WALTER J. LEMKE
DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM (JOUR)

Patsy G. Watkins
Department Chairperson
116 Kimpel Hall
575-3601

Degree Conferred: M.A. (JOUR)

Areas of Concentration: Advanced journalism studies, combined with graduate-level requirements in an additional academic discipline.

The purposes of the interdisciplinary program are to refine the skills of graduate journalism students through advanced writing courses in journalism and English; to offer comprehensive, media-related courses in government, public affairs, and law; and to provide journalists expertise in an additional academic discipline.

Prerequisites to Degree Program: A student with fewer than three years of professional journalism experience must possess an undergraduate degree, including a minimum of 21 undergraduate course hours in journalism and other courses specified by the Journalism Graduate Faculty Committee; a minimum undergraduate grade-point average of 3.00; and a minimum score of 1,000 on the verbal and quantitative parts of the Graduate Record Examinations (including a minimum score of 500 on the verbal part). A student with three or more years of professional journalism experience must possess an undergraduate degree and a minimum score of 1,000 on the verbal and quantitative parts of the Graduate Record Examinations (including a minimum score of 500 on the verbal part), or an undergraduate degree and a record of superior professional achievement.

Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree: In addition to the requirements of the Graduate School (page 18), the Master of Arts degree in journalism requires a minimum of 30 semester hours with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00. Students must complete:

1. 12 hours of graduate credit in journalism,

2. 12 hours of graduate credit in a single department other than journalism chosen by the student and approved by the Journalism Graduate Faculty Committee, and

3. a master's thesis (6 semester hours)

COURSES: JOURNALISM (JOUR)

JOUR4063 Computer-Assisted Publishing (FA, SP, SU) Indepth, hands-on exploration of computer hardware and software in the design and production of media messages. Examination of developing media technologies and the computer's influence on design and conceptualization. Prerequisite: JOUR 3002.

JOUR4883 Advanced Television News Production (FA, SP) Continuation of JOUR 4873. Students prepare and present television newscasts for air. Laboratory component arranged. Corequisite: JOUR 4880L. Prerequisite: JOUR 4873.

JOUR5003 Advanced Reporting (FA, SP, SU) Stresses public affairs coverage, interpretive, investigative, and analytic journalism, involving research, work with documents, public records, and budgets and specialized reporting.

JOUR5033 Critical and Opinion Writing and Commentary (FA, SP, SU) Experience in writing and analyzing columns, editorials, criticism, and other forms of opinion and commentary in the media and in examining the media's role as a forum for opinion and commentary and its impact and influence.

JOUR5043 Research Methods in Journalism (FA, SP, SU) Research methods of utility in journalism. Emphasis on survey research, electronic data base searching, and traditional library research. Prerequisite: graduate standing or honors program standing.

JOUR5063 Issues in Advertising and Public Relations (FA, SP, SU) Seminar course involving the critical examination of the major cultural, social, political, economic, ethical, and persuasion theories and/or issues relevant to advertising and public relations affecting individuals, organizations, societies.

JOUR5073 Propaganda and Public Opinion (FA, SP, SU) Examines and analyzes the means of influencing and measuring public opinion, with an emphasis on survey research and polling.

JOUR5183 International Mass Communications (FA, SP, SU) Examination of national media systems, issues in international communications, the role of the media in coverage of international affairs, and the impact of new technologies on mass communications.

JOUR5193 Professional Journalism Seminar (IR) Examination of complex problems encountered by professional journalists with focus on research and analysis of the role of journalism in major social, economic, and political developments. Content will vary.

JOUR5233 Media and Public Policy (FA, SP, SU) Focuses on the interaction between media, politics, government, and public policy, particularly on the impact and influence of the media on the public policy agenda.

JOUR5313 Literature of Journalism (FA, SP, SU) A study of superior works of non-fiction journalism, past and present. Includes authors from Daniel Defoe to John McPhee.

JOUR600V Master's Thesis (1-6) (FA, SP, SU) Required of all M.A. journalism students.