Bachelor of Science in Journalism, Specialization in Public Relations, BSJ

The Public Relations Specialization, BSJ, is offered by the School of Media and Communication. Public Relations is an ongoing communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and people or publics. Students in this major learn about the theories and practice of public relations to gain the skills needed for a career in public relations. Students take advanced courses to develop their expertise in crisis communication, social media, and campaign planning, and may take courses in sport communication and leadership and organizational communication. Public Relations majors must participate in an internship program allowing them to apply their knowledge in a real-world setting while also providing work experience to launch their careers.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in journalism will be expected to:

• Understand and apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press, including the right to dissent, to monitor and criticize power, and to assemble and petition for redress of grievances;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of professionals and institutions in shaping communications;
• Demonstrate an understanding of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and, as appropriate, other forms of diversity in domestic society in relation to mass communications;
• Demonstrate an understanding of diversity of peoples and cultures and of the significance and impact of mass communications in a global society;
• Understand concepts and apply theories in the use and presentation of images and information;
• Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethical principles and work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness, and diversity;
• Think critically, creatively, and independently;
• Conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to the communications professions in which they work;
• Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences, and purposes they serve;
• Critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style, and grammatical correctness;
• Apply basic numerical and statistical concepts;
• Apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work.

A candidate for the degree of bachelor of science in journalism must meet the following requirements in addition to those listed in the Academic Policies section of this catalog.

• Requirements for the degree are in keeping with ACEJMP accreditation standards, which mandate a minimum of 72 hours in courses outside of journalism and mass communications. Students are also required to complete appropriately supervised experience in campus media and professional internships. Courses fulfilling the degree requirements are listed on the Journalism and Public Relations requirements sheet, provided to all incoming first-year and transfer students and available from the main office in 306 Kuhlin Center.

Foreign language requirement
Each student is required to demonstrate a proficiency in a language by one of the options listed below:

• Graduating from a high school where all instruction was conducted in a language other than English;
• Passing a proficiency examination in the language on the 2020 course level;
• Having completed four years of one language in high school (student must have completed the fourth full year, for example, Spanish IV, and received credit for these courses);
• Having completed one of the program options listed below (12-14 hours minimum in the same language area or fewer by advanced placement)

Note: Foreign language courses numbered 2010, 2020, 2120 apply to Group II, not Group V.

Chinese, German, Japanese, Russian

• Completion of GERM 1010 and GERM 1020 plus a minimum of six additional hours from GERM 1170, GERM 1180, GERM 2010, GERM 2020, GERM 2170, GERM 2180, GERM 2310, GERM 3310 and/or GERM 2600, GERM 2150, GERM 2160, GERM 3600, GERM 4150;
• Completion of CHIN 1010, CHIN 1020, CHIN 2010, CHIN 2020;
• Completion of JAPN 1010, JAPN 1020, plus a minimum of six additional hours from: JAPN 2010, JAPN 2020, JAPN 2150, JAPN 2160, JAPN 3120, and JAPN 4150;
• Completion of RUSN 1010 and RUSN 1020 plus a minimum of six additional hours from RUSN 2010, RUSN 2020, RUSN 2150, RUSN 2160, RUSN 3120, 3130, RUSN 4150;

French, Greek, Italian, Latin, Spanish

• Option I:
  • Romance and Classical Studies
    • FREN 1010, FREN 1020, FREN 2010, FREN 2020;
    • GRK 1010 and GRK 1020 and six additional hours from GRK 2010, GRK 2020, CLCV 2410, CLCV 2420, CLCV 2450.
    • ITAL 1010, ITAL 1020, ITAL 2010, ITAL 2020;
    • LAT 1010, LAT 1020, LAT 2010, LAT 2020;
    • SPAN 1010, SPAN 1020, SPAN 2010, SPAN 2020, SPAN 2030.
• Option II: (one of the following)
  • Romance and Classical Studies
    • FREN 1010, FREN 1020, FREN 2010, FREN 2020;
    • LAT 1010, LAT 1020 and two of LAT 2010; CLCV 2410, CLCV 2420, CLCV 2450;
    • SPAN 1010, SPAN 1020, SPAN 2010, SPAN 2120.
  • American Sign Language
    • ASL 1010, ASL 1020, ASL 2010, ASL 2020 

A student may transfer at any point from Option I to Option II but not vice versa. Course 2020 is required for admission to 3000-level courses. Credit toward a degree is not granted for foreign language courses which duplicate more than two units of high school study.

Arts and Sciences Multidisciplinary Component

The Arts and Sciences Multidisciplinary Component is grounded in the conviction that acquiring proficiency in multiple modes of thought and communication, referred to as habits of mind, is the defining characteristic of a liberal arts education. This four-course component will enhance students’ ability to see things from multiple perspectives, solve problems both analytically and creatively, and communicate effectively both within and across cultural boundaries.

