Program Overview

Environmental Studies/Journalism, BA

Introduction

The Environmental Studies/Journalism major offers students the opportunity to explore the intersection between the natural world and politics, science, economics, and culture. This combined major, offered by the Department of Journalism and the Department of Environmental Studies, combines rigorous research with creative storytelling, providing students with the tools necessary to communicate vital environmental issues to the public.

Why Consider an Environmental Studies/Journalism Major?

Students passionate about environmental issues and wanting to communicate with the public about them will find environmental journalism a powerful way to do so. This major teaches students the skills needed to research complex issues that intersect with science, politics, economics, recreation, culture, and society, and how to weave this information into timely stories that engage and inform the public through words and images.

Student Resources

• Department website: Environmental Studies and Journalism
• Department advising: See the Prospective Students webpage of the Journalism website
• Degree Works: Current students should log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
• Career Services Center: Connect major to a career
• Sample Careers:
  • Staff journalist for a variety of mediums (newspapers, magazines, online news sites, podcasts, radio, video/film)
  • Freelance journalist in different mediums
  • Communications (public relations; internal or external publications) for environmental organizations, universities, government agencies, businesses, and other institutions
  • Technical writer, particularly for subjects with a policy or scientific component

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process)

Criteria for Declaring a Pre-major

To be eligible to declare as a pre-major in Environmental Studies/Journalism, BA, a student must have a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Transfer students will be accepted during their first quarter on campus. Freshmen must complete one quarter of classes at WWU to establish a GPA before being considered as a pre-major. Current WWU students must show evidence of the required 2.5 GPA. Students are encouraged to declare as a pre-major while completing the requirements for the major.

Admissions

For admission to the Environmental Studies/Journalism, BA, a student must have completed the following requirements:

• Complete at least 30 college credits with a cumulative 2.50 grade point average
• Pass JOUR 207 with a B- or better
• Complete one Journalism staff course (JOUR 214, JOUR 314, JOUR 321) with a B- or better
• Complete ENVS 203 and ENVS 204 with a C- or better

Grade Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major or minor courses, and supporting courses for majors and minors. All preparatory courses required for admission should be completed on a lettered or numeric grading scale, not P/NP, and must be completed with a grade of C- or better.

Requirements (91-92 credits)

Environmental Studies Foundations (29 credits)

• ENVS 201 - Understanding Environmental Information (4 credits)
• ENVS 203 - Physical Geography (4 credits)
• ENVS 204 - Human Geography (4 credits)
• ENVS 303 - Introduction to Environmental Studies I: Human Ecology and Ethics (5 credits)
• ENVS 305 - Introduction to Environmental Studies II: History and Policy (5 credits)
• ESCI 225 - Beginning Ecology (4 credits)
• Take the College of the Environment Speaker Series three times for a total of 3 credits. The series is offered alternately as:
  • ENVS 499A - College of the Environment Speaker Series (1 credit)
  • or ESCI 499A - College of the Environment Speaker Series (1 credit)

Environmental Studies Electives (8 credits)

• Take eight additional credits of upper-division ENVS courses under advisement. Students are encouraged to consider repeating ENVS 413 The Planet Staff for Writers or ENVS 413A The Planet Staff for Photographers, which is also required under Environmental Journalism Practical Experience. ENVS 414 Editing the Planet is also recommended.

Journalism Foundations (23 credits)

• JOUR 207 - Newswriting (4 credits)
• JOUR 307 - Reporting (5 credits)
• JOUR 350 - Mass Media Law (5 credits)
• JOUR 351 - Mass Media Ethics (4 credits)
• JOUR 480 - Senior Seminar (5 credits)

Journalism Skills Core (9-10 credits)

Students may choose to build their journalism skills in either News/Editorial or Public Relations. Complete all courses in one of these two Core Skills Areas.

Option 1: Journalism-News/Editorial Skills Core

• JOUR 309 - Editing (5 credits)
• JOUR 450 - Advanced Reporting (5 credits)

Option 2: Journalism/Public Relations Skills Core

• JOUR 330 - Principles of Public Relations (4 credits)
• JOUR 380 - Advanced Public Relations Writing and Techniques (5 credits)

Journalism Electives (4 credits)

• Take 4 additional credits of JOUR courses under advisement.

Environmental Journalism Practical Experience (18 credits)

• One course from:
  • ENVS 312 - Intro to Environmental Journalism (4 credits)
  • or JOUR 312 - Intro to Environmental Journalism (4 credits)
• One course from:
  • ENVS 413 - The Planet Staff for Writers (4 credits)
  • or ENVS 413A - The Planet Staff for Photographers (4 credits)
• JOUR 214 - The Front Staff (4 credits)
• JOUR 430 - Field Internship (6 credits)

University Graduation Requirements

• General University Requirements
• Writing Proficiency Requirement (WP)
• 180 Minimum Total Credits
• 60 Minimum Upper Division Credits
• Residency Requirement
• Minimum Grade Requirements
• Final Quarter Requirement