BS in Journalism
Murfreesboro, USA
DURATION
4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
Journalists provide news, information, and commentary that help citizens make decisions affecting their lives and participation in a democratic society. Because of this responsibility, the press is the only institution mentioned by name -- and protected -- in the Constitution. Students can learn to appreciate this responsibility by specializing in newspaper, magazine, and web-based media, plus taking courses in related sequences like photography and visual communication. MTSU's accredited program emphasizes writing/reporting skills, theory, history, law, ethics, design, management, research, new media, and freedom of expression. Faculty have a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds, and the School of Journalism and Strategic Media offers on-campus practicum and off-campus internship opportunities, including the Seigenthaler News Service-MTSU in Nashville. The School has close ties to the independent student newspaper, Sidelines, and other outlets housed in the Center for Innovation in Media.
Admissions
Curriculum
Curriculum: Journalism
Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.
Majors must have a C (2.00) or better in all Media and Entertainment courses.
Freshman
- ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
- ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
- COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
- Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
- Mathematics 3 credit hours
- Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
- Electives 6 credit hours
- EMC 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci) or
- JOUR 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci) or
- RIM 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci)
- HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours
Subtotal: 31 Hours
Sophomore
- ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) or
- ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) or
- HUM 2610 - World Literatures 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
- JOUR 2710 - Media Writing 3 credit hours
- JOUR 2720 - Digital Media Skills 3 credit hours
- JOUR 3090 - Reporting 3 credit hours
- JOUR 3430 - Radio News Reporting 3 credit hours
- Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
- Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
- Minor courses 6 credit hours
- Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
Subtotal: 31 Hours
Junior
- JOUR 4440 - Advanced Reporting 3 credit hours
- Elective 3 credit hours
- Minor courses 6 credit hours
- JOUR conceptual requirement 9 credit hours
- JOUR professional topic 3 credit hours
- JOUR 4850 - Ethics and Mass Communication 3 credit hours
- HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours
Subtotal: 30 Hours
Senior
- JOUR 4250 - Mass Media Law 3 credit hours
- JOUR 4880 - Professional Development 1 credit hour
- Minor course 3 credit hours
- Minor or elective course 3 credit hours
- Electives 8 credit hours
- JOUR professional requirement 9 credit hours
- JOUR 3580 - MC Practicum 1 to 3 credit hours (1 credit hour) or
- JOUR 4000 - MC Internship 1 to 3 credit hours (1 credit hour)
Subtotal: 28 Hours
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
The Journalism major prepares students who wish to be journalists for a number of jobs in the media. The sequence helps graduates attain careers with newspapers, trade and consumer magazines, book publishing, websites, multimedia, public relations firms, health care, education, advertising, television, radio, film and video production, and other professional media organizations. Journalism professionals can literally go as far as they want, from small media companies to larger outlets that include travel all over the world. Possible professional positions to pursue include:
- Advertising executive
- Arts/entertainment critic
- Author/novelist
- Book editor
- Business communications specialist
- Copy editor
- Editorial writer
- Editor
- Feature writer
- Freelance magazine writer
- Graphic designer
- Media website entrepreneur
- News reporter
- Online or multiplatform journalist
- Photojournalist
- Public relations / marketing manager
- Radio/TV broadcaster
- Scriptwriter/playwright
- Sports journalist
- Television/radio/video producer
- Textbook editor/writer
- Trade publication editor/writer