At the time this catalog went to press, the Department of Journalism and the Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism had received approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to separate from the College of Arts and Sciences and to form a school of journalism. The transition is expected to be complete by fall 2009. Contact either the department or the institute for additional information.
Main Departmental Office
General Academic Building, Room 102
1155 Union Circle #311460
Denton, TX 76203-1460
940-565-2205
Fax: 940-565-2370
Web site: www.jour.unt.edu
Professors Busby, Wells. Associate Professors Albright, Broyles, Getschow, Goplerud, Lambiase, Land, Mueller, Zavoina. Assistant Professors An, Everbach, Foote, Fuse.
Journalism concentrations prepare students to work in the fields of reporting, editing, design and photography on newspapers; reporting and editing news for radio and television stations; staff and freelance writing for magazines; advertising in agencies, profit and nonprofit organizations, and media; public relations in agencies, and profit and nonprofit organizations; teaching in secondary schools; and desktop publishing.
Programs also are designed to educate students broadly; to develop their abilities to analyze, evaluate and inform; and to consider the ethical implications of mass communication and its impact in today's world.
Some journalism concentrations require completion of course work as beat reporters on The North Texas Daily, the campus newspaper. Students in the broadcast news concentration take one course in broadcast newswriting and have the opportunity to work at KNTU, the campus radio station, and in the campus television studio and web casts on the NT Daily web site. Students in the advertising concentration must complete one course of reporting and one of advanced advertising copywriting.
Internships provide additional experience in mass media, advertising and public relations agencies, and corporate offices and media sales in the Dallas-Fort Worth region and elsewhere in the state and nation.
The department offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the following areas:
Concentrations at the undergraduate level under the major in journalism are available in advertising, newswriting-editorial, photojournalism and public relations.
Teacher certification also is available in journalism.
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:
1. JOUR 1210, 2310 and two other courses, based on concentration requirements, with a 2.5 GPA or better;
2. the journalism math requirement for all concentrations, MATH 1680; and
3. the university English composition requirement with a grade of C or better.
Pre-majors who have completed the above requirements and who have a 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.”
Students transferring to UNT from other colleges and universities may fulfill many of these requirements through transfer course work. Transfer students need to apply for journalism major status upon admission and must pass the grammar/spelling/punctuation test, administered by the University Writing Lab, during their first term/semester at UNT.
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
1. 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 College of Arts and Sciences requirements.
2. Major Requirements: At least 33 semester hours in journalism in one of the following concentrations, plus a passing grade on the Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation (GSP) exam before enrolling in JOUR 2310 (or a passing grade on the GSP exam during the first term/semester as a transfer student):
a. JOUR 1210, 2010, 2200 and 2310 (pre-major courses to be completed with a minimum 2.5 GPA before applying for major status); JOUR 3020, 3040, 3200, 4050, 4060, 4070, and at least 6 hours but no more than 9 hours from JOUR 2420, 4012, 4020, 4051, 4052, 4055, 4220, 4230, 4250, 4800, and 4900.
b. Students must take at least 18 hours in the College of Business Administration, including MKTG 3010, 3650 and 4120; plus 9 hours approved by the advertising faculty advisor, from the following: MKTG 3660, 4280, 4520, 4600, 4620, 4650; MGMT 3720, 3820, 3850, 3860, 3870, 4200; or BLAW 3430.
a. JOUR 1210, 2310, 2320 and 2700 (pre-major courses to be completed with a minimum 2.5 GPA before applying for major status); JOUR 3310, 3320, 4410, 4510 and 4620; and two courses from JOUR 2200, 4210, 4250, 4310, 4321, 4800, 4820 and 4850.
b. Also required are 6 hours of upper-level credit from PSCI.
c. Juniors should confer with an advisor about possible newspaper internships.
a. JOUR 1210, 2310, 2320 and 2700 (pre-major courses to be completed with a minimum 2.5 GPA before applying for major status); JOUR 3320, 3700, 4620, 4700, 4720 and 4750; and one course from JOUR 2010, 2200, 2420, 3310, 4250, 4410, 4800, 4820 and 4850.
b. Also required are 6 hours of upper-level credit from PSCI.
a. JOUR 1210, 2310, 2320 and 2420 (pre-major courses to be completed with a minimum 2.5 GPA before applying for major status); JOUR 2200, 3200, 3310, 4450, 4460 and 4470; and at least 3 hours but no more than 6 hours approved by public relations faculty advisor from JOUR 2010, 3320, 3410, 4220, 4230, 4250, 4310, 4800, 4820 or 4850.
b. Students must take MKTG 3650 and MGMT 3870.
