Program Overview

Introduction to the Journalism and Media Studies Program

The Journalism and Media Studies program at Oakland University offers a Bachelor of Arts degree with a specialization in Broadcasting and Digital Media Practice. This program prepares students for the converged, digital broadcasting ecosystem, providing valuable hands-on experience with traditional broadcasting equipment and novel cutting-edge production practices for an online and streaming media environment.

Program Requirements

To earn the Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Media Studies with a specialization in Broadcasting and Digital Media Practice, students must complete a minimum of 40 credits, with at least 15 credits at the 3000 level or above, distributed as follows:

Required Core Courses

• JMS 1600 - Introduction to Media Literacy (4 credits)
• JMS 2000 - Introduction to Journalism (4 credits)
• JMS 3003 - Media Theory (4 credits)
• JMS 4025 - Media Ethics and Law (4 credits)

Capstone Requirement

Choose one of the following courses, which must be completed with a grade of C or higher:

• COM 4950 - Internship (4 credits)
• COM 4970 - Communication Capstone (4 credits)
• JMS 4120 - Solutions News Bureau (4 credits)

Foundation Courses

Choose one of the following courses, which may satisfy the requirement for either foundation or practice and innovation, but not both:

• JMS 2654 - Audio Production (4 credits)
• JMS 2655 - Introduction to Live TV Production (4 credits)
• JMS 2656 - Introduction to Digital Media Production (4 credits)

Practice and Innovation Courses

Choose three of the following courses, which may satisfy the requirement for either foundation or practice and innovation, but not both:

• COM 4950 - Internship (4 credits)
• JMS 2654 - Audio Production (4 credits)
• JMS 2655 - Introduction to Live TV Production (4 credits)
• JMS 2656 - Introduction to Digital Media Production (4 credits)
• JMS 2660 - Introduction to Video Game Development (4 credits)
• JMS 3330 - TV Newsroom (4 credits)
• JMS 3350 - Video Storytelling (4 credits)
• JMS 3650 - Advanced Audio Production (4 credits)
• JMS 3660 - Community Radio (4 credits)
• JMS 4200 - Media Design (4 credits)
• JMS 4210 - Advanced Media Design (4 credits)
• JMS 4656 - Advanced Digital Media Production (4 credits)

Concept and Analysis Courses

Choose one of the following courses:

• COM 2202 - Persuasion and Social Change (4 credits)
• COM 3200 - Persuasion (4 credits)
• COM 3301 - Race and Communication (4 credits)
• COM 4200 - Rhetorical Criticism in Communication (4 credits)
• COM 4300 - Hip-Hop, Race and the City (4 credits)
• FLM 3330 - Understanding Media Industries (4 credits)
• JMS 2600 - Media and Social Identity (4 credits)
• JMS 3360 - Understanding Video Games (4 credits)
• JMS 3601 - Communication, Mobile Media, and the Internet (4 credits)
• JMS 3602 - Television Studies in the Streaming Age (4 credits)
• JMS 3603 - Popular Music Studies (4 credits)
• JMS 3606 - Media, Gender and Sexuality (4 credits)
• JMS 3607 - Rise of Electronic Media (4 credits)
• JMS 4900 - Special Topics in Journalism (4 credits)
• JMS 4996 - Independent Study (2 or 4 credits)
• PR 2400 - Introduction to Advertising (4 credits)
• PR 2500 - Introduction to Public Relations (4 credits)

Applicable Minors

All minors are applicable to this major, with the exception of the following minors: Child Welfare, International Orientation for EGR/CS, Journalism, and Sustainability Engineering.