Program Tracks and Major Requirements
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication offers three programs focused on distinct areas of study within the discipline.
The professional strategic communication track prepares students for careers in advertising and public relations. This track is based on a liberal arts foundation, knowledge of the social context in which the professions are practiced, and the skills and experiences needed to succeed in the marketplace.
The professional journalism track prepares students for careers such as news reporting, editing, and producing. This track is based on a liberal arts foundation, knowledge of the social context in which the professions are practiced, and the skills and experiences needed to succeed in the marketplace.
The mass communication track is for students who wish to study the economic, political, legal, and social aspects of mass communication. Students may develop a program emphasis in areas such as history, law, media effects, media industry studies, international communication, or other aspects of mass communication studies represented in the school.
Click on the name of the program track you are interested in for more information about that program.
SJMC students are also required to complete a number of additional major requirements to fulfill the major. These include the supporting course requirement, the accreditation requirement, and a major project.
Professional Strategic Communication Track
Track Overview
Required Courses
Visual Communication Requirement
Track Overview: The professional strategic communication track is designed for students with an interest in advertising, public relations, media relations, corporate communications, fund raising, and special events planning. Students in this track should have strong verbal and written communication skills, work well on group projects, enjoy public speaking and making presentations, work well under deadlines, be inquisitive and creative, and enjoy doing research.
Coursework in the professional strategic communication track includes courses in both strategic and creative areas, including classes in:
- Creative Strategy and Copy Writing
- Public Relations Writing and Campaign Tactics
- Strategic Communication Research
- Cases in Strategic Planning and Thinking
- Advertising: Media Strategy
- Strategic Communication Campaigns
Required courses: The professional strategic communication track requires completion of the following courses:
Prepatory Course:
JOUR 1001
(3 credits)
SJMC Core Course:
JOUR 3004W
(3 credits)
Strategic Communication
Core Courses:
JOUR 3201 or 3202, JOUR 3251, JOUR 4259, JOUR 4263
(13 credits total)
Professional (skills) Courses: chosen in consultation with a faculty adviser from among the following:
JOUR 3241, 3279, 3321, 4193, 4261, 3990/4990/5990
Note:
with adviser approval, skills courses from the professional journalism track may be used to fulfill this requirement (prerequisites must be met).
(6 credits total)
Context Courses: chosen in consultation with a faculty adviser. Directed study and some specialized topics courses may be used to meet this requirement.
(12 credits total, including 3 credits at the 4xxx or 5xxx level)
Supporting Courses: chosen in consultaion with a faculty adviser from courses offered in other departments at the 3xxx, 4xxx, or 5xxx level.
(12 credits total)
Visual Communication Requirement: One of the professional or context courses you select must be a visual communication courses.
Professional Journalism Track
Track Overview
Required Courses
Visual Communication Requirement
Track Overview: The professional journalism track is designed for students interested in the career fields of news reporting, editing, production, photojournalism, broadcast journalism, magazine publication, and online media production. Students in this track generally are good writers and love to write, work well under deadline pressure, like to ask tough questions, are interested in visual communication, and have a keen interest in daily news and current events.
Coursework in the professional journalism track includes courses in a number of areas, including classes in:
- News Reporting and Writing
- Public Affairs Reporting
- In-depth Reporting
- Electronic Photojournalism
- Writing and Reporting for Electronic Media
- Magazine Writing
Required courses: The professional journalism track requires completion of the following courses:
Preparatory Course:
JOUR 1001
(3 credits)
SJMC Core Course:
JOUR 3004W
(3 credits)
Professional Journalism Core Course:
JOUR 3101 and one capstone course, chosen from among JOUR 4171, 4193, 4451, 4452, 4990, 5131, 5155 or 5174 (6-7 credits total)
Professional (skills) Courses: chosen in consultation with a faculty adviser from among the following:
JOUR 3102, 3121, 3155, 3173W, 3451, 4171, 4193, 4302, 4451, 4452, 5131, 5155, 5174, 3990/4990/5990
Note: with adviser approval, professional courses from the strategic communication track may be used to fulfill this requirement (prerequisites must be met).