3. Other Course Requirements: Listed with major courses.
4. Minor: Minor required for newswriting-editorial, photo-journalism and public relations concentrations; advertising requires additional business courses per degree requirements.
5. Electives: See four-year plan.
6. Other Requirements:
Students majoring in journalism are required to maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA to graduate.
a. A grade of C or higher is required for all journalism courses to be applied toward the degree requirements.
b. 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.
c. No more than 38 hours of journalism or radio/television/film courses may be included in the major or count toward the 120-hour degree. Because JOUR 1210, Mass Communication and Society, may be used to fulfill a requirement in the University Core Curriculum, it is not counted in the 38-hour limit.
d. Students must pass grammar/spelling/punctuation test to be permitted to enroll in JOUR 2310; students who transfer credit for JOUR 2310 must take the grammar/spelling/punctuation test during their first term/semester at UNT.
e. All journalism majors are required to take MATH 1680, which meets both university core and college core requirements; see advisor for exemptions to this policy for transfer students only.
The following four-year plan is one example of a variety of ways in which you can complete your chosen degree in four years, and will serve as guide for you to design your pathway to degree completion. Variations will depend on whether you need to take prerequisites or have college credit from exams or dual enrollment.
The College of Arts and Sciences expects you to have completed the State recommended high school program and be ready to enroll for Language 2040 or a mathematics course above college algebra. If you are not prepared for this level, the necessary prerequisites will either replace electives or increase the hours required for the degree.
Course | Hours |
---|---|
ENGL 1310, College Writing I, or ENGL 1313, Computer Assisted College Writing I* | 3 |
JOUR 1210, Mass Communication and Society | 3 |
JOUR 2010, Principles of Advertising | 3 |
LANG 2040, Foreign Language (intermediate, may be used to satisfy a portion of the Understanding the Human Community requirement)** | 3 |
MATH 1680, Elementary Probability and Statistics** | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
ENGL 1320, College Writing II, or ENGL 1323, Computer Assisted College Writing II* | 3 |
JOUR 2200, Computer Applications for Journalists | 3 |
LANG 2050, Foreign Language (intermediate, may be used to satisfy a portion of the Understanding the Human Community requirement)** | 3 |
Natural Sciences** | 3 |
Visual and Performing Arts* | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 2310, Introduction to Media Writing | 4 |
PSCI 1040, American Government* | 3 |
Elective | 3 |
Humanities* | 3 |
Physical Science** | 3 |
Total | 16 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 3020, Advertising Concepts | 3 |
JOUR 3200, Mass Communication Research Methods | 3 |
PSCI 1050, American Government* | 3 |
Laboratory Science** | 3 |
Total | 12 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
HIST 2610, United States History to 1865* | 3 |
JOUR 3040, Advertising Media and Marketing Strategy | 3 |
JOUR 4050, Advertising Copywriting | 3 |
MKTG 3010, Professional Selling | 3 |
MKTG 3650, Foundations of Marketing Practice | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
HIST 2620, United States History Since 1865* | 3 |
MKTG 4120, Buyer Behavior | 3 |
JOUR Elective (advanced, see major requirements) | 3 |
JOUR Elective (see major requirements) | 3 |
Elective | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 4060, Integrated Communications | 4 |
Business Concentration (advanced) | 3 |
Business Concentration (advanced) | 3 |
Elective | 3 |
Social and Behavioral Sciences* | 3 |
Total | 16 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 4070, Advertising Campaigns | 3 |
Business Concentration (advanced) | 3 |
Elective (advanced) | 2 |
Elective | 3 |
Elective | 3 |
Elective | 3 |
Total | 16 |
*See the University Core Curriculum section of this catalog for approved list of course options.
** See Arts and Sciences degree requirements section of this catalog for approved list of course options.
Actual degree audits may vary depending on availability of courses in a given semester.
Some courses may require prerequisites not listed.
Students may wish to use opportunities for electives to complete a minor of their choice.
The following four-year plan is one example of a variety of ways in which you can complete your chosen degree in four years, and will serve as guide for you to design your pathway to degree completion. Variations will depend on whether you need to take prerequisites or have college credit from exams or dual enrollment.
