Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Journalism
Nature of the Program
The journalism major at the School of Media and Communications prepares students for careers as journalists working in video, audio, and digital outlets. All students in the journalism major must complete a series of shared core requirements and a shared capstone experience. In addition, students will take two upper-level courses of their own choosing in one of several focus areas: video and audio, visual/photo journalism, documentary, or reporting and writing. Students will also take journalism skills classes, such as podcasting, voice performance, AR/VR, video editing, and drone journalism.
Journalism majors have the opportunity to participate in immersion journalism courses along with numerous other special topics classes. The School houses student chapters of national journalism and media organizations along with a variety of media-centric clubs and student organizations. Journalism majors who wish to pursue law school or other graduate study have a solid basis in writing and research.
Admissions for 2027-2028
- Admission to the School of Media and Communications
- Scholarships
- Choosing a Major
- Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Program
Admission to the School of Media and Communications
For specific information regarding the admissions requirements for First Time Freshmen to the School of Media and Communications, please visit Admission to the School of Media and Communications.
Scholarships
All students applying for scholarships must file a FAFSA form by the deadline, even if they are not eligible for need-based aid.
Choosing a Major
The School of Media and Communications offers five majors: advertising and public relations, integrated marketing communication, journalism, sports and adventure media, and multidisciplinary media studies.
Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Program
Students in the advertising and public relations or journalism BSJ programs in the School of Media and Communications with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.4 are eligible for this program. The accelerated MSJ program allows students to customize a research project that is relevant to their interests, whether they are Advertising and Public Relations or Journalism majors. Interested students are identified during their initial year or two at the School, and, if interested, must meet with their academic advisor by the fall of their junior year. Freshmen and sophomores are welcome to stop by to discuss the program as well. Information is posted on the School's website.
3+3 BSJ/JD
Qualifying students may also enroll in the 3+3 BSJ/JD degree program, offered in collaboration with the WVU School of Media and Communications and College of Law. You may learn more about this program on the 3+3 BSJ/JD degree program website.
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 42 | |
| Non-Journalism/Media Requirements | 24 | |
| School of Media and Communications Core Requirements | 15 | |
| Journalism Major Requirements | 39 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 2, 6, and 7 | 16 | |
| MDIA 191 | First-Year Seminar | 2 |
| General Electives ** | 24 | |
| Total Hours | 42 | |
Non-Journalism/Media Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| POLS 102 | Introduction to American Government | 3 |
| STAT 111 | Understanding Statistics (GEF 3) | 3 |
| or STAT 211 | Elementary Statistical Inference | |
| HIST 153 | Making of Modern America: 1865 to the Present (GEF 5) | 3 |
| ECON 200 | Survey of Economics | 3 |
| BCOR 350 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| English literature or Creative Writing course | 3 | |
| Three credit hours of any foreign language course or study abroad program | 3 | |
| Elementary Modern Standard Arabic 1 | ||
| Elementary Modern Standard Arabic 2 | ||
| Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic 1 | ||
| Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic 2 | ||
| First Year Chinese 1 | ||
| First Year Chinese 2 | ||
| Second Year Chinese 1 | ||
| Second Year Chinese 2 | ||
| Elementary French 1 | ||
| Elementary French 2 | ||
| Intermediate French 1 | ||
| Intermediate French 2 | ||
| Elementary Spanish 1 | ||
| Elementary Spanish 2 | ||
| Intermediate Spanish 1 | ||
| Intermediate Spanish 2 | ||
--OR OTHER ADVISOR APPROVED LANGUAGE COURSE - | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Introduction to Anthropology | ||
| Total Hours | 24 | |
School of Media and Communications Core Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum grade of C- is required in College of Media Core Requirements. | ||
| MDIA 101 | Media and Society (may fulfill GEF 4) | 3 |
| MDIA 215S | Media Writing | 3 |
| MDIA 225S | Media Tools & Applications | 3 |
| MDIA 328 | Media Ethics and Law | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Making Media in the Digital Age | ||
| History of American Journalism, Media & Pop Culture | ||
| Media, Identity, and Power | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Journalism Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum grade of C- is required in Journalism Major Requirements. | ||
| Select three credits from the following skills courses: | 3 | |
| Interviewing for Journalism | ||
| Video Editing | ||
| Advanced Video Editing | ||
| Voice Performance for Broadcasting | ||
| Immersive Storytelling: AR/VR | ||
| Podcast Reporting & Producing | ||
| Creative Video Production | ||
| Take each of the following: | ||
| JRL 318S | Beat Reporting | 3 |
| JRL 319S | Editing and Curation | 3 |
| JRL 341S | Data and Design | 3 |
| or JRL 321S | Media Design | |
| JRL 458 | Interactive Media and Audience Building | 3 |
| Select one of the following capstones: | 3 | |
| Experimental Journalism | ||
| Multimedia Storytelling | ||
| Documentary Storytelling | ||
| Multimedia News Publication | ||
| Public Affairs Reporting for Multimedia | ||
| Advanced Video Reporting and Producing | ||
| Upper-Division Track Electives | 6 | |
Select two upper-division JRL or MDIA courses. | ||
| Required Minor * | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 39 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| English Literature or Creative Writing Courses | ||
