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Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025

Journalism B.A.

Program Overview

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Location: Candelaria 1265

Email: HSS@unco.edu

Website: www.unco.edu/hss/communication-journalism/

Advising Information

Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.

To find your advisor, log into ursa.unco.edu; go to 'Student' tab and click 'View Student Information' link. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

This program consists of three parts:

  1. Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Credits
  2. Required Major Credits
  3. University-Wide Credits

Program Description:

Gain critical skills and hands-on experience in reporting, writing, editing and producing news for print, broadcast and the Web. You'll graduate prepared to work in a wide variety of news organizations, including TV and radio stations, online news publications, newspapers and magazines.

Program Admission Requirements:

Academic Good Standing

Program Note:

Journalism majors may not also enroll in the Media Studies minor. 

Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

1. Liberal Arts Curriculum — 31 Credits

Written Communication — 6 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Written Communication courses

Mathematics — 3 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Mathematics courses

Arts & Humanities, History, Social & Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Multicultural Studies [MS], and International Studies [IS] — 15 credits

To complete the LAC in the minimum number of credits, be sure to choose at least one course with an IS designation and one course with an MS designation.

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Arts & Humanities, History, and Social & Behavioral Sciences courses

Natural & Physical Sciences — 7 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Natural & Physical Sciences courses

See Liberal Arts Curriculum

2. Required Major — 50 credits

Take all of the following courses (35 credits):

JMS 100Media Literacy

3

JMS 210Media Writing

3

JMS 212Visual Media

3

JMS 310News Reporting and Writing

3

JMS 312Digital Storytelling

3

JMS 342Video Production

4

JMS 350News Editing

3

JMS 410Advanced News

3

JMS 450News Production

4

JMS 485Media Ethics

3

JMS 497Media Law

3

Complete 15 credits of Journalism electives (15 credits)

Take any additional courses with the JMS prefix to bring the total credit hours in the major to 50 credits.

(JMS 492 Internship is strongly recommended.)

3. University-Wide Credits — 39 credits

Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for this degree at UNC; for this degree that will typically be 39 credits.

Four Year Plan

This four-year plan is a recommended schedule to complete this bachelor's degree in 4 years. Courses are subject to availability. Students must consult with their major advisor to receive information on any additional graduation requirements and course sequence guidance. 

Year 1 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

ENG 122College CompositionLAW1

3

JMS 100Media Literacy

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

JMS 210Media Writing

3

JMS 212Visual Media

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

JMS Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 2 – 32 credits

Fall Semester

JMS 310News Reporting and Writing

3

JMS 342Video Production

4

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:16

Spring Semester

JMS 312Digital Storytelling

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

4

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:16

Year 3 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

JMS Elective

3

JMS Elective

3

JMS Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

JMS 350News Editing

3

JMS 485Media Ethics

3

JMS Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Major Elective: JMS 492 Internship strongly recommended.

Year 4 – 28 credits

Fall Semester

JMS 497Media Law

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

JMS 410Advanced News

3

JMS 450News Production

4

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:13

Advising Notes –

  • Some courses may be offered during only one semester during the academic year. If a course is offered in fall, it may not be offered the following spring. If offered in spring, it may not be offered the following fall.

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