University Catalog 2016-2017

University of Colorado Boulder
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Journalism (JRNL)

    The Department of Journalism is founded on the principle that a well-informed and engaged public is essential to democracy—perhaps more so now, at a time of dizzying change, than it has ever been; and that, in the face of this change, journalism retains a unique role in contributing to civic life and to the quality of public discourse.

    We put this principle to work by helping students become constructive participants in an ever-evolving global media landscape, where distinctions between producers and consumers of content have blurred. More specifically, we prepare them, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, for careers in journalism and other fields of public communication. We train students to gather information from a diversity of sources, to analyze it critically, and to report what is significant, through stories and other media forms across multiple media platforms. We encourage ethical awareness so that students will think independently, being prepared to reflect on and to help shape media practices and norms rather than take them at face value.

    We believe in the integration of classroom instruction with practical experience. Many of our students work for, and manage, campus online news and entertainment sites, television programs and a radio station. They intern at broadcast stations, newspapers, magazines, websites and social media companies. Lastly, as a faculty, and with the help of colleagues elsewhere in our College who are working on new and innovative forms of human communication, we are committed to improving journalism through pioneering research and creative work.

    Course code for this program is JRNL.

    Bachelor's Degree Program(s)

    Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism

    Journalism majors develop skills in information gathering, storytelling, and analysis across a variety of platforms, including television, social media, mobile devices, radio and print—using an ever-expanding variety of media tools and technologies. In addition to their professional preparation, students take courses in a core curriculum that provides a range of conceptual and interdisciplinary options and, in consultation with a faculty member, develop an individualized secondary area of concentration (18 credit hours). Students complement their skill competencies with a study of ethics, history, international media, law, literary journalism, news and public perception, sociology of news, visual culture, and other conceptual courses offered in the department and elsewhere in the college and university.

    We offer a curriculum with these learning goals:

    • Communicate to various public audiences with clarity and precision, using the most effective combination of images, sounds and words, and applying the most appropriate contemporary technologies.

    • Gather information, through research, observation and interviews, and evaluate what is gathered.

    • Acquire expertise in a particular subject and use that expertise to communicate clearly to various public audiences.

    • Base journalistic work on such enduring ethical principles as accountability, fairness, accuracy, responsibility, and diversity.

    • Think analytically, critically and creatively about the social, historical, economic and scientific forces that underlie daily events, in order to provide appropriate context in the reporting of daily events.

    • Apply the laws of freedom of expression, in both the United States and in a global media setting.

    • Blend entrepreneurial strategies with journalistic enterprise to enable success in a fast-changing economic environment.

    Required Courses and Semester Credit Hours 

    Within the college standard of 120 credit hours for the bachelor’s degree, the BA in Journalism requires 36 credit hours:

    JRNL Core Curriculum

    Principles of Journalism and Networked Communication—3

    Fundamentals of Reporting—3

    Journalism Law and Ethics—3

    One upper-division reporting course—3

    These include Advanced Reporting, TV Reporting, News Corps, Arts and Cultural Reporting, Feature Writing, and others.

    Two conceptual courses in journalism—6

    These include Advanced Ethics, Media Coverage of Diverse Populations; Concepts in Visual Culture; Critical Perspectives on Journalism; History of Documentary Film; History of Journalism; History of Broadcasting; History of Digital Journalism; Sociology of News; Literary Journalism; International Media and Global Crises; Reporting Wars, Disasters and Peace; News and Public Perception; and others.

    Internship—3

    Capstone—3

    Other Courses in Journalism

    Electives (12 credit hours): Students choose from a variety of advanced journalism courses, including but not limited to the following: Covering Political Campaigns; Editing and Presentation; Advanced Reporting; TV Reporting; Opinion Writing; Broadcast Projects; Advanced Camera and Editing; Arts and Cultural Reporting; Feature Writing; Media Coverage of Diverse Populations; Concepts in Visual Culture; Critical Perspectives on Journalism; History of Documentary Film; History of Journalism; History of Broadcasting; History of Digital Journalism; Sociology of News; Literary Journalism; International Media and Global Crises; Reporting Wars, Disasters and Peace; News and Public Perception, and others.

    Secondary Area of Study (18 hours)

    Journalism majors must complete a secondary area of study outside of JRNL.  At least 9 of the minimum 18 hours must be upper division.  Check with your academic advisor for details.

    Minor in Journalism

    In consultation with their advisors, students who are majoring in another discipline may pursue a minor in journalism.  The minor is currently under formal review and details of the requirements will be available on the CMCI website once it is approved.

    Graduate Degree Program(s)

    The department offers programs of study leading to the M.A. and Ph.D. in journalism. Interested students should contact the department for current admission and degree requirements.