Dec 16, 2024  
2020-2021 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2020-2021 Undergraduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Journalism, B.A.


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The journalism major prepares students for leadership roles in rapidly changing media by requiring a strong core of journalism courses within the rich context of a liberal arts education. Courses are designed to foster analytical and critical thinking skills and to teach students to communicate effectively with a mass audience.

Founded in 1914, the journalism program has full national accreditation by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. Alumni include Pulitzer Prize winners, Nieman fellows and nationally known journalists.

Journalism majors learn about media law, ethics and history, and about the media’s role in an increasingly diverse society. The program emphasizes hands-on learning. Students select either a print/multimedia or broadcast/multimedia emphasis in their professional skills courses. Majors choosing a print/multimedia emphasis have the opportunity to write for a daily newspaper. Students who select the broadcast/multimedia gain on-air experience at the university radio station and report, anchor, videotape and produce a newscast aired on a local cable channel.

Graduates are prepared for jobs as reporters and editors for print, broadcast and online media, and for positions as assignment editors, producers, managing editors, publishers and new media entrepreneurs. Courses are also offered for students interested in specialized careers such as sports reporting, business writing, arts criticism or graphic design.

All majors are encouraged to supplement their course work with media experience at the Kentucky Kernel, the independent daily student newspaper; the Kentuckian, the student yearbook; WUKY, the university’s public radio station, or WRFL, the student-run radio station. All students are required to participate in the school’s internship program.

Degree Requirements


Each student completes the following:

College B.A. Requirements


Language:


Complete one of the following sequences:

Option A:


Successful completion of the fourth college semester of one foreign language. (Note: This may be accomplished by scoring at this level on a placement test for previous work in the foreign language.)

Option B:


Complete a set of two courses dealing with the nature and structure of language, language behavior, or comparativelanguages. This set shall be comprised of one course from Group I below, and one course from Group II. (Courses counted as meeting this option may not be counted in the major or field of concentration.)

Major Requirements


Students must complete the departmental requirements for one of the five majors (communication, information communication technology, integrated strategic communication, journalism, or media arts and studies).

Subtotal: College B.A. Hours: 9-17


UK Core Requirements


See the UK Core section of this Bulletin for the complete UK Core requirements . The courses listed below are (a) recommended by the college, or (b) required courses that also fulfill UK Core areas. Students should work closely with their advisor to complete the UK Core requirements.

I. Intellectual Inquiry in Arts and Creativity


II. Intellectual Inquiry in the Humanities


III. Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences


Preferred:

IV. Intellectual Inquiry in the Natural, Physical, and Mathematical Sciences


V. Composition and Communication I


VI. Composition and Communication II


VII. Quantitative Foundations


IX. Community, Culture and Citizenship in the USA


Preferred:

X. Global Dynamics


UK Core hours: 30-36


Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement (GCCR)


Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement hours (GCCR): 3


Premajor Requirements


Subtotal: Premajor hours: 9


Advanced Reporting Course


Choose one of the following courses:

Conceptual Course


Choose one of the following courses:

Major Core hours: 24


PATHS


One of the following paths:

Print/Multimedia Path


Print/Multimedia Path hours: 15

Broadcast/Multimedia Path


Broadcast/Multimedia Path hours: 15

Subtotal: Major hours: 39


Required Minor


Students must complete a minor from the University of Kentucky.

Portfolio


Portfolio required for graduation.

TOTAL HOURS: minimum of 120


Note:


Of a student’s total course work for a bachelor’s degree, 72 of the 120 hours required for graduation must be in courses other than professional media-based communications.

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