The College of Arts and Sciences expects you to have completed the State recommended high school program and be ready to enroll for Language 2040 or a mathematics course above college algebra. If you are not prepared for this level, the necessary prerequisites will either replace electives or increase the hours required for the degree.
Course | Hours |
---|---|
ENGL 1310, College Writing I, or ENGL 1313, Computer Assisted College Writing I* | 3 |
JOUR 1210, Mass Communication and Society | 3 |
LANG 2040, Foreign Language (intermediate, may be used to satisfy a portion of the Understanding the Human Community requirement)** | 3 |
MATH 1680, Elementary Probability and Statistics** | 3 |
PSCI 1040, American Government* | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
ENGL 1320, College Writing II, or ENGL 1323, Computer Assisted College Writing II* | 3 |
LANG 2050, Foreign Language (intermediate, may be used to satisfy a portion of the Understanding the Human Community requirement)** | 3 |
PSCI 1050, American Government* | 3 |
Laboratory Science ** | 3 |
Social and Behavioral Sciences* | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
HIST 2610, United States History to 1865* | 3 |
JOUR 2310, Introduction to Media Writing | 4 |
JOUR 2700, Beginning Photojournalism | 3 |
Humanities* | 3 |
Natural Sciences** | 3 |
Total | 16 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
HIST 2620, United States History Since 1865* | 3 |
JOUR 2320, Newspaper Reporting and Writing | 4 |
Physical Science** | 3 |
Visual and Performing Arts* | 3 |
Minor | 3 |
Total | 16 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 3310, Feature Writing | 3 |
JOUR 3320, News Editing and Design | 4 |
JOUR 4410, Reporting of Public Affairs | 4 |
Minor | 3 |
Total | 14 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 4620, Mass Communication Law | 3 |
PSCI (advanced, see major requirements) | 3 |
Elective (advanced) | 3 |
Minor | 3 |
Minor | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR Elective (see major requirements) | 3 |
JOUR Elective (advanced, see major requirements) | 3 |
PSCI (advanced, see major requirements) | 3 |
Elective | 4 |
Minor (advanced) | 3 |
Total | 16 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 4070, Advertising Campaigns | 3 |
JOUR 4510, Newspaper Management, Problems and Ethics | 3 |
Elective (advanced) | 2 |
Elective (advanced) | 3 |
Minor (advanced) | 3 |
Total | 13 |
*See the University Core Curriculum section of this catalog for approved list of course options.
** See Arts and Sciences degree requirements section of this catalog for approved list of course options.
Actual degree audits may vary depending on availability of courses in a given semester.
Some courses may require prerequisites not listed.
Students may wish to use opportunities for electives to complete a minor of their choice.
The following four-year plan is one example of a variety of ways in which you can complete your chosen degree in four years, and will serve as guide for you to design your pathway to degree completion. Variations will depend on whether you need to take prerequisites or have college credit from exams or dual enrollment.
The College of Arts and Sciences expects you to have completed the State recommended high school program and be ready to enroll for Language 2040 or a mathematics course above college algebra. If you are not prepared for this level, the necessary prerequisites will either replace electives or increase the hours required for the degree.
Course | Hours |
---|---|
ENGL 1310, College Writing I or ENGL 1313, Computer Assisted College Writing I* | 3 |
JOUR 1210, Mass Communication and Society | 3 |
LANG 2040, Foreign Language (intermediate, may be used to satisfy a portion of the Understanding the Human Community requirement)** | 3 |
MATH 1680, Elementary Probability and Statistics** | 3 |
PSCI 1040, American Government* | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
ENGL 1320, College Writing II, or ENGL 1323, Computer Assisted College Writing II* | 3 |
JOUR 2700, Beginning Photojournalism | 3 |
LANG 2050, Foreign Language (intermediate, may be used to satisfy a portion of the Understanding the Human Community requirement)** | 3 |
PSCI 1050, American Government* | 3 |
Social and Behavioral Sciences* | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
HIST 2610, United States History to 1865* | 3 |
JOUR 2310, Introduction to Media Writing | 4 |
Humanities* | 3 |
Physical Science** | 3 |
Visual and Performing Arts* | 3 |
Total | 16 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
HIST 2620, United States History Since 1865* | 3 |
JOUR 2320, Newspaper Reporting and Writing | 4 |
Minor | 3 |
Natural Sciences** | 3 |
Total | 13 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 3320, News Editing and Design | 4 |
JOUR 3700, Photojournalism | 3 |
Elective (advanced) | 3 |
Elective (advanced) | 2 |
Minor | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR Elective | 3 |
PSCI (advanced, see major requirements) | 3 |
Laboratory Science** | 3 |
Minor | 3 |
Minor (advanced) | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 4700, Portfolio | 3 |
JOUR 4720, Photojournalism and the Web | 3 |
PSCI (advanced, see major requirements) | 3 |
Minor (advanced) | 3 |
Minor | 3 |
Total | 13 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 4620, Mass Communication Law | 3 |
JOUR 4750, Picture Editing | 3 |
Elective | 4 |
Elective (advanced) | 3 |
Elective (advanced) | 3 |
Total | 13 |
*See the University Core Curriculum section of this catalog for approved list of course options.
