Degree requirements

Hours required and general/college requirements

A minimum of 120 semester hours, of which 42 must be advanced, and fulfillment of degree requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree as specified in the “General University Requirements ” in the Academics section of this catalog and the Mayborn School of Journalism  requirements.

Major requirements

46 semester hours in journalism in either strategic communications or news. Students may take no more than 48 hours in journalism. Check catalog for prerequisites before enrolling in any advanced course.

Journalism foundation requirements

The following requirements are prerequisites for all advanced journalism courses:

1. Complete the following with a 2.0 cumulative UNT GPA:

• JOUR 1210 - Mass Communication and Society 
• JOUR 2300 - Principles of News 
• JOUR 2310 - Introduction to Media Writing 

2. The journalism math requirement for all concentrations:

• MATH 1680 - Elementary Probability and Statistics 

or

• MATH 1681 - Elementary Probability and Statistics with Algebra Review 

3. The university English composition requirement with a grade of C or better.
4. Students must pass the grammar, spelling and punctuation (GSP) exam to be permitted to enroll in JOUR 2310. Students who transfer credit for JOUR 2310 must take the grammar, spelling and punctuation (GSP) exam during their first term/semester at UNT.

News concentration

46 semester hours in journalism.

Other course requirements

None.

Minor

An 18-hour minor outside the Mayborn School of Journalism.

Electives

Hours required for electives may vary based on course selection and the University Core Curriculum requirements. Electives may be required to satisfy the advanced hour requirement and/or the minimum total hours required for the degree. For specific information, see an academic advisor in the Mayborn School of Journalism.

Other requirements

Students majoring in journalism are required to maintain a 2.0 cumulative UNT GPA to enroll in journalism courses and have a 2.5 journalism GPA in order to graduate.

1. A grade of C or higher is required for all journalism courses to be applied toward the major/minor degree requirements.
2. No more than 12 semester hours of journalism credit will be accepted from a transfer student who is entering with fewer than 75 semester credit hours. For students transferring with 75 or more semester credit hours, a maximum of 18 transfer journalism hours will be accepted for credit toward the bachelor’s degree.
3. A minimum of 72 semester credit hours must be completed outside of journalism. These 72 semester credit hours may not include RTVF.

Broadcast and multimedia news

Students interested in careers in broadcast and multimedia — such as news reporters, writers, producers, photojournalists (video and stills), and editors — enroll in the school’s news concentration. Working with an advisor, students select 46 hours of course work, including broadcast reporting and writing, visual journalism, and online journalism. This course work also includes the skills and concepts of writing, reporting and producing visual content for the web. Students learn to cover a news “beat,” shoot video and stills, and edit using non-linear editing systems. Students also learn to appear on camera, to do live reporting and anchoring and to produce content for on air and online, including newscasts and webcasts.

Students also work as news reporters, writers, photojournalists, web site designers and editors for the North Texas Daily, NTDaily.com, NTDaily TV, and other area media.

Students receive hands-on experience from faculty with extensive professional experience in broadcast and online news. They also can complete internships at television, radio and web organizations in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, the nation’s fifth largest media market, and in other news organizations in the area and across the state.