The courses enable students to develop their storytelling talent - in words, visuals, or data - and prepare them for careers in all kinds of media professions, including as reporters, writers, photographers, editors, designers, multimedia storytellers, broadcast journalists, and more. The flexible curriculum allows students to work in all kinds of traditional and new media platforms. Excellent writing skills are essential. Graduates of the program work with major journalism and media companies, as well as other industries, and have won prolific honors, including the Pulitzer Prize.

Sports and Media

The Sports and Media specialization in Journalism teaches students to be skilled in multiples areas of sports media and communications. Students will learn strategies and skills in reporting, writing, video, audio, social media, and more. Students will engage in critical thinking about current issues and trends in today’s sports media—and have multiple opportunities to gain practical and immersive experience in media properties inside and outside of the College of Journalism and Communications.

The Sports and Media specialization is not available for Innovation Academy.

Required Core Coursework | 20 Credits

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
JOU 2100	Broadcast Writing Bootcamp	1
JOU 3015	Principles of Journalism 1	3
JOU 3101	Reporting 1	3
JOU 3110	Applied Fact Finding 1	3
JOU 3220C	Visual Journalism 1	3
JOU 3346L	Multimedia Reporting 1	3
MMC 2450	Data Literacy for Communicators 1	1
MMC 2604	Media, Cultures, and Identity 1	3
or JOU 4714	Race, Sports and Media
Total Credits		20

¹

Minimum grades of C are required in all sports and media courses. 

Sports and Media Core Coursework | 18 Credits

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
JOU 4313C	Sports Reporting 1	3
or RTV 3593	Multimedia Sports Reporting
MMC 3210	Sports Media Law and Ethics 1	3
MMC 3703	Sports Media and Society 1	3
PUR 3463	Sports Communication 1	3
RTV 3502C	Fundamentals of Sports Production 1	3
RTV 4959C	Sports Capstone 1	3
Total Credits		18

¹

Minimum grades of C are required in all sports and media courses. 

Professional Electives | 14 Credits

Any other course taken in the College of Journalism and Communications at the 3000 level or above (JOU, RTV, PUR, ADV)

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for entry to each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.

Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

Semester 1

• Complete 1 of 8 critical tracking courses: MMC 2450, ENC 1102, MMC 3703, STA 2023, ECO 2013, RTV 3502C, JOU 4313C or RTV 3593, RTV 4959C
• 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions

Semester 2

• Complete 1 critical-tracking course
• 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions

Semester 3

• Complete 1 critical-tracking course
• 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions

Semester 4

• Complete 1 critical-tracking course
• 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions

Semester 5

• Complete 1 critical-tracking course
• 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions

Semester 6

• Complete 1 critical-tracking course
• 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions

Semester 7

• Complete 1 critical-tracking course
• 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions

Semester 8

• Complete 1 critical-tracking course
• 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.

This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.

