The Journalism B.A. provides students with the skills and knowledge leading to careers in electronic and digital news media. It is a specialized admission degree program, which means a separate application must be submitted directly to the Nicholson School of Communication and Media in order to be considered for admission. Students choose from two focus areas/tracks:
- Digital News. For students who wish to work as writers, reporters, editors and photographers for the news media, primarily websites, newspapers and magazines.
- Electronic News. For students who desire to work in broadcast news as reporters, photographers, news producers, anchors or broadcast sports journalists.
Degree Requirements
- Students who change degree programs (other than from Journalism Pending) and select this major must adopt the most current catalog.
- The Journalism faculty strongly recommend that majors work for a student news outlet.
- Journalism majors may obtain off-campus internships with news organizations.
- To receive credit for an internship, students must have a 2.5 GPA in their required major courses. Students with less than a 2.5 GPA will not be given academic internship credit.
- Students can enroll in a maximum of three hours of internship credit. However, the internships must be with different employers. Each internship must be approved by and supervised by a Journalism faculty advisor.
- A portfolio of representative work must be submitted to a faculty committee at least one semester before graduation for approval. If the portfolio does not pass on first submission, students may resubmit for approval the semester they intend to graduate. At least 75% of the work must be produced while at UCF.
- Internship credits transferred from another institution cannot be used in this major without prior approval.
- The School residency requirement consists of at least 24 semester hours of regularly scheduled 3000-4000 level courses taken from the UCF Nicholson School of Communication and Media.
- The Journalism program follows the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. Students who violate the code (plagiarizing, cheating or fabricating, for example) may be removed from the program.
- All prerequisites of courses taught within the College of Sciences will be enforced.
- Courses designated in 1 (General Education Program) and 2 (Common Program Prerequisites) are usually completed in the first 60 hours.
- Students must complete Capstone (JOU4950 or RTV4681C) with a "C" or better.
- Students should consult with their Academic Success Coach (ASC).
Degree Requirements
Core Requirements: Basic Level
15 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- These courses may be completed before acceptance into the program.
- Must earn at least a "C" (2.0) in these courses in order to enroll in subsequent courses.
- Common Program Prerequisites are met by courses specifically identified in the GEP. SPC1603C or SPC1608 As well as the following:
- Note: Grammar Proficiency must be satisfied before enrolling in JOU 2100C.
- Complete the following:
- JOU2100 - News Writing (3)
- JOU3004 - History of American Journalism (3)
- JOU3015 - Principles of Journalism (3)
- MMC2004 - Mass Media (3)
- MMC3200 - Mass Communication Law (3)
Restricted Electives
21 - 22 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- These courses can only be completed after acceptance into the program.
- Students may not use track specific courses as Group A electives; students must use a different course if they have already taken one listed as a requirement in their track.
- All prerequisites of courses will be enforced.
- Courses taken from Group A and Group B must total 9 hours.
- Complete 1 of the following
Electronic News: Select the following: - Complete all of the following
- Note: Must earn at least a "C" (2.0) in these courses in order to enroll in RTV 4681 Television News
- Complete the following:
- RTV3301 - Electronic Journalism I (3)
- RTV3304 - Electronic Journalism II (3)
- RTV3321C - Electronic News Gathering (4)
Digital News: Select the following:- Complete all of the following
- Note: Must earn at least a "C" (2.0) in these courses in order to enroll in JOU 4950 Senior Capstone in Journalism
- Complete the following:
- JOU3101C - News Reporting (3)
- JOU4342C - Multimedia Journalism (3)
- JOU3201 - Editing I (3)
Group A: - Complete all of the following
- Internships must be approved in advance by the Journalism Area Coordinator
- Students may NOT use track-specific courses (above) as Group A electives; students must use a different course if they have already taken one listed as a requirement in their track.
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following:
- JOU3101C - News Reporting (3)
- JOU3184C - Beat Reporting (3)
- JOU3201 - Editing I (3)
- JOU3202 - Editing II (3)
- JOU3313C - Sports Reporting (3)
- JOU3320 - News Producing (3)
- JOU3510 - Magazine Publishing (3)
- JOU3951 - Hispanic Journalism (3)
- JOU4181 - Public Affairs Reporting (3)
- JOU4300 - Feature Writing (3)
- JOU4308 - Freelance Writing (3)
- JOU4340C - Online Journalism I (3)
- JOU4342C - Multimedia Journalism (3)
- JOU4447 - Magazine Editing and Production (3)
- JOU4941 - Internship (1 - 99)
- PGY3610C - Photojournalism I (3)
- RTV3301 - Electronic Journalism I (3)
- RTV3304 - Electronic Journalism II (3)
- RTV3321C - Electronic News Gathering (4)
- RTV3601C - Broadcast Announcing and Performance (3)
- RTV4591C - Webcasting I (3)
- RTV4681C - Television News (0 - 4)
- JOU4941 may be taken for a maximum of 3 hours.