| English Literature | ||
| ENGL 131 | Poetry and Drama | 3 |
| ENGL 132 | Short Story and Novel | 3 |
| ENGL 139 | Contemporary African Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 154 | African American Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 156 | Literature of Native America | 3 |
| ENGL 170 | Literature of Minds and Selves | 3 |
| ENGL 226 | Non-Western World Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 232 | Poetry | 3 |
| ENGL 233 | The Short Story | 3 |
| ENGL 234 | Drama | 3 |
| ENGL 235 | Novel | 3 |
| ENGL 236 | The Bible as Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 241 | American Literature 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 242 | American Literature 2 | 3 |
| ENGL 251 | American Folklore and Culture | 3 |
| ENGL 252 | Appalachian Fiction | 3 |
| ENGL 254 | African American Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 257 | Science Fiction and Fantasy | 3 |
| ENGL 258 | Popular American Culture | 3 |
| ENGL 261 | British Literature 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 262 | British Literature 2 | 3 |
| ENGL 263 | Shakespeare 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 272 | Modern Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 273 | Contemporary Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 275 | Justice and Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 285 | Images of Women in Literature | 3 |
| Creative Writing | ||
| ENGL 111 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 212 | Creative Writing: Fiction | 3 |
| ENGL 213 | Creative Writing: Poetry | 3 |
| ENGL 214 | Creative Writing: Non-Fiction | 3 |
- *
Students must complete an officially sanctioned minor outside the School of Media and Communications. However, students may pursue the Sport Communication minor, which is offered jointly by the College of Creative Arts and Media and the College of Applied Human Sciences. Students completing a dual-degree are exempt from the requirement to complete a minor. Students should consult their advisor before starting a minor. Some minors require 18 hours of coursework instead of 15 hours, and some minor courses are offered online primarily during summer terms.
- **
General Education and Elective Credits can vary - students must have a minimum of 120 credit hours total to complete the degree.
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | ENGL Literature or Creative Writing Course | 3 |
| MDIA 101 (GEF 4) | 3 | Language Course | 3 |
| MDIA 215S | 3 | MDIA 225S | 3 |
| MDIA 191 | 2 | GEF 2B | 4 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | JRL 318S | 3 |
| ECON 200 | 3 | HIST 153 | 3 |
| JRL 319S | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| Select a one-credit-hour JRL Skills Course | 1 | GEF 6 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | Select a one-credit-hour JRL Skills Course | 1 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| POLS 102 | 3 | BCOR 350 | 3 |
| MDIA 328 | 3 | STAT 111 | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | JRL 458 | 3 |
| JRL 341S or 321S | 3 | 300- or 400-level JRL "track" Elective | 3 |
| GEF 7 | 3 | Select one of the following: | 3 |
| Select a one-credit-hour JRL Skills Course | 1 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| 300- or 400-level JRL "track" Elective | 3 | JRL Capstone Course | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| General Elective | 9 | General Elective | 6 |
| 15 | 12 | ||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||
Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Program
- B.S.J. in Journalism/M.S.J in Journalism
- B.S.J. Journalism and M.S. Integrated Marketing Communications
Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Degree Requirements
Students must fulfill all degree requirements for both the B.S.J and the M.S.J in Journalism. Students must also meet all the requirements of the ABM.
ABM Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| B.S.J Undergraduate Requirements | 108 | |
| Shared Bachelor's/Master's Curriculum Coursework | 12 | |
| M.S.J. Master's Requirements | 18 | |
| Total Hours | 138 | |
Shared Bachelor's/Master's Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| JRL 458 | Interactive Media and Audience Building | 3 |
| JRL 504 | Mass Media and Society | 3 |
| JRL 520 | Advanced Journalistic Writing and Research | 3 |
| JRL 528 | Media Ethics and Law | 3 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MDIA 191 | 2 | ENGL Literature or Creative Writing course | 3 |
| MDIA 101 (GEF 4) | 3 | Language Course | 3 |
| MDIA 215S | 3 | GEF 2B | 4 |
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | Select one of the following: | 3 |
| Language Course | 3 | ||
| General Elective | 3 | ||
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| One-credit-hour JRL Skills course | 1 | JRL 318S | 3 |
| MDIA 225S | 3 | GEF 6 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | HIST 153 | 3 |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| BCOR 350 | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| One-credit-hour JRL Skills Course | 1 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| JRL 319S | 3 | STAT 111 | 3 |
| GEF 7 | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| JRL 341S | 3 | Electives | 3 |
| POLS 102 | 3 | ECON 200 | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | JRL "track" elective | 3 |
| One credit-hour-hour JRL Skills Course | 1 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| JRL 458 | 3 | JRL Capstone Course | 3 |
| JRL 528 | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| JRL 504 | 3 | JRL 520 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | JRL "track" elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fifth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Elective* | 3 | JRL 689 | 3 |
| Elective* | 3 | JRL 697 or 698 | 3 |
| JRL 697 | 3 | Elective* | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Total credit hours: 138 | |||
- *
These electives should be at the 500- or 600-level and may come from within or external to the School of Media and Communications.
Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Degree Requirements
Students must fulfill all degree requirements for the B.S.J in Journalism, including earning a minimum grade of C- in School of Media and Communications Core Requirements and Journalism major requirements. In addition to all the requirements of the M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications. Students must also meet all the requirements of the ABM.
ABM Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| B.S.J. Journalism Requirements | 108 | |
| Shared Bachelor's/Master's Coursework | 12 | |
| M.S. Integrated Marketing Communications Major Requirements | 18 | |
| Total Hours | 138 | |
Shared Bachelor's/Master's Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| IMC 410 | Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communications | 3 |
| IMC 511 | Marketing Research and Analysis | 3 |
| IMC 512 | Audience Insight | 3 |
| IMC 513 | Brand Equity Management | 3 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | ENGL Literature or Creative Writing Course | 3 |
| MDIA 101 (GEF 4) | 3 | Language Course | 3 |
| MDIA 215S | 3 | MDIA 225S | 3 |
| MDIA 191 | 2 | Elective | 3 |
| Language Course | 3 | GEF 2B | 4 |
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | JRL 318S | 3 |
| ECON 200 | 3 | HIST 153 (GEF 5) | 3 |
| JRL 319S | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Select a one-credit-hour JRL Skills Course | 1 | GEF 6 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | Select a one-credit-hour JRL Skills Course | 1 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| POLS 102 | 3 | BCOR 350 | 3 |
| JRL 328 | 3 | STAT 111 (GEF 3) | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | JRL 458 | 3 |
| JRL 341S | 3 | 300- or 400-level JRL "track" Elective | 3 |
| GEF 7 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Select a one-credit-hour JRL Skills Course | 1 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| 300- or 400-level JRL "track" Elective | 3 | JRL Capstone Course | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| IMC 410 | 3 | IMC 511 | 3 |
| IMC 513 | 3 | IMC 512 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 12 | ||
| Fifth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| IMC Electives (1 and 2 of 3) | 6 | IMC Specialty Course (2 of 2) | 3 |
| IMC Specialty Course (1 of 2) | 3 | IMC Elective Course (3 of 3) | 3 |
| IMC 536 | 3 | ||
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Total credit hours: 138 | |||
Students in the IMC BS+MS ABM program can share a total of 12 credits, in IMC 410, IMC 511, IMC 512 and IMC 513 across both their graduate and undergraduate degrees.
Major Learning Outcomes
Journalism
The Reed School of Media and Communications states as its learning goals the values and competencies of its national accrediting body, the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, which appear under information about the B.S. in Journalism degree. In addition, the School faculty have set other specific educational outcomes deemed critical for success as professional communicators. These additional educational outcomes for journalism majors are:
- Journalism graduates will demonstrate proficiency in critical thinking skills, writing and reporting, and an understanding of basic production skills, allowing them to produce news stories and multimedia projects. Graduates will be adequately prepared to either work in the field or pursue advanced educational opportunities.
- Journalism graduates will demonstrate a mastery of written and spoken communications, an understanding of the technologies of print, television and digital media, and knowledge and applications of these skills in their chosen careers.
- Journalism graduates will demonstrate an understanding of how to serve, reflect and engage diverse publics in their reporting and producing.
- Journalism graduates will demonstrate knowledge of media ethics, law and regulation, including a full understanding of the First Amendment within the context of artificial intelligence and social media.
- Journalism graduates will demonstrate specialized knowledge of news media interactions with various critical publics, including but not limited to: government at all levels; educational entities; law enforcement; medical, social and humanitarian services; and religious and secular organizations within the community.
- Journalism graduates will learn to work as collaborative teams to solve problems, create strategies and produce content across all media platforms using the principles of human-centered design.
- Journalism graduates demonstrate the ability to engage an audience using social media networking and analytics tools.
- Journalism graduates will demonstrate an understanding of the history of technology and Silicon Valley in the context of media and its impact on acquisition, production, distribution and the economic models of media.
- Journalism graduates will learn methods for data mining, evaluating sources, and investigating algorithms.
- Journalism graduates will be introduced to programming for media in one or more modern languages.