Plan of Study Grid

Semester One		Credits
Quest 1 (Gen Ed Humanities)		3
AMH 2020	United States Since 1877 (State Core Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences)	3
ENC 1101	Expository and Argumentative Writing (State Core Gen Ed Composition) 1	3
MMC 2450	Data Literacy for Communicators (Critical Tracking) 1	1
Select one:		3
THE 2000	Theatre Appreciation (State Core Gen Ed Humanities with Diversity)
ARH 2000	Art Appreciation: American Diversity and Global Arts (State Core Gen Ed Humanities with Diversity)
State Core Gen Ed Mathematics 1		3
	Credits	16
Semester Two
ENC 1102	Argument and Persuasion (Critical Tracking) 1	3
JOU 2100	Broadcast Writing Bootcamp 1	1
JOU 3015	Principles of Journalism 1	3
JOU 3220C	Visual Journalism 1	3
MUL 2010	Experiencing Music (Gen Ed Humanities with International)	3
State Core Gen Ed Biological or Physical Sciences 1		3
	Credits	16
Semester Three
Quest 2 (Gen Ed Biological or Physical Sciences) 1		3
Select one:		3
CPO 2001	Comparative Politics
INR 2001	Introduction to International Relations
POS 2112	American State and Local Government (preferred; Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences)
JOU 3101	Reporting 1	3
Select one:		3
SPC 2608	Introduction to Public Speaking 1
ORI 2000	Oral Performance of Literature 1 1
STA 2023	Introduction to Statistics 1 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Mathematics) 1	3
Select one:		3
Foreign language 1
Quantitative option
	Credits	18
Semester Four
ECO 2013	Principles of Macroeconomics (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences)	4
JOU 3110	Applied Fact Finding 1	3
POS 2041	American Federal Government (Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences)	3
Professional electives 1		3
Select one:		3
Foreign language 1
Quantitative option
	Credits	16
Semester Five
JOU 3346L	Multimedia Reporting 1	3
MMC 3703	Sports Media and Society (Critical Tracking) 1	3
Outside concentration		3
Professional electives 1		4
	Credits	13
Semester Six
MMC 3210	Sports Media Law and Ethics	3
JOU 4313C or RTV 3593	Sports Reporting (Critical Tracking) 1 or Multimedia Sports Reporting	3
MMC 2604 or JOU 4714	Media, Cultures, and Identity 1 or Race, Sports and Media	3
Professional elective 1		3
	Credits	12
Semester Seven
PUR 3463	Sports Communication 1	3
RTV 3502C	Fundamentals of Sports Production (Critical Tracking) 1	3
Elective (outside college)		3
English elective (Writing Requirement: 6,000 words) 1		3
Outside concentration 1		3
	Credits	15
Semester Eight
RTV 4959C	Sports Capstone (Critical Tracking) 1	3
Professional electives		4
Electives (outside college)		4
Outside concentration		3
	Credits	14
	Total Credits	120

¹

Minimum grade of C required. 

For semesters 7-8, students must complete two professional courses.

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Professional Electives | 14 Credits

Any other course taken in the College of Journalism and Communications at or above the 3000 level (JOU, RTV, PUR, ADV). Minimum grades of C required.

Up to six credits of professional internship credit may count toward graduation.

---

The Journalism curriculum provides a foundation in reporting, writing, numeracy, the use of public records, First Amendment/media law, history of media, and storytelling in a variety of platforms. Specialized coursework is offered in a variety of subjects, and the curriculum is designed to allow flexibility for faculty to develop curriculum in evolving areas (such is the case for the robust development of courses in data journalism and coding, both areas that did not exist several years ago).

Skills developed are applicable to traditional platforms of Journalism, as well as new, hybrid, or non-traditional forms of media. Learning outcomes prepare students for the challenges of culturally diverse and technologically changing marketplaces.

Specializations

Journalism

Students learn base skills required for journalism- and journalism-related careers. Students gain a foundation in reporting, writing, public records, and more, and they all develop a two-course specialization in their area of interest (such as photojournalism, coding, data journalism, specialized reporting, magazine writing, and more). Students come together after these two-course specializations to work in small teams in a common capstone that emphasizes advanced project work.

Sports and Media

While still having roots in traditional journalism, this curriculum has an emphasis on sports-related coursework across the college’s departments. Students are prepared for a variety of careers in sports media. Students are required to do an internship in this curriculum, which can serve as a capstone experience.

Before Graduating Students Must

• Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Students in the Major Will Learn to

Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs

Content

1. Apply basic numerical and statistical concepts used by journalists.

Critical Thinking

2. Conduct research and evaluation information that is accessible through advanced database and public records.
3. Demonstrate reporting skills that reflect a diverse and pluralistic society.
4. Understand and apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press.

Communication

5. Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the journalism and communications professions and audiences.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Academic Learning Compact 5

Courses	SLO 1	SLO 2	SLO 3	SLO 4	SLO 5
MMC 2604		I	I	I
MMC 2121					I
MMC 2450	I
VIC 3001			R
JOU 3101	R	R	R	R	R
JOU 3110		A
JOU 3346	A	R	A		A
JOU 4950	R	R	R	R	R
MMC 4200				A

Assessment Types

• Exams
• Story Evaluation