Journalism Minor
The Journalism minor offers a 21-unit course of study that focuses on key journalistic skills and knowledge sets, and is designed to be combined with a complementary major. Students are required to obtain a minimum grade of C- in all courses taken for the minor.
Minor Requirements
21 credit hours
Complete the following:
Students work collaboratively to explore story and script essentials, the technical, creative, and aesthetic elements of the video production process. Course includes professional script formatting, basic lighting, sound, camera operation, composition, and design of visual elements, producing and directing basics through lecture, classroom and supervised laboratory experiences.
A course designed to provide fundamental knowledge and experience in reporting, writing, and editing news for the print media. Prerequisite: WRIT 111 Caring for Words, enrollment in the Honors Program, or instructor permission.
A workshop approach to writing feature articles and other shorter nonfiction forms for periodicals. Student-produced material is submitted to various publications as part of course expectations. Prerequisite: WRIT 111 Caring for Words, enrollment in the Honors Program, or instructor permission.
Theory and practice in editing the moving image. Analysis of Hollywood and avant-garde styles of editing is followed by practice exercises illustrating each concept. Additional course fee required. Prerequisite: CINE 230 Storytelling, Moving Images & Sound or instructor's permission.
Students hone journalistic skills in areas such as interviewing techniques, cultivating sources, investigative reporting, and editing and layout. Prerequisite: JOUR/WRIT 230 Introduction to Journalism or instructor's permission.
Complete 6 hours from the following:
This course helps those who want to understand and to be able to explain to others what can be done to make writing correct, clear, and precise. Focuses on constructing, editing, and correcting sentences and paragraphs. This is not a remedial course.
Survey of the historical development of newspapers, magazines, broadcast media, and cinema. Analysis of the role(s) of mass media in shaping and altering opinion and values in contemporary culture.
This course explores trends in media convergence, focusing as well on the ways reporters, editors, and designers create stories for the web. Particular emphasis will be on web-based story design, the coordination of text and art, and the creation of stories for a variety of new media outlets. Prerequisite: WRIT 111 Caring for Words, enrollment in the Honors Program, or instructor permission.
The documentary filmmaker must juggle a multitude of skills while maintaining a relationship with their subject in an ethical manner. Students will explore the historical, critical, and ethical aspects of the documentary while studying the steps taken during preproduction. Additional course fee is required. Prerequisite: CINE 230 Storytelling, Moving Images & Sound.
This course continues the documentary experience started in Documentary Production I. Students will apply their understanding of documentary filmmaking while exploring the aspects of production and post-production. Additional course fee is required. Prerequisite: CINE 371 Documentary Production I.
An internship experience designed to give students an opportunity to practice video and film techniques and principles in an off-campus, professional setting. Students choose from a variety of options - cable, broadcast, corporate, medical, or commercial production facilities - based on the student's goals and interests. Up to 6 hours may apply to the cinematic arts major. Pass/No Pass. Prerequisite: instructor's permission.