Journalism (BAJ)
Description
The Bachelor of Arts in Journalism immerses students in the breadth and depth of knowledge necessary to prepare them for successful careers in the dynamic journalism and media industries. The program develops versatile storytellers who understand the critically important role their work plays in an effectively functioning society. Students learn the cutting-edge skills and innovative mindsets needed to thrive in the rapidly changing field and are able to gain real world professional experience while working towards their degrees.
Students seeking the B.A.J. will complete the School core of five classes, as well as an additional two courses focusing on the professional fundamentals of journalism. The foundational skills gained in these classes prepares students to choose a concentration area that best fits their interests. Concentrations include TV and multimedia news reporting, social justice and political reporting, sports media, TV and video storytelling, and visual journalism.
Minimum Total Credit Hours: 124
Degree Requirements
The academic regulations for this degree program, as entered in the University of Mississippi Catalog, are in effect for the current or selected academic year and semester. The University of Mississippi reserves the right to
- change or withdraw courses;
- change rules for registration, instruction, and graduation; and
- change other regulations affecting the student body at any time.
General Education
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following First Year Writing I courses: | 3 | |
| Freshman Honors I | ||
| Introduction to College Writing | ||
| First-Year Writing I | ||
| Select one of the following First Year Writing II courses: | 3 | |
| First Year Seminar | ||
| First-Year Writing II | ||
| Freshman Honors II | ||
| Select six hours of Literature Survey from the following: | 6 | |
| Survey in Literary History | ||
| Survey of World Literature to 1650 | ||
| Survey of World Literature since 1650 | ||
| Survey of American Lit to the Civil War | ||
| Survey of American Lit since Civil War | ||
| Survey of British Lit to 18th Century | ||
| Survey of Brit Lit since Romantic Period | ||
| Select at least six hours at the 2000 level or above in one modern or ancient language. | 6 | |
| Select three hours in one of the following areas: | 3 | |
African American Studies; | ||
Classical civilization | ||
| Women In Antiquity | ||
| Introduction to Gender Studies | ||
| Feminist Philosophy | ||
Philosophy | ||
Religion | ||
| Introduction to Southern Studies I | ||
| Introduction to Digital Media Studies | ||
| POLS 1010 | Introduction to American Politics | 3 |
| Select three semester hours in anthropology, economics, political science, psychology or sociology | 3 | |
| Select at least three hours of Math 1 | 3 | |
| Select six hours of History (HIST) coursework | 6 | |
| Select 9-12 hrs of science coursework. Two courses must include labs from the following: | 9-12 | |
Biology | ||
Chemistry and Biochemistry | ||
Geology and Geological Engineering | ||
| Integrated Science I | ||
| Integrated Science II | ||
Physics and Astronomy | ||
| Complete at least two science laboratory courses | 2 | |
| Select three hours of fine arts from the following: 2 | 3 | |
Art History | ||
Music | ||
Dance | ||
Theatre Arts | ||
| Introduction to Western Art | ||
| Art Beyond the West | ||
| Global Art: Prehistory to 1500 | ||
| Global Art: 1300 to the Present | ||
| Introduction to the Fine Arts | ||
| Introduction to Music Literature | ||
| Fundamentals of Music Theory | ||
| Introduction to Music | ||
| Introduction to World Music Cultures | ||
| Music Theory and Analysis I | ||
| Dance Appreciation | ||
| Appreciation of the Theatre | ||
| Introduction to Cinema | ||
| All journalism majors must also fulfill a cultural competency requirement by taking 3 semester hours in a course related to race, ethnicity, culture, gender, or religion. 3 | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 53-56 | |
- 1
no lower than MATH 1150 Elementary Statistics
- 2
Studio and workshop courses cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.
- 3
This course must be in addition to any class used to fulfill the school's humanities requirement. Courses must be selected from the following list or approved by the school's director of academic advising: Journalism (3450, 4000 or 5130), African American studies (any course), gender studies (any course), Latin American studies (any course), anthropology (1010, 3030), religious studies (any course), sociology (3130, 3250, 4130), international studies (any course), or a study abroad experience
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 1010 | Media, News & Audience | 3 |
| SJNM 1020 | Introduction to Multimedia Writing | 3 |
| SJNM 1030 | Visual Media Principles | 3 |
| SJNM 2020 | Introduction to Research for Comm | 3 |
| SJNM 2700 | Digital Story Production | 3 |
| SJNM 2710 | Information Gathering | 3 |
| SJNM 3690 | Media Law & Ethics | 3 |
| Total Hours | 21 | |
Journalism Residency Hrs
Students must earn at least 12 hours of their major courses in residence with a grade of C or better in each course.
Overall Major GPA
Please contact your academic advisor for grade point requirements.
Resident Major GPA
Please contact your academic advisor for grade point requirements.
Emphasis Required
Students must complete an emphasis chosen from: Multimedia News Reporting, Political & Social Justice Reporting, TV & Video Storytelling, or Visual Journalism.