** See Arts and Sciences degree requirements section of this catalog for approved list of course options.
Actual degree audits may vary depending on availability of courses in a given semester.
Some courses may require prerequisites not listed.
Students may wish to use opportunities for electives to complete a minor of their choice.
The following four-year plan is one example of a variety of ways in which you can complete your chosen degree in four years, and will serve as guide for you to design your pathway to degree completion. Variations will depend on whether you need to take prerequisites or have college credit from exams or dual enrollment.
The College of Arts and Sciences expects you to have completed the State recommended high school program and be ready to enroll for Language 2040 or a mathematics course above college algebra. If you are not prepared for this level, the necessary prerequisites will either replace electives or increase the hours required for the degree.
Course | Hours |
---|---|
ENGL 1310, College Writing I, or ENGL 1313, Computer Assisted College Writing I* | 3 |
JOUR 1210, Mass Communication and Society | 3 |
LANG 2040, Foreign Language (intermediate, may be used to satisfy a portion of the Understanding the Human Community requirement)** | 3 |
MATH 1680, Elementary Probability and Statistics | 3 |
PSCI 1040, American Government* | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
ENGL 1320, College Writing II, or ENGL 1323, Computer Assisted College Writing II* | 3 |
LANG 2050, Foreign Language (intermediate, may be used to satisfy a portion of the Understanding the Human Community requirement)** | 3 |
PSCI 1050, American Government* | 3 |
Physical Science** | 3 |
Social and Behavioral Sciences* | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
HIST 2610, United States History to 1865* | 3 |
JOUR 2310, Introduction to Media Writing | 4 |
JOUR 2420, Principles of Public Relations | 3 |
Humanities* | 3 |
Natural Sciences** | 3 |
Total | 16 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
HIST 2620, United States History Since 1865* | 3 |
JOUR 2320, Newspaper Reporting and Writing | 4 |
Elective | 1 |
Minor | 3 |
Visual and Performing Arts* | 3 |
Total | 14 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 2200, Computer Applications for Journalists | 3 |
JOUR 3200, Mass Communication Research Methods | 3 |
JOUR 3310, Feature Writing | 3 |
MKTG 3650, Foundations of Marketing Practice | 2 |
Laboratory Science** | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 4450, Case Studies in Public Relations | 4 |
MGMT 3870, Management Research Methods | 3 |
Elective (advanced) | 3 |
Minor | 3 |
Minor | 3 |
Total | 16 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 4460, Public Relations Communication | 3 |
JOUR Elective (see major requirements) | 3 |
Elective (advanced) | 3 |
Elective (advanced) | 2 |
Minor (advanced) | 3 |
Total | 14 |
Course | Hours |
---|---|
JOUR 4470, Ethics, Law and Diversity in Public Relations | 3 |
Elective (advanced) | 3 |
Elective (advanced) | 3 |
Minor | 3 |
Minor (advanced) | 3 |
Total | 15 |
*See the University Core Curriculum section of this catalog for approved list of course options.
** See Arts and Sciences degree requirements section of this catalog for approved list of course options.
Actual degree audits may vary depending on availability of courses in a given semester.
Some courses may require prerequisites not listed.
Students may wish to use opportunities for electives to complete a minor of their choice.
Electronic news is a major shared between the Department of Journalism and the Department of Radio, Television and Film. To qualify, students must successfully complete the GSP (Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation) exam and must complete at least 45 hours of college courses before applying for major status (see “Admission to the Major” in the RTVF section of this catalog). Pre-major courses must be completed with a minimum 2.75 GPA before applying for major status. Students must have and maintain a minimum 2.75 GPA in all university courses to complete this major. Required courses: JOUR 1210 or RTVF 1310; RTVF 2210 and JOUR 2310 (pre-major courses to be completed with a minimum 2.75 GPA before applying for major status); JOUR 2340, 3325, 3340, 3430; RTVF 3560 and 4455; plus 9 hours from JOUR 4210, 4250; RTVF 2850, 3330, 3482, 3501, 3502, 4130, 4320, 4430, 4445, 4450, 4480, 4850.
