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 Requirements for the Major in Mass Communications/Journalism & Media Studies
Requirements for the Minor in Mass Communications/Journalism & Media Studies
Introduction
The Department of Journalism and Media Studies offers approximately 25 courses varying in content from the highly
technical and field-specialized in some cases to an essential liberal arts orientation in others. The program
introduces students to the theories, principles, and problems of communications, emphasizing the concept of freedom of information as the cornerstone of constitutional democracy and preparing students for future
leadership roles in communications media.
Our students acquire skills and aptitudes
to succeed in today’s expanding world of news, including Web-based,
interactive and digital journalism. Classes blend theory and practice
to explore legal rights and ethical responsibilities while covering
news under realistic deadlines and conditions. Seniors graduate with
a diverse portfolio of professional work and the confidence to compete
for a challenging range of jobs as reporters, editors, photojournalists,
news researchers, page designers for print and on-line publications
and organizations.
The Department of Journalism and Media Studies operates
an ancillary program: the Neighborhood News Bureau, which provides an educational opportunity for students
and service to the community.
Requirements for the Major in Mass Communications/Journalism & Media Studies
To be admitted to the core curriculum in MC/JMS,
students must have completed general education requirements or a minimum
of 45 hours with a 2.75 minimum overall grade-point average, including
ENC 1101 and 1102 with a grade of "C" or higher (no "C-") in each. Applicants
must establish a minimum score of 60 percent on the Department of Journalism
and Media Studies’ English Diagnostic Test (EDT) prior to entering MMC
2100 (Writing for Mass Media). (Students who transfer MMC 2100 or its
equivalent must pass the EDT with a score of at
least 70 percent.) All three courses in the mass communications pre-core curriculum
(MMC 2100, MMC 3602* and VIC 3001) must be completed with a minimum grade of "C"
(no "C-") before any other MC/JMS
course may be taken. Students failing to achieve a minimum grade of
"C" in MMC 2100, MMC 3602 and VIC 3001 will be disallowed as majors
in the department. A 2.5 GPA in MC/JMS courses
is required for graduation.
*MMC 3602 must be used to satisfy the General Education requirement, if the student is to remain within 124 hours for the degree.
The MC/JMS major requires
nine hours of pre-core curriculum courses (MMC 2100, MMC 3602 and VIC 3001) and 35
hours of a combination of required and selective sequence courses for
a total of 44 hours in MC/JMS within the 124-hour
degree requirement. Six hours in MC/JMS writing
courses (six hours in addition to MMC 2100) are a part of the graduation
requirement.
MC/JMS majors are required to take a minimum
of 80 hours in courses outside the journalism department, with no fewer
than 65 hours in the basic liberal arts and sciences. (Liberal Arts
courses are listed in materials available from the undergraduate adviser
at the Academic Advising Center in Davis Hall.) No more than 44 hours
of MC/JMS courses may be applied toward the
bachelor's degree within the 124-hour graduation requirement.
Journalism majors taking more than 44 hours of MC/JMS courses, regardless of the departments in which those
courses are listed, must add those hours to the 124 hours required for
graduation. In particular, film and photography courses offered in other
departments may be considered to MC/JMS courses
and added to the 124-hour degree requirement.
At least 22 hours of resident department
courses are required. All material submitted by students as assignments
in writing, reporting, editing, photography and electronic newsgathering
and production classes is subject to publication or broadcast. The Department
of Journalism and Media Studies uses a variety of media outlets.
Sign Language may be used as an option by MC/JMS majors to fulfill the language requirement.
Most MC/JMS courses have prerequisites
as specified in the course description (these prerequisites are separate
from the State Mandated Common Prerequisites for program admission listed
in the USF St. Petersburg catalog). Refer to each prerequisite listed to determine
progressive prerequisites for each course. Students also should note
that the MC/JMS major is a four-semester program
at a minimum and that some courses are offered only during the day or
one an academic year.
