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)
  • Two Practice Courses (6 credits)
  • Two Concept Courses (6 credits)
  • Twelve major-elective credits, including one 3 credit course 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:

Foundation Courses
One foundation course from the following list:  

Practice Courses: 
Two courses 

Concept Courses: 
Two courses (one must be at the 400-level) 

Elective Courses:
You must select twelve credits of major coursework from the course listing for the JMS major. You may take any course in the major as an elective, including foundation courses.

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:

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.