JMS Requirements and Courses

SC&I offers an undergraduate major in Journalism and Media Studies (JMS). The program consists of 33 credits for the major plus an interdisciplinary requirement for all SC&I majors:

  • One SC&I interdisciplinary course (3 credits)
  • One foundation course (3 credits)
  • Two core courses (6 credits)
  • Four track courses:
    • Two courses in Practice and Innovation (6 credits)
    • Two courses in Concept and Analysis (6 credits)
  • Four elective courses (12 credits), including one from a list of Diversity, Difference and Social Justice courses

Prerequisites for Application

We seek dynamic, engaged students who want to know how to write and share news and information. To be considered for acceptance, you must complete:

Requirements for Admitted Students

Students who are accepted into the JMS major complete the above set of requirements and earn a grade of C or better in all SC&I courses. You can access complete course descriptions for these and all SC&I undergraduate courses online.

SC&I Interdisciplinary Requirement (must be taken before senior year):

Core Courses:

Track Courses
Within the JMS major, we highly recommend you to pursue one of three pathways:

  • Journalism and Emerging Media
  • Media and Society
  • Creative Media Practice

Whichever pathway you choose, you must complete for it:

  • Two courses in Practice and Innovation
  • Two courses in Concept and Analysis (one must be at the 400 level)

Elective Courses:
You must select four elective courses from the course listing for the JMS major. You may take any course in the major as an elective, including foundation courses from another track.

Diversity, Difference, and Social Justice Courses:
The Department of Journalism and Media Studies is committed to addressing issues of diversity, difference and social justice. As a result, you must take at least one of the following courses to complete the major:

Any of these courses will satisfy a track requirement if it is listed under either Practice and Innovation or Concept and Analysis.

Explore Specializations, Honors, Internships and Dual Degree Options

The department offers two specializations: Global Media and Sports Journalism.

If you have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or better, consider applying to the JMS Honors Program. Students should contact Steven Miller for more information about the program.

We highly recommend you pursue an internship—read about how.

Want to earn a JMS bachelor’s degree and a Master of Communication and Media (MCM) degree? Check out our dual degree option. If you have questions or need assistance, please see the Student Services advisors, SC&I Room 214.