Prerequisites (State-mandated
Common Prerequisites)
Students wishing to transfer to USF St. Petersburg should complete
the A.A. degree at the community college. Some courses required for
the major may also meet General Education Requirements thereby transferring
maximum hours to the university. If students transfer without an A.A.
degree and have fewer than 60 semester hours of acceptable credit, the
students must meet the university’s entering freshman requirements
including ACT or SAT test scores, GPA, and course requirements.
The transfer student should also be aware of the immunization,
foreign language, and continuous enrollment policies of the university.
Students should complete 18 semester hours outside
the MC/JMS curriculum and beyond the 36 hours General Education requirements prior to entering the university.
If these courses are not taken at the community college, they must be
completed before the degree is granted. A grade of “C” is
the minimum acceptable grade. Students are encouraged to complete the
following prerequisites, or major, support, or elective courses if available,
during the program of study at the community college, and when feasible
in General Education/Gordon Rule courses.
* English Composition (minimum grade
of "C") (6)
* MMC 3602 Mass Communications and
Society (3)
Prior to being admitted to the Department of Journalism
and Media Studies, a student must:
* Complete a minimum of 45 semester
hours including all General Education requirements and six hours of
English composition (with a minimum grade of "C"), earn a
2.7 overall GPA, and pass a departmental-administered English Diagnostic
Test.
* A maximum of nine semester hours
in MC/JMS courses will be accepted from a community
college or other lower-level program toward a degree in journalism.
It is suggested that the nine hours include the equivalent of the department
core curriculum. Approval by an
academic adviser is required.
Required Coursework for the MC/JMS Major
Pre-Core Curriculum 9 hours
* MMC 2100 Writing for the Mass
Media (3)
* MMC 3602 Mass Comm and Society (3)
* VIC 3001 Introduction to Visual Communication (3)
Foundation Core 9 hours
* MMC 4200 Communications Law (3)
* MMC 4203 Media Ethics (3)
* MMC 4420 Research Methods (3)
Professional Core 11 hours
* JOU 2100 Beginning Reporting (3)
* JOU 4200 News Editing I (3)
* JOU 4188 Neighborhood News Bureau (3)
* JOU 4938 Senior Seminar (2)
Electives 15 hours (With the assistance of an adviser, choose five courses)
* JOU 4181 Public Affairs Reporting (3)
* JOU 2208 Magazine Article/Feature Writing (3)
* JOU 3308 Feature Writing (3)
* JOU 4206 News Editing and Design (3)
* JOU 4212 Magazine Design and Production (3)
* PGY 3610 Photojournalism I (3)
* PGY 3620 Photojournalism II (3)
* MMC 4140 Video Storytelling (3)
* MMC 4936 Video Storytelling II (3)
* MMC 4125 Media Convergence (3)
* MMC 3141 Web Publishing (3)
* MMC 4106 Science Writing (3)
* MMC 4111 Literary Journalism (3)
* MMC 4945 Media Internship Seminar (3)
* MMC 4936 Special Topics (with advisor approval) (3)
* MMC 4945 Internship (3)
Outside Electives Requirements 9 hours
* ANT 2410 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Required, 3)
* ECO 2013 Macro Economics (3)
or
ECO 2023 Micro Economics (3)
* PHI 1103 Critical Thinking (3)
* POS 2112 State and Local Government and Politics (3)
or
POS 3142 Intro to Urban Politics & Government (3)
Requirements for the Minor in Mass Communications/Journalism & Media Studies
The minor in MC/JMS is available
to students pursuing any other major at USF St. Petersburg. Students who wish to minor
must apply for admission to the MC/JMS program and must
meet all admission standards required of majors. Please see "Requirements
for the Major in Mass Communications/Journalism & Media Studies " for more admission information.
The minor in MC/JMS requires a minimum
of 18 hours of program coursework, including:
* MMC 2100 (3)
* MMC 3602 (3)
The other 12 hours may be selected from among department
offerings and must include a minimum of 9 hours at the 3000-level or
higher. All major course prerequisites must be met. A grade of "D"
or "F" will not be counted toward a MC/JMS minor
and a 2.5 grade point average in all minor coursework must be maintained.
All minor hours must be completed at USF St. Petersburg.
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