2000-2001 Undergraduate Catalog
Indiana, Pennsylvania 15705

Journalism

Department of Journalism
College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Credit designation below title is expressed in (c) class hours per week, (l) lab or (d) discussion section hours per week, and (sh) semester hours of credit per semester.

JRNL 105 Journalism and the Mass Media
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: ENGL 101
A critical examination of roles-goals of newspapers, magazines, radio, and television as they affect American society socially, politically, and economically.

JRNL 120 Journalistic Writing
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: ENGL 101 , nonmajors/minors
Emphasis will be on intelligent use of writing ability in a journalistic style and understanding of the why of journalism and mass media. Practices and improves writing skills for all news media, print and broadcast.

JRNL 220 Writing for the Print Media
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisites: JRNL 102 (C or better), majors only
A course in journalistic style intended for students who plan to become professional writers. Teaches the basic journalistic formats and strategies used in print media such as the summary lead, the delayed lead, and the conventional news-story format. Throughout emphasizes economy, clarity, and the development of voice for a given medium.

JRNL 243 History of the American Press
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisites: JRNL 120 or 220
Traces the development of the American press from its Colonial roots. Emphasis will be on the role of the press in political and social development.

JRNL 250 Women and the Press
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisites: ENGL 101, sophomore standing
Explores the role of women in American journalism. Includes study of lives/careers of women journalists and their specific contributions to the profession. Emphasis will be on evolution of equal opportunity for women and other minorities in the American Press. Attention to the changing definition of news as influenced by the inclusion of women and minorities in editorial roles.

JRNL 281 Special Topics
var-1-3sh
Prerequisite: As appropriate to course content
Special topics are offered on an experimental or temporary basis to explore topics that are not included in the established curriculum. A given topic may be offered under any special topic identity no more than three times. Special topics numbered 281 are offered primarily for lower-level undergraduate students.

JRNL 321 Feature Writing
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisites: JRNL 102, 220
Designed for the student who might work in journalism or who might wish to write on a part-time or free-lance basis.

JRNL 326 Public Relations I
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisites: JRNL 102, 120 or 220
Introduces students to the principles, practices, programs, and possibilities in the various areas of public relations.

JRNL 327 Layout Design and Production
2c-3l-3sh
Prerequisite: JRNL 105
Provides basic techniques and theories of layout design and production, including typography, copyfitting, photo/art cropping and scaling, and steps in design process. Includes traditional paste-up and desktop publishing in the design of ads, newspapers, newsletters, brochures, and magazines.

JRNL 328 News Reporting
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisites: JRNL 102, 105, 220, majors only
Includes instruction in writing the news story, preparing copy, interviewing, covering special events, and similar reporting activities.

JRNL 337 Editing
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisites: JRNL 102, 220
Stresses basic practices such as copyediting and headline writing while also focusing on guidelines for improving accuracy, clarity, transition, spelling, and punctuation of copy. Students use wire service stylebook extensively.

JRNL 344 Issues and Problems
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisites: JRNL 102, JRNL 120, or JRNL 220
Students examine critical case histories of ethical and professional situations and circumstances in the mass communication industry in a lecture and discussion format.

JRNL 345 Sports Journalism
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: JRNL 220
Emphasizes skills for covering, writing, and editing of sports and introduces students to specific practices in newspaper, radio-TV, and sports information work.

JRNL 347 Journalism Law
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisites: JRNL 328, junior/senior standing
Open to nonmajors by permission of the instructor. A survey of the major Supreme Court and state court rulings governing the mass media, especially the news media. Areas include libel, antitrust, free press/fair trial, privacy. Approach is nontechnical.

JRNL 348 The Editorial Page
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: Junior/senior standing
Emphasis will be on the writing of vigorous but thoughtful and fair editorials. Study of contemporary practice and policy on letters to the editor, columnists, cartoons, the op-ed page.