*The full description of this major, along with a suggested four-year plan, is published in the Department of Radio, Television and Film section of this catalog.
A minor requires a minimum of 18 hours including 6 advanced hours; students must present their degree audits from their majors, showing their minor selection as journalism, to gain admittance to any upper-level journalism course. Transfer students who minor in journalism must complete a minimum of 6 advanced hours at UNT; courses must be approved by a journalism advisor. Approved minor course sequences follow.
The general journalism minor requires a minimum of 19 hours. A core consisting of JOUR 1210 and 2310 must be completed before taking upper-level classes. An additional 12 hours, including 6 advanced hours, should be chosen from the following list: JOUR 2010, 2200, 2320, 2340, 2420, 2700, 3020, 3310, 3320, 3325, 3430, 4055, 4210, 4250, 4310, 4321, 4360, 4370, 4380, 4410, 4620, 4720 or 4820.
The minor in advertising requires JOUR 2010 and 3020, with at least 12 additional hours at the upper level. Choices for a creative track include: JOUR 4020, 4050, 4051, 4052, 4055, 4070, 4800 and 4900. Choices for a management track include: JOUR 3040, 3200, 4012, 4020, 4060, 4070, 4800, 4900.
The minor in newswriting-editorial requires JOUR 2310, 2320, 3310, 3320 and 4410; and one class from JOUR 1210, 4510, 4620, 4820 and 4850.
The minor in photojournalism requires JOUR 2310, 2320, 2700, 3320 and 3700; plus one of the following courses: JOUR 4700, 4720 or 4750.
The minor in public relations requires JOUR 2310, 2320, 2420, 3200 and 4450; plus one of the following courses: JOUR 2200, 3310, 3410, 4460 or 4470.
This interdepartmental certificate program is open to students majoring in RTVF, journalism or electronic news. Interested students must apply and be admitted into the restricted television news producing certificate program. Students must complete 15 hours in RTVF and journalism (JOUR 2340, 3325; RTVF 1310, 2210 and 4850) plus one 3 hour elective course (from RTVF 4320, 4430; JOUR 3340 or 3430) for a total of 18 credit hours. Both departments recommend an internship in a professional news operation (radio, television, web, etc.) to supplement the program, although the internship is not required for completion of the certificate.
The College of Arts and Sciences encourages students to explore teaching at the secondary level as a career option. The student's academic advisor in the Dean's Office for Undergraduates and Student Advising in GAB, Room 220, can assist students with specific requirements for teacher certification in Journalism. Upon completion of this program, students will be prepared to sit for the certification examinations in Journalism.
Requirements: Newswriting-editorial required courses (JOUR 1210, 2310, 2320, 2700, 3310, 3320, 4410, 4510, 4620); and JOUR 2200, 4100 and 4850. See major for additional course work and GPA requirements.
Students must also complete the required 21 hours in upper-level education courses (EDSE 3800, 3830, 4060, 4070, 4108, 4118, 4840) and meet all GPA requirements to apply for state certification. In order to enroll for the first required education course, the student must make application to the certification program in the College of Education in Matthews Hall, Room 105.
All state certification requirements and information on required examinations is available on the web site of the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), www.sbec.state.tx.us.
The department offers degree programs leading to the Master of Arts and Master of Journalism. For information, consult the Graduate Catalog and confer with the journalism graduate studies director.
The award-winning North Texas Daily, UNT's student newspaper, provides practical experience for students in all sequences of the Department of Journalism. The Student Publications Committee selects the editor each term/semester, and staff jobs are open to any UNT student. The Daily is published four days a week in the fall and spring terms/semesters and once a week in the summer. The Daily has been providing news and entertainment to UNT students since 1948. For more information, contact the Daily's advisor at 940-565-2205, or visit the Daily's web site at www.ntdaily.com.
All Courses of Instruction are located in one section at the back of this catalog.
The “Course and Subject Guide,” found in the Courses of Instruction section of this book, serves as a table of contents and provides quick access to subject areas and prefixes.
Date of initial release: July 1, 2008 — Copyright © 2008 University of North Texas
Page updated:
October 31, 2008
— Comments or corrections: catalog@unt.edu
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