Journalism, BA, BS

Degree Requirements - 126 credits

Students can earn a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree with this major

Journalism Major Requirements: 13 courses, 52 credits

Core Requirements (10 courses, 40 credits)

CJN-101	Introduction to Communication	4
CJN-105	Principles of Oral Communication	4
CJN-112	Journalism I	4
CJN-152	Visual Aesthetics	4
CJN-212	Journalism II	4
CJN-239	Media Law	4
CJN-253	Introductions to Broadcast Journalism	4
CJN-2355	Production I	4
CJN-321	Research Methods in Communication	4
CJN-403	Issues in Journalism	4

Note: All students should take CJN-101 and CJN-152 during their first year.

Electives (3 courses, 12 credits)

Choose three of the following:

CJN-218	Photojournalism	4
CJN-220	Review and Opinion Writing	4
CJN-301	Documentary Film and the Image of Conflict in the Middle East	4
CJN-302	Sports Journalism	4
CJN-317	Copy Editing	4
CJN-322	Data Journalism	4
CJN-353	TV News Reporting	4
CJN-356	TV Studio Production	4
CJN-363	Digital Non-Fiction Storytelling	4
CJN-443	Advanced Reporting and Feature Writing	4
CJN-480	Investigative Journalism & Documentary	4
CJN-483	Suffolk TV News	4
CJN-505	Communication and Journalism Practicum	1-12

Note: CJN-505 must be taken for a minimum of 4 credits to count as a major elective.

Residency Requirement Policy: In the College of Arts and Sciences, a two-course (8 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for completion of a minor and a four-course (16 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for the completion of a major.

About the Journalism Major

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Journalism Major Learning Goals and Objectives

Learning goals and objectives reflect the educational outcomes achieved by students through the completion of this program. These transferable skills prepare Suffolk students for success in the workplace, in graduate school, and in their local and global communities.

Learning Goals	Learning Objectives
Students will...	Students will be able to...
Understand the nature of current news events and the forces that shape news judgment	- Identify news elements in news stories - Demonstrate awareness of current events both locally and globally - Demonstrate an awareness for the perspectives of diverse communities in news judgment
Understand the importance of ethical consideration in news reporting, the law of governing mass communication in the United States, and the central role of journalism in democratic societies	- Master reporting skills using ethical principles in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness, and diversity - Demonstrate critical, creative and independent thought processes to report a story - Cite and apply specific aspects of the law
Know and understand the nature of news gathering, news writing, and aspects of producing an electronic news package in different settings	- Conduct research using a variety of reporting tools, such as stored sources, field reporting and interviews - Critically evaluate information - Write correctly and clearly in a variety of formats, such as print and broadcast - Write news stories using the correct broadcast style and appropriate focus on writing for visuals - Write news stories in different broadcast formats such as radio and TV news packages
Understand and know the skills for working in a diverse and changing media environment	- Write news stories using the correct print and online styles for features, hard news and beat reporting
Understand and prepare for the demands required by a journalism career	- Demonstrate hands-on creation in reporting, writing, electronic news gathering and editing though practicum, workshops or internships - Create career goals through meetings with advisors and professional journalists - Create a portfolio with samples of reporting and production work, in preparation for seeking employment in journalism

About the Journalism Major

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Honors

Honors in the Major is a highly selective opportunity to complete a signature original project or thesis with the close personalized mentorship of a departmental faculty member beginning in the junior year.  Students have the opportunity to complete a junior level interdisciplinary course addressing real-world problems. In the senior year, students present research or creative works completed in their discipline at the Honors in the Major Symposium. There is special recognition at Commencement and on the Suffolk transcript. 

About the Journalism Major

Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this major.

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Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's in Communication

Degree Requirements

1. Students admitted to this dual degree program must meet all the requirements of an undergraduate major offered by the department of Advertising, Public Relations, & Social Media or the department of Communication, Journalism, & Media.

2. Students must also meet all requirements for the Master’s degree in Communication offered by the department of Advertising, Public Relations, & Social Media.

3. Students will take two Communication graduate courses during their senior year, one during the fall semester and one during the spring semester. The two graduate courses taken during the senior year will count toward BOTH the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Credit hours will be awarded based on the graduate course description.

4. The graduate courses taken during the senior year will be determined by the Communication graduate program director.

5. Students are subject to the usual standards for academic standing, i.e., undergraduate standards for undergraduate courses and graduate standards for graduate courses.

Upon successful completion of all of the degree requirements, a student will receive a dual Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. The exact degree will be awarded based on the specific undergraduate program the student completes. A student may permanently exit the dual degree program and opt to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree if all the requirements for a Bachelor’s degree have been met. In this case, the graduate courses taken in the senior year will be counted as 4-credit courses applied toward the undergraduate degree requirements.

About the Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's in Communication

Learn more about the experiences and opportunities available within this accelerated bachelor's/master's degree.

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