Dec 30, 2024

2011-2012 Undergraduate Catalog

2011-2012 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Journalism, BA

Admission to Journalism Major

All students entering UNT and wishing to pursue the bachelor of arts degree with a major in journalism enter as pre-majors. Before applying for journalism major status, pre-majors must complete at least 45 hours of college course work including the following:

Complete the following plus one other specified pre-major course with a 2.5 GPA or better;
The journalism math requirement for all concentrations,
- MATH 1680 - Elementary Probability and Statistics
  
  or
- MATH 1681 - Elementary Probability and Statistics with Algebra Review
The university English composition requirement with a grade of C or better; and
Successful completion of the Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation (GSP) exam.

Pre-majors who have completed the above requirements and who have a cumulative UNT GPA of at least 2.5 may file a formal application for major status. Approved majors may enroll in those advanced courses designated “journalism majors/minors only.”

Admission for Transfer Students

Students transferring to UNT from other colleges and universities may fulfill many of these requirements through transfer course work. Transfer students must pass the Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation (GSP) exam, administered by the University Writing Lab, during their first term/semester at UNT.

Admission for Post-baccalaureate Students

Students who have already completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university may be admitted to the journalism major prior to completion of the pre-major requirements provided their overall GPA in all college work attempted is at least 2.5. Post-baccalaureate majors must still abide by all course prerequisites and sequence restrictions.

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:

A minimum of 37 semester hours and a maximum of 40 semester hours in journalism in either strategic communications or news. Check catalog for prerequisites before enrolling in any advanced course.

Strategic Communications:

A minimum of 37 hours and maximum of 40 hours in journalism consisting of the following:

12 hours of pre-major courses:

3 to 6 hours of writing courses selected from:

3 hours of critical thinking courses selected from:

3 hours of measurement/metrics courses selected from:

3 hours of campaigns courses selected from:

3 hours of professional application courses selected from:

3 hours of capstone course:

JOUR 4470 - Ethics, Law and Diversity in Strategic Communications

7 additional hours selected from the following groups:

Writing/reporting/editing, critical thinking, measurement/metrics or professional application.

News:

A minimum of 37 hours and maximum of 40 hours in journalism consisting of the following:

12 hours of pre-major courses:

3 hours of writing/reporting/editing courses consisting of:

JOUR 4410 - Reporting of Public Affairs

plus 6 hours selected from:

6 hours of visual journalism selected from:

3 hours of critical thinking courses selected from:

1 hour of professional application courses selected from:

3 hours of capstone course

JOUR 4620 - Mass Communication Law

3-6 additional hours selected from:

Writing/reporting/editing, visual journalism, critical thinking or professional application.

Other course requirements:

Strategic Communications

MKTG 3010 - Professional Selling
MKTG 3650 - Foundations of Marketing Practice
MKTG 4120 - Buyer Behavior
plus 9 hours of upper-level marketing and/or management classes approved by strategic communications

an 18-hour minor in a field other than marketing/management

News

Must complete two upper-level political science courses, which may be applied to a minor in social sciences or other 18-hour minor

Minor:

An 18-hour minor. See “Other course requirements” for possible options.

Electives:

Options available within major requirements.

Other Requirements:

Students majoring in journalism are required to maintain a 2.5 cumulative UNT GPA to graduate. Those who fall below the 2.5 cumulative UNT GPA requirement will not be allowed to register for any journalism courses until the GPA is raised. See advisor for exemptions to this policy for incoming transfer students only.

A grade of C or higher is required for all journalism courses to be applied toward the major/minor degree requirements.
No more than 12 semester hours of journalism credit will be accepted from a transfer student who is entering as a first-term/semester junior. For students transferring with 75 semester hours of credit or more, a maximum of 18 transfer journalism hours will be accepted for credit toward the bachelor’s degree.
At least 65 hours must be completed in liberal arts. See advisor for approved areas. No journalism hours may count towards this requirement. Some liberal arts courses will also meet university requirements.
Students must pass the Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation (GSP) exam to be permitted to enroll in the following:

Students who transfer credit for JOUR 2310 must take the Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation (GSP) exam during their first term/semester at UNT.

All journalism majors are required to take the following, which meets university requirements; see advisor for exemptions to this policy for transfer students only.
- MATH 1680 - Elementary Probability and Statistics
  
  or
- MATH 1681 - Elementary Probability and Statistics with Algebra Review

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 department. Working with an advisor, students select 37 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.