Emphasis - Multimedia News Reporting
Description
The multimedia news reporting emphasis is designed for students pursuing careers in text-based and digital news media.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 3100 | Social Media in Society (conceptual course) | 3 |
| SJNM 3770 | Advanced Reporting | 3 |
| SJNM 3790 | Editing | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Creative Visual Thinking | ||
| Photojournalism | ||
| Television Reporting | ||
| Journalism Internship | ||
| Journalism Practicum | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Advanced Photojournalism | ||
| Applied Video Storytelling | ||
| Advanced Broadcast Reporting | ||
| Select an additional three hours of a conceptual course from the following: | 3 | |
| History of Mass Media | ||
| Digital Media Diversity | ||
| The Press and the Changing South | ||
| Mass Media Ethics and Social Issues | ||
| Total Hours | 21 | |
Emphasis - Political & Social Justice Reporting
Description
This emphasis is designed for students seeking careers in political reporting or reporting on social justice issues.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 3010 & SJNM 3100 | History of Mass Media and Social Media in Society (Conceptual Courses) | 6 |
| SJNM 3770 | Advanced Reporting | 3 |
| SJNM 3780 | Television Reporting | 3 |
| or SJNM 4790 | Applied Video Storytelling | |
| Select six hours of the following: 1 | 6 | |
| International Journalism | ||
| Investigating Criminal Justice | ||
| The Press and the Changing South | ||
| Peace Journalism | ||
| Documentary and Social Issues | ||
| Depth Reporting | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
- 1
Approved special topics courses may be eligible; speak with your academic advisor.
Emphasis - TV & Video Storytelling
Description
The TV & video storytelling emphasis is designed for students pursuing careers in television news or video storytelling.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 3780 | Television Reporting | 3 |
| SJNM 4800 | Advanced Broadcast Reporting | 3 |
| SJNM 3951 | Journalism Internship | 3 |
| or SJNM 4950 | Journalism Practicum | |
| SJNM 3300 | Media Performance | 3 |
| or SJNM 4790 | Applied Video Storytelling | |
| SJNM 3100 | Social Media in Society (conceptual course) | 3 |
| Select an additional three hrs of a conceptual course | 3 | |
| History of Mass Media | ||
| Digital Media Diversity | ||
| The Press and the Changing South | ||
| Mass Media Ethics and Social Issues | ||
or other courses approved by the school. Consult with your advisor. | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Emphasis - Visual Journalism
Description
This emphasis is designed for students seeking careers in media design and photojournalism.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 2730 | Creative Visual Thinking | 3 |
| SJNM 3750 | Photojournalism | 3 |
| SJNM 4030 | Advanced Photojournalism | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Applied Video Storytelling | ||
| Multimedia Storytelling I | ||
| Select six hours of Conceptual courses | 6 | |
| History of Mass Media | ||
| Social Media in Society | ||
| Digital Media Diversity | ||
| The Press and the Changing South | ||
| Mass Media Ethics and Social Issues | ||
or other courses approved by the school. Consult with your advisor. | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Specialization - Public Relations
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 3910 | Public Relations | 3 |
| SJNM 4910 | Public Relations Techniques | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Event Planning | ||
| Nonprofit Marketing Communications | ||
| Persuasion | ||
| Public Relations Case Problems | ||
| Crisis Communication | ||
or complete an approved 3-credit internship | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Specialization - Magazine Publish & Mgmt
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 4010 | Magazine Service Journalism | 3 |
| SJNM 5050 | Magazine Service Journalism Publishing | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Service Journalism Management | ||
or complete an approved 3-credit internship | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Specialization - Media Sales and Mgmt
Description
A specialization in media sales and management prepares students for additional roles within media organizations, exploring business models and the fundamentals of management and entrepreneurial thinking as they relate to media entities.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 3860 | Media Sales | 3 |
| SJNM 3880 | Media Management | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Persuasion | ||
| Intercollegiate Debating | ||
or an approved 3-credit sales internship (internship must be approved before it starts) | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Specialization - Sports Comm & Promotion
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 5360 | Foundations of Sports | 3 |
| SJNM 5370 | Sports Promotion | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Sports Announcing | ||
| Sports Photography | ||
| Sports Media and Reporting | ||
| Sports Television Production | ||
or a pre-approved 3-credit sports-themed course | ||
or a pre-approved 3-credit sports-themed internship | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Emphasis - Sports Media
Description
This emphasis is for students seeking careers working in sports journalism and sports media.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 3650 | Sports Media and Reporting | 3 |
| SJNM 3770 | Advanced Reporting | 3 |
| or SJNM 3780 | Television Reporting | |
| Select six hours of additional courses from the following: | 3 | |
| Sports Writing | ||
| Sports Photography | ||
