Program Overview

Overview

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in journalism and mass communication requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including at least 43 s.h. in journalism and mass communication courses, plus a second major, certificate, or minor. Students must maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.00 in the major. All students must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core.

Requirements

• Introduction Courses: 7 s.h.
  • One of these completed with a grade of C-minus or higher: JMC:1100 Introduction to Media Effects, JMC:1200 Introduction to Media and Culture, JMC:1500 Introduction to Social Media
  • Both of these completed with a grade of C-minus or higher: JMC:1300 Introduction to Journalism and Strategic Communication, JMC:1600 Writing Fundamentals
• Foundation Courses: 15 s.h.
  • All three of these completed with a grade of C-minus or higher: JMC:2010 Reporting and Writing, JMC:2020 Multimedia Storytelling, JMC:2030 Visual Communication and Design
  • And both of these: JMC:2600 Freedom of Expression, JMC:2700 Media Ethics
• Application Courses: 18 s.h.
  • Managing/Planning: one course from the list
    • JMC:3500 Topics in Managing/Planning
    • JMC:3505 Audiences and Analytics
    • JMC:3510 Media and Marketing Research
    • JMC:3520 Business of Media: Profits, People, and Power
    • JMC:3530 Social Media Marketing
    • JMC:3540 The Business of Sport Communication
    • JMC:3550 Editing
    • JMC:3720 Nonprofit Communications
  • Understanding Media: one course from the list
    • JMC:2101 Digital Media and the Future of Sport
    • JMC:3116 Media and Global Cultures
    • JMC:3118 Political Communication
    • JMC:3122 Influencers, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Games
    • JMC:3123 Advocacy Communication
    • JMC:3124 Entertainment Media
    • JMC:3142 Media and Social Change
    • JMC:3150 Media and Health
    • JMC:3165 African Americans and the Media
    • JMC:3175 Gender and Mass Media
    • JMC:3182 Sport, Scandal, and Strategic Communication in Media Culture
    • JMC:3183 Sport and the Media
    • JMC:3184 Narrative Sports Journalism
    • JMC:3185 Topics in Understanding Media
    • JMC:3186 Athletes, Activism, and Social Media
    • JMC:3187 American College Athletics: A Big Money Tradition Unlike Any Other
    • JMC:3188 Staging the World's Game: Soccer and Media
    • JMC:3191 Journalism and Mass Communication Theories
  • Designing/Producing: one or more courses from the list, depending on the track
    • JMC:3600 Topics in Designing/Producing
    • JMC:3603 Newscast Production
    • JMC:3610 Graphic Design
    • JMC:3611 Web Design
    • JMC:3612 Nonfiction Narrative Podcasting
    • JMC:3630 Photography
    • JMC:3640 Information and Data Visualization
    • JMC:3650 Video Production
    • JMC:3660 Audio Production
    • JMC:3670 Social Media Production
  • Writing/Storytelling: one or more courses from the list, depending on the track
    • JMC:3400 Topics in Writing/Storytelling
    • JMC:3401 Beat Reporting and Writing
    • JMC:3403 Public Affairs Reporting and Writing
    • JMC:3408 Investigative Reporting and Writing
    • JMC:3410 Magazine Reporting and Writing
    • JMC:3411 Newscast Reporting and Writing
    • JMC:3412 Strategic Communication Writing
    • JMC:3413 Sports Writing
    • JMC:3414 Basic Elements of Book Writing
    • JMC:3415 Writing Across Cultures
    • JMC:3420 Content Marketing
    • JMC:3421 Sport Content Marketing
    • JMC:3425 Personal Branding
    • JMC:3430 Political Public Relations
    • JMC:3436 Cross-Platform Storytelling
    • JMC:3440 Multimedia Narratives
    • JMC:3445 Journalistic Writing in Spanish
    • JMC:3460 Arts and Culture Reporting and Writing
    • JMC:3470 Narrative Journalism
    • JMC:3490 Feature Reporting and Writing
• Capstone Course: 3 s.h.
  • One of these: JMC:4100 Advanced Topics in Writing/Storytelling, JMC:4105 Iowa Community News, JMC:4115 Enterprise Reporting and Writing, JMC:4125 Advanced Strategic Storytelling, JMC:4300 Photo Storytelling, JMC:4310 Advanced Topics in Designing/Producing, JMC:4315 Strategic Communication Campaigns, JMC:4325 Advanced Newscast Writing and Production, JMC:4335 Multimedia Production for Publication, JMC:4345 Audio and Video Storytelling, JMC:4350 Advanced Graphic Design, JMC:4360 Visual Branding and Design, JMC:4400 Capstone
• Experiential Learning Requirement: SCRIPT
  • Every student majoring in journalism and mass communication must complete at least one experiential education course from Study Abroad, Community Engagement, Research, Internship, Professional Practice, or Teaching (SCRIPT)
• Second Area of Study
  • Every student majoring in journalism and mass communication must complete a second area of study
  • The second area of study enables students to acquire a substantial body of knowledge or expertise in a relevant area, learn how another discipline views the world, and/or develop a companion set of skills to those in journalism and mass communication
  • Students must complete the requirements for the journalism and mass communication major (at least 43 s.h.) and must satisfy the school's second area of study requirement in one of three ways:
    • Option 1: Students complete a second major
    • Option 2: Students complete an undergraduate certificate
    • Option 3: Students complete an undergraduate minor

Combined Programs

The combined BA/MA program enables students to begin work toward the MA in strategic communication while completing the bachelor’s degree. Students admitted to the program may count 12 s.h. of credit toward both the BA and MA degree requirements.

Honors

Students majoring in journalism and mass communication have the opportunity to graduate with honors in the major. Students in the school's honors program must have a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.50 in work for the major and a UI cumulative GPA of at least 3.33.

GE CLAS Core

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core requirements provide students with a broad foundation of knowledge and a focused practice of transferable skills necessary for a lifetime of learning.

Career Advancement

The school's internship and assessment coordinator helps students seeking career guidance and employment opportunities. The school compiles and publicizes notices of professional jobs open to journalism and mass communication students and graduates.

Academic Plans

The following checkpoints list the minimum requirements students must complete by certain semesters in order to stay on the university's Four-Year Graduation Plan. Students must declare the journalism and mass communication major by the first semester of their sophomore year in order to be eligible for the Four-Year Graduation Plan. The following checkpoints include the required work in journalism and mass communication plus a second area of study, but they do not include the requirements of a second major, since the Four-Year Graduation Plan does not apply to second majors.