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Courses

The Bachelor of Arts in Digital Journalism and Media program requires you to complete a minimum of 120 credits. You must successfully complete:

  • 34 credits required for the major
    • 16 prescribed course credits
    • 6 additional course credits
    • 12 supporting course credits
  • 45 General Education credits (12 included in requirements for the major)
  • 25 Bachelor of Arts requirements
  • 17–28 elective credits

If you are a transfer student, the number of credits you will have to take will vary according to the courses you transfer into the degree program. Once you are admitted into the degree program, an assigned academic adviser will help you with remaining requirements.

Courses cover a wide range of topics including:

  • news writing
  • multimedia journalism
  • media ethics
  • strategic communications
  • digital media metrics
  • telecommunications management

Course List - Bachelor of Arts in Digital Journalism and Media 

Prescribed Courses (16 credits)
Title Abbreviation Description Credits
Basic News Writing Skills COMM 160 Grammar, punctuation, spelling, and word usage skills required of journalists. 1 credit
Principles of Multimedia Journalism COMM 271 The course introduces how journalists work with the tools of multimedia and how multimedia is changing journalism. 3 credits
Intro to Telecommunications Technologies COMM 280 Students will evaluate content creation and distribution methods and demonstrate proficiency across emerging digital products and services. 3 credits
Law of Mass Communications COMM 403 Nature and theories of law; the Supreme Court and press freedom; legal problems of the mass media. 3 credits
Media Ethics COMM 409 Ethical problems in the practice of journalism; principal public criticisms of news media; case study approach. 3 credits
Principles of Strategic Communications COMM 428a Provides an overview of the various media and communications methods that comprise modern integrated marketing campaigns. 3 credits
Additional Courses (choose 6 credits)
Title Abbreviation Description Credits

Writing for the Media

or

News Writing & Reporting

COMM 230W

or

COMM 260W

The application of creativity to the practical concerns of narrative script and radio/television spot writing.

Prerequisite: ENGL 015 and ENGL 202

or

News and news values; legal and ethical problems of reporting; writing and reporting news for the mass media.

Prerequisite: ENGL 015 or ENGL 030; COMM 160; third-semester standing and typing proficiency		 3 credits

The Mass Media and Society

or

Survey of Electronic Media and Telecommunications

COMM 100

or

COMM 180

Mass communications in the United States: organization, role, content, and effects of newspapers, magazines, television, radio, books, and films.

or

The development of electronic media and telecommunications, emphasizing social, economic, political and global impact.		 3 credits
Supporting Courses (choose 12 credits)
Title Abbreviation Description Credits
Survey of Electronic Media and Telecommunications (if not taken as part of additional courses) COMM 180 The development of electronic media and telecommunications, emphasizing social, economic, political, and global impact. 3 credits
Basic Photography for Communications COMM 215 An introduction to digital photography, emphasizing camera skills, aesthetics, and storytelling. 3 credits

Photojournalism

COMM 269

Photography for communication in print and online; creating photographs for newspapers, magazines and the web; digital camera and software skills.

Prerequisite or concurrent: COMM 260W or COMM 320

 3 credits
Digital Media Metrics COMM 310 Analysis of audience data for traditional and new media to create metrics for advertising, content marketing, and audience analysis. 3 credits
Idea Development and Media Writing COMM 342

Introduction to various modalities of idea development and written expression for media production.

Prerequisite: COMM 242 and Film-Video Major		 3 credits
Writing for the Screen I COMM 346

A beginning course in narrative Screenwriting emphasizing analysis, creativity, and critiquing skills necessary for the development of storytelling.

Prerequisite: COMM 342W		 3 credits
Telecommunications Management COMM 380 Introduction to basic principles of management as they apply in electronic media industries. 3 credits
Strategic Communications Law COMM 428b

Analysis of laws and regulations affecting online advertising and strategic communications.

Prerequisite: COMM 428A and permission of the program

 3 credits
Reporting Techniques COMM 460

Techniques in reporting news and trends at the local, regional, and county levels. Emphasis on both deadline and interpretive reporting.

Prerequisite: COMM 260W		 3 credits
News Editing COMM 467

Concepts and procedures involved in processing news for various news media, but with emphasis on print media editing.

Prerequisite: COMM 260W		 3 credits
Internet Law and Policy COMM 492

Development in the law, policy, and business of Internet-mediated communications and commerce; emphasis on impact on existing legal, regulatory, and economic models.

Prerequisite: COMM 180		 3 credits
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements (24 credits)
Description Credits

Foreign Language

(If foreign language proficiency is demonstrated by examination, these 0 – 12 credits may be completed from the electives)		 12 credits

Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Arts, Natural Sciences, Quantification

 9 credits

Other Cultures

 3 credits
General Education (45 credits**)
Description Credits
Arts – GA 6 credits
Humanities – GH 6 credits
Health and Wellness – GHW 3 credits
Natural Sciences – GN 9 credits
Social and Behavioral Sciences – GS 6 credits
Writing and Speaking – GWS* 9 credits
Quantification – GQ* 6 credits
Integrative Studies (6 credits)***

*A student enrolled in this course must receive a grade of C or better.

**12 credits are included in the requirements for the major.

***This requirement only applies to students starting in summer 2018 or later. Learn more about the Integrative Studies options and consult your academic adviser when choosing courses to fulfill these requirements. 

Electives (17–28 credits)

Students should choose additional 17–28 credits to satisfy the electives requirement.

Course Availability

If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.