Group B:- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following:
- JOU3301 - Journalism Readings (3)
- JOU4700 - Journalism Ethics (3)
- MMC3420 - Mass Media Research Methods (3)
- MMC3630 - Social Media as Mass Communication (3)
- MMC4300 - International Media (3)
- MMC4303 - Hispanics in Media in the US (3)
- MMC4602 - Contemporary Media Issues (3)
- RTV3007 - Development and Structure of Electronic Media and New Technology (3)
- RTV3511 - Production Fundamentals and Aesthetics of Electronic Media (3)
- RTV4403 - Electronic Media, Technology, and Society (3)
- RTV4503 - Sports Programming in Electronic Media (3)
- RTV4505 - Program Issues for TV & Motion Pictures (3)
- RTV4700 - Media Policy and Regulations (3)
- RTV4800 - Broadcast Management (3)
- Additional restricted electives can be taken as approved by an ASC in consultation with the Journalism faculty advisor.
Capstone Requirements
4 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Electronic News:- Complete the following:
- RTV4681C - Television News (0 - 4)
Digital News:- Complete the following:
- JOU4950 - Senior Capstone in Journalism (4)
Grand Total Credits: 40 - 41
Electives
- To fulfill the 120 hours of this degree, select primarily from upper level courses, with approval from an Academic Success Coach (ASC) in consultation with Journalism Program Coordinator.
Foreign Language Requirement
Graduation
- Proficiency equivalent to two semesters of college instruction in a foreign language (taught by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures or Judaic Studies) or in American Sign Language (ASL). Standardized examinations for foreign languages may be used. ASL proficiency is met by successful completion of ASL 2140 and ASL 2150 or an appropriate score on the ASL proficiency exam. Contact the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (https://healthprofessions.ucf.edu/csd/) regarding the ASL proficiency examination. Consult with the NSCM advising staff to understand how choosing ASL impacts hours needed to graduate.
Required Minors
- Journalism majors must complete an 18 hour minor in an academic area outside of their major.
- The following minor are prohibited: Strategic Communication, Mass Media, Journalism Studies, and Magazine Journalism.
- When no official minor is offered, students may complete an 18-credit-hour area of concentration approved by the Program Coordinator. (A maximum of 3 credits can be shared with major coursework.)
Departmental Exit Requirements
- Acceptance of portfolio by faculty.
- To avoid delaying graduation, you must request a review of requirements before registering for your last term.
- Students must achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all UCF Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM) courses taken in the major.
- All attempts of UCF NSCM courses that could meet major requirements are included in the major GPA calculation, including those taken beyond the minimum required (e.g. additional restricted electives).
University Minimum Exit Requirements
- A 2.0 UCF GPA
- 42 semester hours of upper division credit completed
- 30 of the last 39 hours of course work must be completed in residency at UCF.
- A maximum of 45 hours of extension, correspondence, CLEP, Credit by Exam, and Armed Forces credits permitted.
- Complete the General Education Program, the State Writing and Math Requirement, and nine hours of Summer credit.
Total Undergraduate Credit Hours Required: 120
Honors Undergraduate Thesis
- Application and admissions through The Burnett Honors College and department. More information about Honors Undergraduate Thesis can be found at honors.ucf.edu/research
Advising Notes
- It is the student's responsibility to ensure that course prerequisites have been satisfied before registering for a class.
- Students are urged to contact their Academic Success Coach (ASC) before registering for courses.
Transfer Notes
- Lower division courses do not substitute for upper division courses.
- Courses transferred from private and out-of-state schools must be evaluated for equivalency credit. The student must provide all supporting information.
Program Academic Learning Compacts
- Program Academic Learning Compacts (student learning outcomes) for undergraduate programs are located at: http://www.oeas.ucf.edu/alc/academiclearningcompacts.html
Equipment Fees
- Part-Time Student: $45 per term
- Full-Time Student: $90 per term
