Journalism
Major Requirements
Major: Journalism
Degree Type: B.A. or B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 122
University Degree Requirements
- Satisfactory completion of all requirements of the curriculum in which one is enrolled.
- Earn a minimum total of 120 credits in approved coursework. Some academic programs exceed this minimum.
- Satisfactory completion of the general education requirements as specified by the university.
- A minimum institutional GPA of 2.00 based on work taken at NDSU.
- At least 30 credits must be NDSU resident credits. Resident credits include credits registered and paid for at NDSU.
- At least 36 credits presented for graduation must be in courses numbered 300 or higher.
- Students presenting transfer credit must meet the NDSU residence credits and the minimum upper level credit. Of the 30 credits earned in residence, a minimum of 15 semester credits must be in courses numbered 300 or above, and 15 semester credits must be in the student’s curricula for their declared major.
For complete information, please refer to the Degree and Graduation Requirements section of this Bulletin.
University General Education Requirements
A list of university approved general education courses and administrative policies are available here.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Category C: Communication | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Category R: Quantitative Reasoning † | 3 | |
| Category S: Science and Technology † | 10 | |
| Category A: Humanities and Fine Arts † | 6 | |
| Category B: Social and Behavioral Sciences † | 6 | |
| Category W: Wellness † | 2 | |
| Category D: Cultural Diversity *† | ||
| Category G: Global Perspectives *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
- *
Courses for category D & G are satisfied by completing D & G designated courses in another general education category.
- †
General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review major requirements to determine if specific courses can also satisfy these general education categories.
Major requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Communication Requirements | ||
| Students must complete the following 18 credits of coursework to be admitted to the major. | ||
| ENGL 120 | College Composition II | 3 |
| COMM 110 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| COMM 112 | Understanding Media and Social Change | 3 |
| COMM 114 | Human Communication | 3 |
| COMM 212 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| COMM 220 | Persuasion | 3 |
| Journalism Major Requirements | ||
| COMM 101 | Majors and Careers in Communication | 1 |
| COMM 200 | Introduction to Media Writing | 3 |
| COMM 310 | Advanced Media Writing | 3 |
| COMM 320 | Communication Research Methods | 3 |
| COMM 431 | Communication Ethics and Law | 3 |
| COMM 465 | Convergence Media | 3 |
| COMM 496 | Field Experience | 3 |
| Select one from the following for upper division writing requirement: | 3 | |
| Business and Professional Writing | ||
| Writing in the Technical Professions | ||
| Writing and the Creative Process | ||
| Writing in the Sciences | ||
| Writing in the Health Professions | ||
| Writing in the Design Professions | ||
| Visual Culture and Language | ||
| Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences | ||
| Researching and Writing Grants and Proposal | ||
| Electives | ||
| Complete 21 credits of courses with COMM prefix. Electives can include COMM classes, independent studies, and credit for work with student media organizations. Electives should be selected in consultation with an advisor to correspond with career interests. Up to 3 additional credits of COMM 496 can be counted toward major electives. | 21 | |
| Total Credits | 61 | |
Minor Requirements
Minor: Journalism
Required Credits: 21
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 112 | Understanding Media and Social Change | 3 |
| COMM 200 | Introduction to Media Writing | 3 |
| COMM 245 | Introduction to Video Production | 3 |
| or COMM 310 | Advanced Media Writing | |
| Professional Specialization Electives: | 12 | |
| Introduction to Video Production | ||
| Advanced Media Writing | ||
| Multimedia Editing | ||
| Photography for the Media | ||
| Television On-Air Performance | ||
| Principles of Design For Media | ||
| History of Journalism | ||
| Advanced Video Production | ||
| Convergence Media | ||
| Total Credits | 21 | |
Minor Requirements and Notes
- A minimum of 9 credits must be taken at NDSU.