BA in Journalism and Digital Content

Requirements for Journalism & Digital Content Track

When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s) and the Academic Planning Tool.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Communications

Susquehanna offers five degrees in Communications: Advertising and Public Relations; Broadcasting; Communication Studies; Journalism and Digital Content; and Sports Media. Majors complete university Central Curriculum requirements, plus 48 to 50 semester hours of courses in a selected degree plan. These include introductory courses, practica for learning skills, and specific emphasis requirements. A grade of C- or better is required for any course to apply to the major or minor. Courses may count toward only one degree or minor.

The department also expects communications majors and minors to participate each semester in related co-curricular activities. Options include WQSU-FM radio; The Quill student newspaper; The Lanthorn student yearbook; studio and remote video production with Lens Flare; the Paul Dannelley Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA); the Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM), and other activities supervised by department faculty.

Journalism and Digital Content Track

Students fulfill the university Central Curriculum requirements, participate fully in various media activities and successfully complete the following courses:

24 Department Requirements

• 4 COMM-101 Essentials of Digital Media
• 2 COMM-102 Methods of Adobe Creative Suite
• 2 COMM-190 Intro to Communication/Media Theory
• 4 COMM-192 Public Speaking
• 4 COMM-201 Ethics and Leadership
• 4 COMM-202 Digital Media Analytics
• 4 COMM-481 Media Law

24 Journalism and Digital Content Requirements

• 4 COMM-131 Introduction to Journalism
• 4 COMM-231 News and Content Creation
• 4 COMM-331 Editing
• 4 COMM-435 Feature Writing
• 1 COMM-501 Practicum
• 1 COMM-501 Practicum
• 1 COMM-501 Practicum
• 1 COMM-501 Practicum

4 Choose one from:

• ARTS-243 Digital Photography
• COMM-282 Fundamentals of Digital Video Production

Honors

The departmental honors program encourages and recognizes outstanding performance in communications. To graduate with department honors, candidates must do the following:

• Complete major requirements under the guidance of a Communications Department faculty adviser, who agrees to serve as a sponsor at the student’s request,
• Petition the honors coordinator with a written honors proposal no later than the second to last week of the end of the junior year. The submission must be approved as honors quality by departmental faculty,
• Maintain a 3.70 cumulative GPA in department courses,
• Produce an acceptable written or production thesis based on one year of senior research/production work (COMM-503 Honors Study) beyond the required major track semester hours,
• Submit the thesis at least two weeks before graduation, and
• Successfully complete an oral defense of the honors thesis.

Honors work not meeting the required standards will be applied as a university elective course. Departmental honors may be taken separately from or in conjunction with the University Honors Program.

Honor Societies

Students who meet the requisite national and local standards are eligible to join the national honorary society Lamda Pi Eta (communications).

Communications Minors

Courses selected require a grade of C- or higher.

Double-counting restriction

Courses may count toward only one Communications degree or minor.

Requirements for Minor

When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s) and the Academic Planning Tool.

Students are expected to participate in department activities appropriate to their interests and successfully complete a total of 26 credit hours: COMM-131 Introduction to Journalism, COMM-202 Digital Media Analytics, COMM-231 News and Content Creation, COMM-331 Editing, COMM-435 Feature Writing, two semesters of COMM-501 Practicum, and one of the following electives: COMM-282 Fundamentals of Digital Video Production, or ARTS-243 Digital Photography.

Courses Options

• COMM 101 Essentials of Digital Media, Credits: 4
• COMM 102 Methods of Adobe Creative Suite, Credits: 2
• COMM 131 Introduction to Journalism, Credits: 4
• COMM 141 Sports Reporting, Credits: 2
• COMM 142 Sports Statistics, Credits: 2
• COMM 190 Introduction to Communication/Media Theory, Credits: 2
• COMM 191 Interpersonal Communication, Credits: 4
• COMM 192 Public Speaking, Credits: 4
• COMM 194 Intercultural Communication, Credits: 4
• COMM 201 Ethics and Leadership, Credits: 4
• COMM 202 Digital Media Analytics, Credits: 4
• COMM 211 Introduction to Advertising & Public Relations, Credits: 4
• COMM 215 Professional Selling, Credits: 4
• COMM 231 News Content and Creation, Credits: 4
• COMM 241 Sports Media Relations & Promotion, Credits: 2
• COMM 242 Sports Announcing, Credits: 2
• COMM 277 Audio Production & Media Performance, Credits: 4
• COMM 282 Fundamentals of Digital Video Production, Credits: 4
• COMM 291 Qualitative Research Methods, Credits: 4
• COMM 311 Research Methods in Advertising, Credits: 4
• COMM 314 Public Relations Writing and Campaigns, Credits: 4
• COMM 315 Advanced Professional Selling, Credits: 4
• COMM 317 Advertising Creative Strategies, Credits: 4
• COMM 321 Crisis Management, Credits: 4
• COMM 322 Strategic Event Management, Credits: 4
• COMM 331 Editing, Credits: 4
• COMM 379 Critical Approaches to Gaming, Credits: 4
• COMM 382 Intermediate Digital Multimedia Product, Credits: 4
• COMM 384 Writing and Planning for Screen, Credits: 4
• COMM 386 Motion Graphics and Animation, Credits: 2
• COMM 391 Team Communication, Credits: 4
• COMM 411 Public Relations Management, Credits: 4
• COMM 418 Advertising Campaigns, Credits: 4
• COMM 435 Feature Writing, Credits: 4
• COMM 481 Media Law, Credits: 4
• COMM 482 Professional Digital Multimedia Production, Credits: 4
• COMM 499 Communication Studies Research, Credits: 4
• COMM 500 Topics in Communications, Credits: 2–4
• COMM 501 Practicum, Credits: 1
• COMM 502 Individual Investigation, Credits: 1–4
• COMM 503 Honors Study, Credits: 4
• COMM 504 Internship, Credits: 1–8

Learning Goals

• Students will be able to identify, explain and apply theory.
• Students will demonstrate communication skills (oral, visual, written, and research).
• Students will recognize ethical implications and relate them to various contexts.
• Students will develop and practice critical thinking.

You will be ready to take on top-level jobs at media outlets and corporations with your Susquehanna education. Our journalism graduates have landed jobs with:

• ABC 27 WHTM
• Citigroup
• Comcast
• Fox 29 WTXF-TV
• Hollywood Media Corporation
• MediaPower
• National Geographic Society
• QVC
• Rockstar San Diego
• Sapient Nitro
• Six Flags America
• Swarovski
• Tiffany & Co.