JRNL 375 World News Coverage
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
Deals with international news events and analysis of international new coverage in sources from around the world. Emphasis placed on analyzing comparative coverage of events in different sources. Students study not only current international news but also how it is reported. The goal of the course is fostering a critical attitude toward news.

JRNL 393 Document Design I
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: Junior/senior standing
Teaches students advanced principles of document design and gives them the opportunity to apply techniques of rhetorical/stylistic analysis, general problem solving, and holistic information display to a wide variety of writing formats used in business, industry, and government news.

JRNL 423 Management in Mass Communications
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisites: JRNL 493 or field experience
Attention given to the process of advancement to management positions in the advertising, journalism, and public relations industries.

JRNL 427 Publications
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisites: JRNL 327 or instructor permission
Provides advanced techniques and theories of publications design, including the legibility principles of typography, the psychological impact of color and paper, and designing on-line publications, such as newspapers, newsletters, and magazines. Students will also learn principles and concepts of publications management, including coping with deadline pressures and the creative disposition, and the marketing of publications. The class will produce a total publication.

JRNL 430 Public Opinion and the News Media
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: Junior standing
Deals with understanding and measuring public opinion. Emphasis is placed on critically analyzing the historical origins and the dynamics of public opinion in the policymaking process as well as the role of the news media in public opinion. Students then measure people’s thinking on any given issue or issues.

JRNL 446 Research Methods in Journalism
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: JRNL 328 or instructor’s permission
Explores theoretical and practical issues in information gathering, with emphasis on data analysis and computer-assisted reporting for public affairs journalism. Students will apply scientific methods in news reporting and analyze the effects of precision journalism on society.

JRNL 450 Advertising Writing
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: JRNL 220, instructor permission
A basic course in the preparation of advertising copy and continuity for all media. It is a combination of lecture and laboratory course. Enrollment is limited to fifteen upperclass majors per semester.

JRNL 455 High School Journalism
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission
Aimed at equipping students with basic skills in teaching and student media advising at the high school level. Offers a package of skills ranging from basic elements of news, news writing, editing, newspaper layout and design, student publications advising as well as legal and ethical issues in high school journalism. For nonmajors.

JRNL 481 Special Topics
var-1-3sh
Prerequisite: As appropriate to course content
These courses vary from semester to semester, covering a number of journalism specialties. From time to time they are converted to permanent course numbers. Special topics numbered 481 are offered primarily for upper-level undergraduate students.

JRNL 482 Independent Study
var-1-6sh
Prerequisite: Prior approval through adviser, faculty member, department chairperson, dean, and provost's office
Opportunities for independent study that goes beyond the usual classroom activities. Approval is based on academic appropriateness and availability of resources; enrollment is limited to fifteen upperclass majors per semester.

JRNL 490 Public Relations II
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: JRNL 220, JRNL 326
A public relations writing class that includes assignments such as releases, features, newsletters, reports, biographies, rewrites, hometown stories, copyediting, interviewing, research, and special projects.

JRNL 491 Presentation Making
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: JRNL 220, JRNL 326
Gives the student practice in writing and making oral presentations based on public relations cases and problems. Familiarizes the student with problem-solving and small-group communication skills necessary for those working in the area of public affairs.

JRNL 492 Problem-solving in PR
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: JRNL 328
Introduces students to techniques for analyzing and tracking information flow in organizations. Introduces students to creative problem-solving techniques which are standard practice in corporate research groups.

JRNL 493 Internship
var-6-12sh
Prerequisites: JRNL 102, JRNL 105, JRNL 220, JRNL 328, department approval
On-the-job training opportunities in journalism and related areas. Maximum of 6sh may be applied to 30sh minimum of major.

JRNL 494 Document Design II
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: JRNL 328, JRNL 393
Gives students advanced work in preparation of substantial corporate and government documents such as annual reports, lengthy project reports, and research reports, etc. Emphasizes skills in research of public and government documents, data analysis and problem solving, holistic information display, writing, and editing.