Program Overview

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Journalism - B.S.

About This Program

At Kent State, journalism students learn how to cover real stories that make a difference. Whether using a camera, a microphone, a smartphone or a laptop, you’ll develop critical skills to tell stories in all forms. You will graduate prepared to continue as a journalist or apply these skills to other professions that value critical thinking, information gathering and the ability to make sense of it for others.

Contact Information

• Emily Metzgar | |

Program Delivery

• Delivery: In person
• Location: Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers

• Editor, copy editor or fact-checker
• Magazine writer/reporter
• Photojournalist or multimedia journalist
• Podcaster or radio host
• Reporter/journalist for web, television, audio, and newspaper
• Sports broadcaster or sportswriter
• Television anchor
• Television news producer

Accreditation

Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC)

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.

• First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.
• First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.
• International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.
• Former Students: Former Kent State students who have not attended another institution since Kent State and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving Kent State must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.
• Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

• Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours
  • EMAT 10310 | MY STORY ON THE WEB | 3
  • or MDJ 20011 | PRODUCTION FUNDAMENTALS
  • MDJ 20001 | MEDIA, POWER AND CULTURE (DIVD) (KSS) | 3
  • MDJ 26001 | WRITING FOR MEDIA | 3
  • MDJ 26005 | MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM | 3
  • MDJ 26007 | REPORTING | 3
  • or MDJ 26008 | BROADCAST REPORTING
  • MDJ 40006 | LAW OF MEDIA AND JOURNALISM | 3
  • MDJ 40010 | ETHICS AND ISSUES IN MEDIA AND JOURNALISM (WIC) | 3
  • MDJ 40027 | RACE, GENDER, CLASS AND DIS/ABILITY IN MEDIA INDUSTRIES (DIVD) | 3
  • MDJ 40092 | INTERNSHIP (ELR) | 1
• Major Electives, choose from the following: | 18
  • CCI 12001 | PHOTOGRAPHY
  • CCI 45091 | SEMINAR IN MEDIA AND MOVEMENTS (ELR)
  • MDJ 22004 | VISUAL STORYTELLING
  • MDJ 26007 | REPORTING
  • MDJ 26008 | BROADCAST REPORTING
  • MDJ 32001 | PHOTOJOURNALISM I
  • MDJ 33024 | ON-CAMERA TECHNIQUES FOR MEDIA PROFESSIONALS
  • MDJ 33042 | STUDIO TELEVISION
  • MDJ 36005 | EDITING
  • MDJ 36008 | FREELANCE JOURNALISM
  • MDJ 36010 | INTERVIEWING AND DATA FOR JOURNALISTS
  • MDJ 36018 | FEATURE WRITING
  • MDJ 36020 | AUDIO STORYTELLING AND PODCASTING I
  • MDJ 40017 | MEDIA ENTERPRISE
  • MDJ 40295 | SELECTED TOPICS IN MEDIA AND JOURNALISM
  • MDJ 41111 | FASHION PUBLISHING
  • MDJ 43035 | ADVANCED MULTIMEDIA NEWS
  • MDJ 46003 | PRODUCING TELEVISION NEWS
  • MDJ 46009 | REPORTING PUBLIC POLICY
  • MDJ 46020 | MAGAZINE DESIGN
  • MDJ 46021 | ADVANCED MAGAZINE WRITING
  • MDJ 46395 | SELECTED TOPICS IN JOURNALISM
• Advanced Major Electives, choose from the following: | 6
  • MDJ 32002 | PHOTOJOURNALISM II
  • MDJ 40017 | MEDIA ENTERPRISE
  • MDJ 40295 | SELECTED TOPICS IN MEDIA AND JOURNALISM
  • MDJ 43035 | ADVANCED MULTIMEDIA NEWS
  • MDJ 46009 | REPORTING PUBLIC POLICY
  • MDJ 46021 | ADVANCED MAGAZINE WRITING
  • MDJ 46030 | AUDIO STORYTELLING AND PODCASTING II
  • MDJ 46395 | SELECTED TOPICS IN JOURNALISM
• Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
  • UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1
  • College of Communication and Information Core Electives, choose from the following: | 9
    • CCI 10095 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION
    • CCI 40089 | BRANDING AND SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES FOR ITALIAN LIFESTYLE (DIVG) (ELR)
    • CCI 40095 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION
    • CCI 40189 | ITALIAN POP CULTURE (DIVG) (ELR)
    • CCI 40289 | ITALIAN CINEMA (DIVG) (ELR)
    • CCI 40389 | DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING (DIVG) (ELR)
    • CCI 40489 | MULTIMEDIA EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING (DIVG) (ELR)
    • CCI 45089 | INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION (DIVG) (ELR)
    • CCI 46089 | INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION (DIVG) (ELR)
    • COMM 15000 | INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN COMMUNICATION (KADL)
    • COMM 35852 | INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION (DIVG)
    • EMAT 25310 | CREATIVE CODING
    • EMAT 33310 | HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION
    • LIS 30010 | INFORMATION FLUENCY IN THE WORKPLACE AND BEYOND
    • UXD 20001 | INTRODUCTION TO USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN
    • VCD 13000 | VISUAL DESIGN THINKING
• Kent Core Composition | 6
• Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning | 3
• Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) | 9
• Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) | 3
• Kent Core Basic Sciences (must include one laboratory) | 6-7
• Kent Core Additional | 6
• General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours) | 28
• Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120

Progression Requirements

• No grade lower than a C- in a MDJ course will be counted toward graduation or as a prerequisite for a subsequent class.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation Requirements Summary

