Journalism A.B.
Chair:
Professor Hatcher
Associate Professors: Landesberg, T. Nelson, Scott, Skube, Sturgill
Assistant Professors: Balderas, Desalu, Fuller, Luchsinger
Lecturer: Furnas
Instructor: C. Donohue
Journalism sustains democracy by keeping citizens informed about their world. The Journalism Department gives life to the First Amendment by promoting a free press and teaching the skills necessary to seek facts, write, produce and report news, information and other significant matters in a transparent manner. A major in journalism provides students with the knowledge and technical skills used in contemporary media platforms, and an understanding of legal and ethical professional practices that are needed to tell objective stories for the public good. Students learn to report through finding and interviewing sources and interpreting data in order to tell fair, informative, and compelling stories.
The Journalism A.B. degree requires 52 credit hours in JOU, COM, CDE, CTA, MEA or STC, plus 2 hours IDS 1150.
See School of Communications for additional program requirements and course descriptions.
Major Requirements
Required courses: 43-44 sh
Select one course from the following: 4 sh
Select one course from the following: 4 sh
Select additional courses to total at least 52 semester hours of courses from COM, CDE, CTA, JOU, MEA, or STC, not including IDS 1150.
Total Credit Hours: 54
REQUIRED MINOR, DOUBLE MAJOR OR SEMESTER ABROAD:
To promote academic depth, all students must complete a minor, double major outside of the School of Communications or a semester abroad (totaling 12 credit hours or more) in an Elon-approved program. Study USA programs do not qualify as a semester abroad.
Program Outcomes
Tell: Students learn how to tell compelling, fair, informative, and ethical news stories in the public interest.
Report: Students learn to find and interview sources, interpret and use data, and write, edit, and produce news stories on all media platforms.
Truth, accuracy and fairness: Students will be able to articulate the value of truth, accuracy and fairness; describe the importance of access to information to ensure these values; and apply these values in the discipline and professions.
Freedom of expression: Students will be able to identify and state the importance of the five freedoms in the First Amendment; distinguish expression that is and is not protected; and apply legal principles to media issues.
Ethical ways of reasoning: Students will be able to describe the philosophical underpinnings of ethical decision-making; recognize the symbiosis between law and ethics; and apply ethical principles to professional issues.
History and roles of media, communication professions and sport in society: Students will be able to identify significant individuals and describe important milestones in communications history; and analyze the role and impact of media on U.S. society.
Domestic and global diversity: Students will be able to demonstrate an awareness of diverse peoples and cultures; describe ways to communicate with diverse domestic and global audiences; and understand the consequences of the digital divide.
Write and speak clearly and effectively: Students will be able to demonstrate proficiency in grammar, spelling, mechanics and organization; and write with accuracy, clarity and style for different audiences across media platforms.
Employ the tools of today’s technology: Students will be able to describe how technologies shape the way people interact with the world; master communication tools and technologies; and produce print, audio, video, online and mobile content.
Use theory in producing meaningful content: Students will be able to identify and demonstrate communication theories, concepts and aesthetic principles that guide the creation of visual content and the presentation of images and information.
Engage in research and analysis: Students will be able to describe qualitative and quantitative research methods; evaluate primary and secondary sources; and write and present a scholarly paper appropriate for disciplinary professions.
Apply numerical concepts: Students will be able to perform basic numerical computations; interpret statistical data and analyze audiences; and demonstrate the ability to apply these concepts in appropriate communications professions.
Demonstrate creative and critical thinking: Students will be able to explain the creative elements in the work they do; understand the financial aspects of content creation; and draw rational conclusions as they analyze social and communications phenomena.