| Journalism Internship | ||
or SJNM 4950 | Journalism Practicum | |
| Sports Television Production (with Dean's approval) | ||
| Select three additional hours from the following courses: | 3 | |
| History of Mass Media | ||
| Digital Media Diversity | ||
| The Press and the Changing South | ||
| Mass Media Ethics and Social Issues | ||
| The Business of Sport | ||
| Sport Governance and Policy | ||
| Foundations of Sports | ||
| Sports Promotion | ||
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Accelerated Law (3+3)
Description
An emphasis in pre-law is intended to prepare students for further study in law school. Courses required for the B.A.J. or B.S. pre-law preparation are approved by the University of Mississippi School of Law as part of the Accelerated 3+3 Program in which students early admitted to law school may apply 33 credit hours of law courses directly to the B.A.J. or B.S. degree programs.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LAWS 5505 | Contracts | 3-6 |
| LAWS 5520 | Torts | 3-6 |
| LAWS 5515 | Civil Procedure I | 1-4 |
| LAWS 5525 | Property | 3-6 |
| LAWS 5501 | Constitutional Law I | 3-4 |
| LAWS 5930 | Legal Writing I | 1-4 |
| LAWS 5931 | Legal Writing II | 1-3 |
| LAWS 5510 | Criminal Law | 2-3 |
| LAWS 5940 | Contract Negotiation and Drafting | 1-4 |
| LAWS 5990 | Legal Methods | 1-4 |
| Total Hours | 19-44 | |
Specialization - Visual Design
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 3050 | 3 | |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| 3-D Modeling | ||
| Motion Graphics | ||
| Designing Interactivity | ||
or complete an approved 3-credit internship | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Specialization - Health Communication
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 5350/5380 | Health Communication | 3 |
| SJNM 3410 | Persuasion | 3 |
| Select one of the following interdisciplinary courses: | 3 | |
| Pharmacy Ethics | ||
| Biomedical Ethics | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Psychopathology: Integrative Approaches | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Disasters and Mental Health | ||
| Psychology of Human Sexuality | ||
| Psychology of Human Sexuality | ||
| Psychology of Gender | ||
| Queer Mississippi | ||
| Directed Readings in Gender Studies | ||
| Psychology of Gender | ||
| Psychosocial Aspects of Loss Death Grief | ||
| The Family | ||
| Sociology of Disability | ||
| Social Problems | ||
| Population Trends and Problems | ||
| Society and Population Health | ||
| Explorations in Population Health | ||
| Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Social Stratification | ||
| Population Studies Applied Research | ||
| Medical Anthropology | ||
| Health Communication | ||
| Health Communication | ||
| Nutrition | ||
| Human Development Across the Lifespan | ||
| Child Development | ||
| Community Nutrition | ||
| Elder Law | ||
| Topics in Society and Health Abroad | ||
| Topics in Society and Health | ||
| Medical Humanities | ||
| Society and Health Internship | ||
| Directed Study in Society and Health | ||
or complete an approved 3-credit internship | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Specialization - Social Media
Description
Students who wish to specialize in social media should take SJNM 3100 Social Media in Society and then two of the following additional courses: SJNM 3060 Digital Marketing Communication (except for IMC majors, who can't count this course toward the specialization), SJNM 3080 Social Media Content Creation, SJNM 3090 Introduction to Video Storytelling, SJNM 3250 Data Literacy WRIT 3500 Writing for Digital Media, or an approved 3-credit social media internship, or an approved 3-credit social media-themed course in another department.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 3100 | Social Media in Society | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Digital Marketing Communication (except for IMC majors, who can't count this course toward the specialization) | ||
| Social Media Content Creation | ||
| Introduction to Video Storytelling | ||
| Data Literacy | ||
| Writing for Digital Media | ||
or an approved 3-credit social media internship | ||
or an approved 3-credit social media-themed course in another department | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Specialization - Fashion Promo. & Media
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SJNM 3140 | Fashion Promotion and Media | 3 |
| SJNM 3150 | Fashion Merchandising | 3 |
| or MKTG 3061 | Retailing and E-Commerce | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Video Storytelling | ||
| Commercial Photography | ||
a preapproved 3-credit fashion-themed course | ||
a preapproved 3-credit fashion-themed internship | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Community Engaged Leadership Residency Hours
6 hours must be taken in residency for the Community Engaged Leadership minor.
Overall Minor GPA
Please contact your academic advisor for grade point requirements.
Resident Minor GPA
Please contact your academic advisor for grade point requirements.
Other Academic Requirements
Students must take a minimum of 72 hours in courses outside the major. All students are required to successfully complete a minor in another area of study.
Students must purchase a school-approved laptop computer prior to enrolling in SJNM 2710 Information Gathering. Specifications for the computer are posted on the school website.
A minimum grade of C is required in all journalism courses for students pursuing a major in journalism or a minor in journalism. A student may not enroll in a journalism course until a minimum grade of C has been obtained in prerequisite courses. No journalism course may be taken more than two times.