• Minimum Major GPA | Minimum Overall GPA
  • 2.000 | 2.000

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid

Semester One | Credits

• EMAT 10310 | MY STORY ON THE WEB | 3
• or MDJ 20011 | PRODUCTION FUNDAMENTALS
• MDJ 20001 | MEDIA, POWER AND CULTURE (DIVD) (KSS) | 3
• MDJ 26001 | WRITING FOR MEDIA | 3
• UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• | Credit Hours | 16

Semester Two

• MDJ 26005 | MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM | 3
• College of Communication and Information Core Elective | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• | Credit Hours | 15

Semester Three

• MDJ 26007 | REPORTING | 3
• or MDJ 26008 | BROADCAST REPORTING
• College of Communication and Information Core Elective | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• General Elective | 3
• | Credit Hours | 15

Semester Four

• Major Electives | 6
• MDJ 40027 | RACE, GENDER, CLASS AND DIS/ABILITY IN MEDIA INDUSTRIES (DIVD) | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• | Credit Hours | 15

Semester Five

• Major Electives | 6
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• General Elective | 6
• | Credit Hours | 15

Semester Six

• Major Electives | 6
• College of Communication and Information Core Elective | 3
• Kent Core Requirement | 3
• General Electives | 3
• | Credit Hours | 15

Third Summer Term

• MDJ 40092 | INTERNSHIP (ELR) | 1
• | Credit Hours | 1

Semester Seven

• MDJ 40006 | LAW OF MEDIA AND JOURNALISM | 3
• Advanced Major Electives | 3
• General Electives | 9
• | Credit Hours | 15

Semester Eight

• MDJ 40010 | ETHICS AND ISSUES IN MEDIA AND JOURNALISM (WIC) | 3
• Advanced Major Elective | 3
• General Electives | 7
• | Credit Hours | 13
• | Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120

University Requirements

All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.

Bachelor's Requirements

• Requirement | Credits/Courses
  • Flashes 101 (UC 10001) | 1 credit hour
  • Course is not required for students with 30+ transfer credits (excluding College Credit Plus) or age 21+ at time of admission.
  • Diversity Domestic/Global (DIVD/DIVG) | 2 courses
  • Students must successfully complete one domestic and one global course, of which one must be from the Kent Core.
  • Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR) | varies
  • Students must successfully complete one course or approved experience.
  • Kent Core (see table below) | 36-37 credit hours
  • Writing-Intensive Course (WIC) | 1 course
  • Students must earn a minimum C grade in the course.
  • Upper-Division Requirement | 39 credit hours
  • Students must successfully complete 39 upper-division (numbered 30000 to 49999) credit hours to graduate.
  • Total Credit Hour Requirement | 120 credit hours

Kent Core Requirements

Bachelor's Requirements

• Requirement | Credits/Courses
  • Kent Core Composition (KCMP) | 6
  • Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (KMCR) | 3
  • Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (KHUM/KFA) (min one course each) | 9
  • Kent Core Social Sciences (KSS) (must be from two disciplines) | 6
  • Kent Core Basic Sciences (KBS/KLAB) (must include one laboratory) | 6-7
  • Kent Core Additional (KADL) | 6
  • Total Credit Hours: | 36-37

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduate of this program will be able to:

1. Create news and information content that effectively covers the diversity of groups in a global society and reflects appreciation for individual differences.
2. Utilize appropriate legal and ethical frameworks to guide creation of news and information content.
3. Effectively plan, research, gather, write and produce audience-focused news and information content that has impact.
4. Critically evaluate news and information sources and demonstrate an understanding of the impact media messages have on audiences and society.
5. Use appropriate and relevant technology to create and enhance news and information content and promote it to a variety of audiences.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of the business of media and apply skills in a practical setting.

Transfer Students to the School of Media and Journalism

Students transferring credit from another institution may apply a maximum of 12 credit hours of transfer coursework toward their major requirements per the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) accreditation guidelines.

Full Description

Journalists are reporters, watchdogs, storytellers. The Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism teaches students how to cover real stories that make a difference. Whether using a camera, a microphone, a smartphone or a laptop, students become journalists by doing journalism inside and outside the classroom.

Gaining critical skills that equip them for storytelling in all its forms, journalism students practice their craft in Kent State’s award-winning student media. Working with these outlets, students learn how to engage audiences where they “live,” on TV, radio, online, social media and in print.

Journalism students produce news and feature content on visual, digital and emerging platforms, and they apply what they’ve learned as part of the required professional internship.

With a grounding in ethics and an understanding of media’s role in democratic society, students graduate prepared to continue as journalists or apply their skills to other professions that value critical thinking, information gathering and the ability to make sense of it for others.

Students may apply early to the following master's degree programs and double count 9 credit hours of graduate courses toward both degree programs. See the Combined Bachelor's/Master's Degree Program Policy in the University Catalog for more information.

• Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies
• Master of Arts degree in Visual Communication Design
• Master of Library Information Science degree in Library and Information Science
• Master of Science degree in Emerging Media and Technology
• Master of Science degree in Health Informatics
• Master of Science degree in Knowledge Management
• Master of Science degree in User Experience

Why Kent State University

Award-winning Student Media

More than 300 students participate in our nationally recognized student media, which reaches thousands of people every day, delivering original reporting, information, entertainment and advertising.

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We host open houses, information sessions, building tours and more, just for future Kent State communication and information students. Schedule your visit today.

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Why Journalism at Kent State?

The way humans connect and communicate is at the heart of what we do. Explore communication, design, media, technology or information at Kent State.

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