journalism block units on advisement	 9
		Total for major			43

Prerequisites

For JOUR 221, minimum grade of B in college-level English composition course; passing grade on department writing examination; typing skill of 25 wpm.
For JOUR 300 and JOUR 330, JOUR 221 or its equivalent taken elsewhere with at least a C+; type minimum 25 wpm. Transfer students must take a department-administered newswriting test and make at least C+. Exam will be given first day of class. (JOUR 330 may be taken at same time as JOUR 300.)
For advanced writing courses (JOUR 320, JOUR 321, JOUR 420, JOUR 595, and others that may be offered occasionally), JOUR 300 with at least C+.
For JOUR 335, completion of JOUR 235 (or its equivalent taken elsewhere) with at least C+ in department-administered photojournalism competency test.
For JOUR 435 or JOUR 535, completion of JOUR 335 with at least C+.
For required laboratory courses (JOUR 480, JOUR 485):
News-editorial sequence students must complete JOUR 300 and an advanced writing course with at least a C+ in both.
Magazine sequence students must complete JOUR 300 and JOUR 595 with at least a C+ in both.
Photojournalism sequence students must complete JOUR 221 and JOUR 235 (or its equivalent taken elsewhere), and JOUR 335, all with at least a C+.

Other Requirements

Students may enroll in only one laboratory course per semester. Journalism majors and minors must earn at least C+ in all laboratory and skills courses.

Journalism majors and minors must take all journalism courses and the nine-unit upper division non-journalism block for letter grade only.

Sequences

Journalism majors are required to concentrate their journalism courses in one of the three areas listed below. No deviations from these and other requirements are permitted without adviser's consent. Students are not required to select a sequence until they have met prerequisites for laboratory courses.

News-Editorial Sequence

JOUR 330	Editing				 3
Two courses selected from the following:	 6
	JOUR 320	Depth Reporting
	JOUR 321	Feature Writing
	JOUR 420	Reporting of Public 
			Affairs
	JOUR 595	Magazine Writing
Two sections of laboratory courses (may not be 
taken same semester)				 6
	JOUR 480	Newspaper Laboratory I 
			(may be taken twice)
	JOUR 485	Magazine Laboratory I 
			(may be taken once)
		Total for sequence		15

Magazine Sequence

JOUR 330	Editing				 3
Two sections of laboratory courses (may not be 
taken same semester)				 6
	JOUR 480	Newspaper Laboratory I 
			(may be taken once)
	JOUR 485	Magazine Laboratory I 
			(may be taken twice)
JOUR 500	The Contemporary Magazine	 3
JOUR 595	Magazine Writing		 3
		Total for sequence		15

Photojournalism Sequence

Three of the following courses (JOUR 235, 335, 
and 435; or, if JOUR 235 has been taken at 
another campus, JOUR 335, 435, and 535):	 9
	JOUR 235	Photojournalism I
	JOUR 335	Photojournalism II
	JOUR 435	Photojournalism III
	JOUR 535	Photojournalism IV
Two sections of laboratory courses (may not be 
taken same semester)				 6
	JOUR 480	Newspaper Laboratory I 
			(may be taken twice)
	JOUR 485	Magazine Laboratory I 
			(may be taken twice)
		Total for sequence		15

NOTE: JOUR 235 and JOUR 335 must be taken in consecutive order; either JOUR 435 or JOUR 535 may be taken after successfully completing JOUR 335.

MINOR IN JOURNALISM

This program is not a requirement for any credential or degree but is intended to give students an opportunity to pursue their interests in journalism in an organized way. A total of 21 units is required, approved by an adviser.

						Units
JOUR 200	Journalism and the Mass Media	 3
JOUR 221	Newswriting			 3
JOUR 300	Reporting			 3
JOUR 610	Ethnic Diversity and U.S. 
		Journalism			 1
One course selected from the following:		 3
	JOUR 320	Depth Reporting
	JOUR 321	Feature Writing
	JOUR 420	Reporting Public Affairs
	JOUR 595	Magazine Writing
JOUR 330	Editing				 3
One course selected from the following:		 3
	JOUR 301	History of Journalism
	JOUR 666	Ethical Issues in 
			Journalism
One course selected from the following:		 3
	JOUR 480	Newspaper Laboratory I
	JOUR 485	Magazine Laboratory I
		Total				22

Bulletin 1994-96 Table of Contents, SFSU Home Page

last modified June 23, 1995