(12 credits, including 3 additional credits at the 4xxx or 5xxx level)
Context Courses: chosen in consultation with a faculty adviser. Directed study and some specialized topics courses may be used to meet this requirement.
(12 credits total, including 3 credits at the 4xxx or 5xxx level)
Supporting Courses: chosen in consultaion with a faculty adviser from courses offered in other departments at the 3xxx, 4xxx, or 5xxx level.
(12 credits total)
Visual Communication Requirement: One of the professional or context courses you select must be a visual communication courses.
Mass Communication Track
Track Overview
Required Courses
Visual Communication Requirement
Track Overview: The Mass Communication track is for students with an interest in the economic, political, legal, and social aspects of mass communication. Students in this track generally enjoy reading and research, and may be interested in attending graduate or professional school or pursuing research as a career.
Coursework in the mass communication track includes classes in a number of areas, including:
- Visual Communication
- Internet and Global Society
- Mass Media and Popular Culture
- Mass Media Ethics: Moral Reasoning and Case Studies
- Mass Media and Politics
- Psychology of Advertising
Required Courses: The Mass Communication track requires completion of the following courses:
Preparatory Course:
JOUR 1001
(3 credits)
SJMC Core Course:
JOUR 3004W
(3 credits)
Mass Communication Core Courses: one course from each of the following areas of study:
- History: JOUR 3007, 3614, 5601W, 5606W, 5615
- International/multicultural: JOUR 3552, 3741, 4801, 5825
- Media effects: JOUR 3006, 3008, 4272, 5251, 5316, 5501, 5541
- Media and society: JOUR 3551, 3745, 3771, 3776, 3796, 4274, 4551, 4721, 5552, 5725, 5771, 5777
(12 credits total)
Context Courses: 18 additional credits chosen in consultation with a faculty adviser. Directed study and some specialized topics courses may be used to meet this requirement. With adviser approval, one to three professional (skills) courses may be used to fulfill this requirement, but are not required.
(18 credits total)
Supporting Courses: chosen in consultaion with a faculty adviser from courses offered in other departments at the 3xxx, 4xxx, or 5xxx level.
(12 credits total)
Visual Communication Requirement: One of the professional or context courses you select must be a visual communication courses.
Additional Major Requirements
Supporting Course RequirementAll SJMC majors are required to develop an area of expertise outside of journalism through a series of supporting courses that concentrate on a single subject area. Courses from any university department may be used to meet this requirement if the courses provide the background useful for future work in the profession. For instance, a student might want to build a core of courses focusing on business, politics, or design. This requirement can be fulfilled by:
- Developing a minor or major in another department
- Concentrating on courses in another department without getting a minor
- Developing a series of courses in different departments but with a common theme
- Participating in a study abroad program
A collection of courses scattered among departments but with no commonality does not meet this requirement. These upper-level (3xxx, 4xxx, 5xxx) courses are selected in consultation with a faculty adviser as soon as possible after admission to the major. See pages 16-17 for minor programs that are often used to meet the supporting course requirement.
Supporting courses must be taken on an A-F grading basis. Transfer courses and courses taken prior to admission to the major will be counted only if the faculty adviser deems them consistent with these requirements.
Accreditation Requirement
A minimum of 80 credits in courses outside the major area of journalism and mass communication, with no fewer than 65 credits in the basic liberal arts and sciences, must be completed in a 120-credit degree program. Students enrolled in University of Minnesota–Twin Cities colleges who wish to pursue a major in journalism must complete a minimum of 65 credits in the basic liberal arts and sciences.
Major Project
For journalism majors, the CLA major project is satisfied by two required courses on the major program plan. For the professional journalism track, the capstone course and the required 4xxx or 5xxx professional course fulfill the CLA major project requirement. For the professional strategic communication track, JOUR 4259 and 4263 fulfill the CLA major project requirement. For the mass communication track, two of the context courses must be taken at the 4xxx or 5xxx level to complete the CLA major project requirement.