This is an archived copy of the 2020-2021 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.ufl.edu.
About this Program
- College: Journalism and Communications
- Degree: Bachelor of Science in Journalism
- Credits for Degree: 124
- Contact: 1.855.99GATOR
- More Info
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.
Department Information
Graduates of the Department of Journalism work in traditional forms of media, emerging platforms, and in corporate roles. Ultimately, the department offers transferrable skills that creates outstanding leaders with successful achievements across all fields.
Website
CONTACT
Email | 352.392.0466
2070 WEIMER HALL
GAINESVILLE FL 32611
Map
Curriculum
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.
In this curriculum, core courses offer students foundational skills and professional electives and capstones allow students to develop strengths and specialization in one or more areas, such as data, coding, photojournalism, specialized reporting, audio storytelling, TV reporting and producing, design, newsroom skills, narrative nonfiction, and more.
Equipment Requirement
All students who major in journalism are required to own a Mac laptop computer with the appropriate software, a digital audio recorder and a digital camera.
More Info
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 | 10 Credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MMC 2121 | Writing Fundamentals for Communicators 1 | 3 |
| JOU 3101 | Reporting 1 | 3 |
| VIC 3001 | Sight, Sound and Motion 1 | 4 |
| Total Credits | 10 | |
| 1 | Minimum grades of C are required in all sports and media courses. |
Sports and Media Core Coursework | 12 Credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MMC 3210 | Sports Media Law and Ethics 1 | 3 |
| or MMC 4200 | Law of Mass Communication | |
| MMC 3703 | Sports Media and Society 1 | 3 |
| PUR 3463 | Sports Communication 1 | 3 |
| JOU 4930 | Special Study in Journalism 1 | 3 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
| 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
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 3502, JOU 4313 or RTV 3593, RTV 4959
- 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.
| Semester One | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Theatre Appreciation (State Core Gen Ed Humanities with Diversity) | ||
| Art Appreciation: American Diversity and Global Arts (State Core Gen Ed Humanities with Diversity) | ||
| Quest 1 (Gen Ed Humanities) | 3 | |
| State Core Gen Ed Mathematics 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Semester Two | ||
| ENC 1102 | Argument and Persuasion (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 |
| MMC 2121 | Writing Fundamentals for Communicators 1 | 3 |
| MUL 2010 | Experiencing Music (Gen Ed Humanities with International) | 3 |
| VIC 3001 | Sight, Sound and Motion 1 | 4 |
| State Core Gen Ed Biological or Physical Sciences 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Semester Three | ||
| Select one: | 3 | |
| Comparative Politics | ||
| Introduction to International Relations | ||
| American State and Local Government (preferred; Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences) | ||
| JOU 3101 | Reporting 1 | 3 |
| Select one: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Public Speaking 1 | ||
| Oral Performance of Literature 1 1 | ||
| STA 2023 | Introduction to Statistics 1 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Mathematics) 1 | 3 |
| Gen Ed Biological or Physical Sciences 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 (Critical Tracking) | 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 (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 |
| MMC 3703 | Sports Media and Society 1 | 3 |
| Outside concentration | 3 | |
| Professional electives 1 | 5 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Semester Six | ||
| MMC 3210 or MMC 4200 | Sports Media Law and Ethics or Law of Mass Communication | 3 |
| PUR 3463 | Sports Communication (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 |
| Outside concentration | 3 | |
| Professional electives 1 | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester Seven | ||
| JOU 4313C or RTV 3593 | Sports Reporting 1 or Multimedia Sports Reporting | 3 |
| RTV 3502C | Introduction to 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 | ||
| JOU 4930 | Special Study in Journalism | 3 |
| RTV 4959C | Sports Capstone (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 |
| Electives (outside college) | 5 | |
| Outside concentration | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 124 | |
| 1 | Minimum grade of C required. |
For semesters 7-8, students must complete two professional courses.
Professional Electives | 14 Credits
Minimum grade of C required in these courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| JOU 3110 | Applied Fact Finding | 3 |
| JOU 3184 | Beat Reporting | 3 |
| JOU 3212 | Magazine Design | 3 |
| JOU 3213 | Design | 3 |
| JOU 3305 | Data Journalism | 3 |
| JOU 3601 | Photographic Journalism | 3 |
| JOU 3920 | Professional Practice | 1 |
| JOU 4004 | History of Journalism | 3 |
| JOU 4301 | Literary Journalism | 3 |
| JOU 4308 | Magazine and Feature Writing | 3 |
| JOU 4342 | Reporting and Writing for Online Media | 3 |
| JOU 4510 | Magazine Management and Publication | 3 |
| JOU 4603 | Specialized Journalistic Photography | 3 |
| JOU 4604 | Advanced Photographic Journalism 1 | 3 |
| JOU 4905 | Individual Problems in Journalism | 1-3 |
| JOU 4930 | Special Study in Journalism | 1-3 |
| JOU 4940 | Journalism Internship | 1-3 |
| MMC 3030 | Personal Branding for Communicators | 1 |
| MMC 3260 | Communications on the Internet | 3 |
| MMC 3614 | Media and Politics | 3 |
| MMC 4302 | World Communication Systems | 3 |
| MMC 4341L | Advanced Online Media Production | 3 |
| PGY 3610 | Survey of Photojournalism | 2 |
| RTV 3405 | Media and Society | 3 |
| RTV 3411 | Race, Gender, Class and the Media | 3 |
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.
The department has two 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
- Apply basic numerical and statistical concepts used by journalists.
Critical Thinking
- Conduct research and evaluation information that is accessible through advanced database and public records.
- Demonstrate reporting skills that reflect a diverse and pluralistic society.
- Understand and apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press.
Communication
- 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
| 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