Applying for the SJMC Major

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication is one of the few departments in the College of Liberal Arts that has "secondary admissions": students must apply to be accepted into the major. You must be a current student in the College of Liberal Arts and have completed 30 letter-graded semester credits (including at least 13 CLA credits at the University of Minnesota) to apply for the major.

There are several steps to complete in becoming a major in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication:

Step 1: Attend an informational meeting about the major. Call the SJMC Undergraduate Studies Office at 612-625- 0120, or visit 110 Murphy Hall to sign up for an informational meeting session.

Step 2: Complete an application for major status. Major applications are available in 110 Murphy Hall or online in PDF format. Major applications for the 2007-08 year will be available in August 2007, or view the 2007-08 application online. Applications must be submitted during the third week of the fall or spring semester. Before applying, make sure you have:

• Completed or enrolled in 30 letter-graded semester credits, including 13 CLA credits at the University of Minnesota
• Completed or enrolled in JOUR 1001

You will also be expected to write a statement of intent for your major application. The statement of intent provides a writing sample for the Admissions Committee and should include information about your academic interests, professional goals, and mass communication or related experience.

The deadline to apply for major status is the third Friday of each academic semester, unless otherwise announced. Late applications will not be accepted.

The admissions process is competitive. Students who are admitted to the major usually have a B average and a well-written statement of intent. Other criteria used in the selection process are recent grades and grades in journalism courses. A C or higher grade in JOUR 1001 is required. Students may repeat JOUR 1001 one time only in order to earn a C or higher grade.

A note about taking SJMC courses before major admission: Students must achieve major status before enrolling in JOUR 3004W and most professional skills courses. Some context courses are open to nonmajors, but if you take these courses before admission to the major, you should earn A or B grades in them. Earning a C or lower grade in a major course before admission to the major will hurt your chances of being admitted. No more than two open-enrollment journalism courses will apply to the major if taken before admission.

Step 3: Wait for the good news: you're admitted! Once you've been admitted to the major, you'll need to choose a program track, a faculty advisor, and make sure that you're making progress on the major requirements. Visit the current students section of our website for more information.

Step 4: What to do if you are not admitted to the major. If you are not admitted to the major when you first apply, you may submit a second application during a later semester. However, you should not apply again without resolving the problem that led to the committee’s initial decision.

If you are not admitted on second application, you may appeal by submitting additional materials, such as letters of reference, portfolios and a revised statement of intent.

Even if you plan to reapply, you should also investigate other educational programs, such as application to another major closely allied to your professional interests or to a journalism program at another college or university.

Please contact the SJMC Undergraduate Studies Office at (612) 625-0120 or sjmcugs@umn.edu with questions about reapplying to the major.