As a college anchored in the tradition of liberal arts and sciences, we believe that acquiring multiple habits of mind is valuable both in its own right and as a way to promote lifelong learning. As the largest college in a comprehensive regional institution serving the state and nation, we also believe that the intellectual and personal growth that students achieve in a 21st-century arts and sciences degree program is crucial to success in the global ago, regardless of one’s professional growth.

Specifically, courses in the liberal arts and sciences emphasize:

• Critical contemplation of theoretically-grounded ideas and the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake.
• Learning via inquiry, in which students test their assumptions by exploring bases of knowledge, recent research findings, or bodies of creative expression.
• Advancement of general intellectual capacities, such as verbal, quantitative, and visual literacy, interpretive judgment, and critical self-reflection.
• Development of broadly applicable competencies, such as precise analysis, evidence-based argumentation, creative problem-solving, and effective communication.
• Engagement with experiences and perspectives that differ from one’s own.

Students are strongly encouraged to work with their college advisers and faculty mentors to maximize the potential of the Arts and Sciences Multidisciplinary Component. The four courses selected for this component may be closely related to the major, sample the diverse domains of the arts and humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, or be interdisciplinary in nature.

• Each course must have a different prefix,
• At least two courses must be at the 3000- or 4000-level, and
• Courses applied to the Arts and Sciences Multidisciplinary Component may not be used to fiulfill other Arts and Sciences degree requirements, nor may they be used to fulfill major, minor, BGP or other program requirements.

A list of eligible courses is printed in the College of Arts and Sciences Handbook and tracked by the Degree Audit Reporting Systems (DARS).

Other Requirements

• Choose either Journalism sequence or Public Relations specialization. Journalism is generally associated training for reporting, writing, and editing positions with online media, broadcast media, newspapers, wire services, and magazines. Public relations includes inter-group communications and relating the interests of business, industry, government, and public and private institutions to each other and to society. 
• Complete 39-42 semester hours of journalism courses, 18 of which are core journalism courses, with the remainder from specific sequence courses and electives. Due to national accrediting policies, no more than 50 semester hours of journalism/mass communication courses may be counted toward a bachelor of science in journalism degree. (Note: Courses taken in departments and programs other than journalism, such as telecommunications, may count as part of the 50 semester hours allowed. Students should not enroll in mass communication courses in programs and departments outside of Journalism and Public Relations without permission from their advisor.
• Earn a grade of “C” or better in all journalism courses that count toward the 39-42 required hours in the journalism major and maintain a 2.5 grade point average in journalism courses. All journalism/mass communication courses must be taken for a grade. A student is allowed to repeat a journalism/mass communication course only once if a grade of “D” or lower is received.
• Complete a minor of at least 20 semester hours in a field other than journalism/mass communication/telecommunications or complete an internal program minor of 20 hours that clusters courses in two or more fields other than journalism/mass communication. Twelve of the 20 hours required for a minor must be in 3000- or 4000-level courses. Minors are declared in consultation with the student’s advisor. All courses in the minor must be taken for a letter grade (not “S/U”). A maximum of one course may be counted in both the minor and college group requirements.
• Earn an overall grade point average of 2.25 in order to graduate.
• To remain in the Bachelor of Science in Journalism program, students must maintain a 2.5 grade point average in all Journalism courses and earn a grade of “C” or better in every journalism course that counts towards the required hours in the degree. An overall GPA of 2.25 must be maintained for graduation. If transferring into the BGS journalism program, students must have a 2.5 grade point average in both journalism and overall coursework if JOUR 2000 transfer credit is approved. The normal requirements for entry into JOUR 2000 apply if a student does not receive transfer credit for JOUR 2000. No more than 12 semester hours of coursework in journalism will be accepted for transfer from junior colleges. No more than 15 semester hours of coursework in journalism will be accepted for transfer from an ACEJMC accredited journalism program. 

Note: Resources may limit class enrollment in upper-division journalism courses, beginning with JOUR 2000. Total hours earned, declared sequence, and grade point average determine which journalism students are given preference. Students not majoring in journalism may find it difficult to gain admittance into some upper-division journalism courses, including JOUR 2000. Although it may limit their admission to other journalism skills courses, non-majors may wish to consider enrolling in JOUR 2010, Journalism Techniques for Non-majors.

Prerequisites for JOUR 2500:

• JOUR 2000 with at least a C
• Overall grade point average of 2.7
• At least 30 credits

Non-journalism electives
After completing the required BG Perspective and required College courses, required journalism courses, and a required minor, most students will have some semester hours remaining to complete the 122 semester hours required for graduation. Students must use these hours as general electives, and are encouraged to select them carefully, in consultation with their journalism advisor. General electives should be chosen with the goal of enhancing the student’s overall education.