Degree Requirements

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Broadcast and Digital Journalism and Print and Digital Journalism majors must complete the following courses:
  • JOUR 201 – History of News in Modern America (4) Understanding news today. A survey of how news is gathered, weighed, and disseminated and how historical events have shaped news in the 20th century.
  • JOUR 202 – Newswriting: Print (3) Introduction to basic skills of print newswriting, news judgment, construction of print news stories. Social responsibility and ethical framework for print journalists. Typing ability required.
  • JOUR 203 – Newswriting: Broadcast (3) Introduction to broadcast newswriting with emphasis on the ear and eye. News judgment. Social responsibility and ethical framework for broadcast journalists. Typing ability required.
  • JOUR 302 – Reporting: Print (3) Introduction to basic reporting techniques, public records reporting and beginning investigative journalism. Social responsibility and ethical framework for print journalists.
  • JOUR 303 – Reporting: Broadcast (3) Introduction to field reporting, audio and visual media. Social responsibility and ethical framework for broadcast journalists.
  • JOUR 309 – Introduction to Online Media (3) Convergence journalism and online skill sets. Blogs and Web content production. Social responsibility and ethical framework in digital information technology.
  • JOUR 310 – Investigative Reporting (4) Reportorial and analytical skills and techniques required for portraying and evaluating contemporary newsworthy events; lectures, discussions.
  • JOUR 462 – Law of Mass Communication (4) Press law; government controls on the news media; legal responsibilities of the journalist.

Broadcast and Digital Journalism students must also complete:
  • JOUR 306 – Production: Broadcast (3) Studio and field production for audio and visual media. Social responsibility and ethical framework involving broadcast non-fiction production.

    and two courses from the following:

  • JOUR 402 – Advanced Television Reporting (4) Role of the broadcast journalism reporter; similarities and differences between print and electronic media; application of audio-video equipment; analysis and practical experience.
  • JOUR 403 – Television News Production (4) Production of television news programs; preparation and treatment of form and content; procedures, problems and practice in planning and producing broadcast news materials.
  • JOUR 405 – Non-Fiction Television (4) Presentation and selection in non-fiction television programs including documentaries, electronic magazines and news series; ethical problems, field research, reporting, interviewing, pre-production.
  • JOUR 409 – Radio News Production (4) Reporting for public radio news: writing newsgathering, editing, vocal delivery. Study of standards, content and ethics.

Print and Digital Journalism students must also complete:
  • JOUR 308 – Newspaper Editing and Design (3) Copyediting and newspaper production layout. Headline and caption writing. Design. Social responsibility and ethical framework involving print production.

    and two courses from the following:
  • JOUR 431 – Feature Writing (4) Techniques of writing newspaper feature stories, including the profile, the light feature, the news feature, the in-depth story; the art of narrative writing.
  • JOUR 435 – Writing Magazine Non-Fiction (4) A seminar in "how to" interview, research, write – and place – professional quality articles for a full range of magazines/newspapers including women’s, sports, ethnic, local and national.
  • JOUR 440 – Environmental Journalism (4) Techniques of reporting and writing about the environment. Includes both theory and practice needed for reporters specializing in this area of journalism.
  • JOUR 448 – Government and Public Affairs Reporting (4) Techniques for covering beats that are the foundation of daily newspaper reporting, including crime, education, immigration and local government.
In addition, all undergraduate journalism students must complete 6 upper-division journalism elective units approved by an advisor. See the USC Catalogue for a list of journalism classes. Please note that not every class is available each semester. To see which classes are currently offered, consult the Schedule of Classes.