| |
| |
Apr 09, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
2026-2027 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog
Journalism, B.A.
|
|
 Return to: Academic Programs (A-Z)
|
About the Journalism Bachelor’s Program
The journalism degree program prepares students for meaningful careers in today’s leading news organizations. Journalism classes are steeped in traditional journalism values and emphasize the importance of storytelling, clarity, conciseness, accuracy, and fairness in reporting. Augmenting journalism education based in valued traditions, the College of Media & Communication journalism faculty and staff work with news organizations to provide students with meaningful internships and other career-advancing opportunities. Texas Tech offers a multi-platform journalism program. All journalism majors study the unique attributes of print, broadcast, and online news content and production. Students have the opportunity to produce news using a variety of media including social, print, broadcast, and online. Graduates from the Jouranlism program will: - Demonstrate how to report, write, and produce accurate journalistic stories for multiple platforms
Early in the program, students will analyze and apply professional standards to the reporting, writing, editing, fact checking and presentation of news stories.
Later in the program, students will evaluate information for accuracy, fairness, and ethical integrity in the preparation of news content.
- Recognize ethical journalism’s role in democracy by explaining how levels of government operate
Early in the program, students will explain the structure and functions of the federal, state, and local (city/county) branches of government, as well as ethical journalism’s role in democracy.
Later in the program, students will analyze how government processes and public policy decisions impact journalism and news coverage.
- Combine skills in news gathering, such as computer-assisted reporting, public information requests and interviews with credible sources, to report accurate stories that impact audiences
Early in the program, students will apply data journalism techniques to collect, interpret, and visualize information for news reporting.
Later in the program, students will utilize public records, social media, and digital tools to gather and verify information from a variety of sources. They will also evaluate the credibility of data and sources in digital and social media contexts.
- Create news stories for different mediums on varying platforms
Early in the program, students will produce news packages for print, broadcast, online, and social media platforms that demonstrate appropriate style, tone, and technical proficiency.
Later in the program, students will adapt storytelling techniques to different media formats and audiences. Students choosing to major in journalism are required to pass the college’s Basics of Writing (BOW) exam with a 70 or higher; pass ENGL 1301 and ENGL 1302 with at least a C; and have a TTU 2.5 GPA prior to enrolling in any JOUR course with a number higher than 2300. In order to ensure expertise in a content area, journalism majors are required to choose either a 15-credit interdisciplinary concentration, an 18-21 credit minor, or a second major/degree. Suggested concentrations include strategic communication, media economics and management, visual communication, international/intercultural communication, education, social issues, political journalism, health/science/environmental studies, and digital/social media studies. Students may pursue additional cognates with advisor and department chair approval. Communication Literacy Requirement. Students majoring in Journalism are expected to demonstrate communication proficiency in courses across the degree curriculum. In particular, the journalism faculty wish to ensure that students are first and foremost capable writers, but also that they are able to communicate visually, digitally, aurally, within an organization, and interpersonally among various professional constituencies. The CL plan for the journalism major is comprised of 15 credits (five courses): JOUR 2310 , JOUR 3311 , JOUR 3314 , JOUR 4350 ; ADV 4313 or COMS 3332 or CMI 3358 or JOUR 3370 or PRSC 4351 . Journalism Concentrations
Digital and Social Media Studies
Students must choose three (3) from:
Students must choose two (2) from:
Education and Social Issues
Students must choose two (2) from:
Students must choose three (3) from:
Health, Science and Environmental Journalism
Students must also choose four (4) from:
International/Intercultural Communication
Students must choose two (2) from:
Students must choose three (3) from:
Media Economics and Management
Students must choose four (4) from:
Students must choose two (2) from:
Students must choose three (3) from:
Students must choose two (2) from:
Students must choose three (3) from any 3000- or 4000-level ADV or PRSC courses
Students must choose two (2) from:
Students must choose three (3) from:
Recommended Sample Curriculum
Total Hours: 120
Students majoring in journalism are required to complete 49 hours from the following core courses: MCOM 1100 or one-hour JOUR practicum; MCOM 1300 , MCOM 1301 , MCOM 2350 , MCOM 3320 , JCMI 2301 , JCMI 2302 , JOUR 2300 , JOUR 2310 , JOUR 3312 , JOUR 3355 , JOUR 3380 , JOUR 3390 , JOUR 4385 , and 9 hours of JOUR electives. Journalism students must also choose either a 15-hour interdisciplinary concentration, an 18-hour minor, or a second major. MCOM Global Communication Courses
Choose from MCOM 2350 , ADV 4313 , COMS 3332 , CMI 3309 , CMI 3355 , CMI 3358 , JOUR 3370 , or PRSC 4351 . Other courses, including special topics courses (any course listed as 4301), may be approved for Global Communication credit by the department chairperson in consultation with the College of Media & Communication Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs. Any foreign language taken at the college level in which a grade of C or better is earned will count as a Global Communication credit. |
Return to: Academic Programs (A-Z)
|
|
|
