Official Course Description:

This course provides an overview of journalism in the modern era, including a look at the tools of the trade and the role of law and ethics in journalism, as well as the skills required to be a journalist and how they can be used in a variety of careers and contexts. This course is required for the Communications major and also counts toward the Communications minor.

Student Course Description:

This class is a discussion based class where you learn how to think and how to write like a Journalist. During the course of the class you are taught how to write a professional looking news article and all that entails. This is a very different form of writing that most of us are used to in our academic careers and takes some getting used to. You have multiple assignments where you have to go out and interview people and get different perspectives for your story. We also do extensive peer review in this class to imitate what it would be like in a news room setting. Throughout the course you make a Feature, a Profile, a Podcast and follow along with a university newspaper of your choice and report on their articles for ten weeks and ultimately present your findings from the newspaper. Through the course you write reflections on all different aspects of the class and this helps with critical thinking and picking out the important details. Overall the class gives you a well rounded understanding of what it takes to be a journalist.