JOUR - Journalism (JOUR)

JOUR 102 American Mass Media

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. (COMM 1307) American Mass Media. Introductory survey of mass communication media, their history and social role, to provide an understanding of the development and importance of mass communication media in modern society.

JOUR 200 Mass Media Information

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Strategies and procedures in identifying, gathering, analyzing and organizing information for the mass media; sources and methods; evaluation and validation of evidence; legal and ethical considerations. Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in JOUR 102; freshman or sophomore classification; enrollment in the USLA-BA-JNS concentration or JOUR minor; or approval of program director.

JOUR 203 Media Writing I

Credits 3. 2 Lecture Hours. 3 Lab Hours. (COMM 2311) Media Writing I. Basic journalistic techniques common to all media; integration of news gathering, writing and editing; ethics. Limited to minors in journalism, or with approval of program director. Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in JOUR 102 and JOUR 200; enrollment in the USLA-BA-JNS concentration or JOUR minor; or approval of program director.

JOUR 215/COMM 215 Interviewing: Principles and Practice

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Theory and practice of methods in selected interview settings; emphasis on communication between two persons, questioning techniques, and the logical and psychological bases of interpersonal persuasion. Cross Listing: COMM 215/JOUR 215.

JOUR 230/COMM 230 Communication Technology Skills

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Introduction to interactive media and media literacy skills in the digital domain; survey of technology histories, standards, and markets for industries such as multichannel TV, digital radio, video games, steaming media, epublishing, teleconferencing, and social networking. Prerequisites: Enrollment in communication or telecommunication media studies majors, USLA-BA-JNS concentration, or JOUR minor. Cross Listing: COMM 230/JOUR 230.

JOUR 250/COMM 250 New Media and the Independent Voice

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Examination of new media as independent voices for cultural and political movements; principles governing the design, presentation, and evaluation of blogs as a persuasive medium in society. Cross Listing: COMM 250/JOUR 250.

JOUR 275/COMM 275 Introduction to Social Media

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Theoretical and practical approaches to social media; overview of social media, social media concepts and theories; social media applications and contexts. Cross Listing: COMM 275/JOUR 275.

JOUR 285 Directed Studies

Credits 0 to 3. 0 to 3 Other Hours. Research problems related to communication field. Individual work, fitted to special needs of specific student as determined by his or her interests and aptitude. Prerequisites: Enrollment in USLA-BA-JNS concentration or JOUR minor; approval of the program director.

JOUR 289 Special Topics in...

Credits 3. 3 Other Hours. Selected topics in an identified area of journalism and mass communication. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Enrollment in USLA-BA-JNS concentration or JOUR minor.

JOUR 291 Research

Credits 0 to 3. 0 to 3 Other Hours. Research conducted under the direction of a chosen faculty member in Journalism Studies. May be taken for a maximum of 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Freshman or sophomore classification and approval of instructor.

JOUR 301/COMM 307 Communication Law and Policy

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Law and policy that create the context and consequences for communication via mass media, social media, organizational, group and interpersonal communication, free speech, free press, libel, privacy, copyright, cybersecurity, constitutional principles, international law and human rights, fairness, equity and diversity in communication. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification, or approval of instructor; COMM-307 also taught at Galveston campus. Cross Listing: COMM 307/JOUR 301.

JOUR 302 The Mass Media and Politics

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Examination of mass media impact on politics and political behavior, and governmental impact on the mass media. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head; junior or senior classification. Cross Listing: COMM 302 and POLS 302.

JOUR 303 Media Writing II

Credits 3. 2 Lecture Hours. 3 Lab Hours. Interpretative news gathering and writing for various media; basic communication law and ethics; assigned practice on campus or other publications. Prerequisites: JOUR 203, enrollment in journalism minor or USLA-BA-JNS concentration; or approval of program director.

JOUR 304 Editing for the Mass Media

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Principles and practice of editing including: improving and tightening text; writing headlines, titles and subheads; self-editing and editing others; tailoring texts for specific audiences; understanding style guides. Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in JOUR 203; enrollment in journalism minor or USLA-BA-JNS concentration; or approval of program director; junior or senior classification.

JOUR 305/COMM 303 Communication Data Applications

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Overview of communication using big data; data management, extraction and visualization; message construction, message critique; uses and applications in the field of communication and media for evidence-based arguments, persuasion, education and digital storytelling. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification. Cross Listing: COMM 303/JOUR 305.

JOUR 306/COMM 304 Digital Communication Analytics and Metrics

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. . Digital communication analytics; extraction of information and knowledge from digital communication data; application of data-analytics to social media marketing, demographic analyses of web users, optimization and connection of results across digital tactics; applications of special interest to fields of strategic communication, public relations, advertising, integrated marketing communication, social media strategy and journalism. Prerequisite: Grade of B or better in COMM 275/JOUR 275, COMM 323, or JOUR 200; junior or senior classification. Cross Listing: COMM 304/JOUR 306.

JOUR 317/COMM 317 Social Media Law

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Laws and regulations applied to social media, including communication law applied to enduring issues in the social media context; legal problems unique to social media; free speech, commercial speech and employment law as they affect individual users of social media as well as groups and organizations promoting points of view or products via social media, and employers. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor. Cross Listing: COMM 317/JOUR 317.

JOUR 318 Visual Journalism

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Critical evaluation of visual communication approaches as applied to journalism across mediums; assessment of strengths, and limitations of visual journalism through process of advancing technology and aesthetics in journalism and documentary projects. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification; or approval of instructor.

JOUR 341 Mobile Journalism

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Multimedia journalism; photography, audio and video as used in journalism; reporting stories; adaptation of storytelling across media platforms; real-time mobile publishing. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor.

JOUR 345 Media Industries

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Survey of the business organization, economic structures and processes, and regulations of the media industry. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor. Cross Listing: COMM 345 and FILM 345.

JOUR 346/COMM 346 Media, Culture and Identity

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Media representations relating to power, privilege and difference; communication theories and concepts centered on how media and technology-use shape, and are shaped by, identity; critical analysis of media as sites for negotiation and construction of identities such as gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, social class, physical/mental ability, nationality and religion; reflection on and analysis of bias, prejudice, discrimination, power, equity and privilege. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor. Cross Listing: COMM 346/JOUR 346.

JOUR 359 Reporting Sports

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Gathering, organizing, researching, evaluating and writing sports information; employing accepted professional sports writing style across various news media platforms. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification.

JOUR 365/COMM 365 International Communication

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Mass media, international, and cross-cultural audiences, theoretical, pragmatic, political and ethical issues; including cultural differences, comparative media systems, development, communication, patterns of world news flow, political propaganda, impact of international advertising and other issues. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification; COMM-365 also taught at Galveston and Qatar campuses. Cross Listing: COMM 365/JOUR 365.

JOUR 450 Political Reporting

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Interviewing; reporting; and writing various types of political stories and commentary; exploration of ethical principles and issues in political reporting including role of free press in a democracy. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor.

JOUR 451 Arts & Entertainment Journalism

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Arts & Entertainment Journalism. Journalistic coverage of arts and entertainment issues and events; examination of reviews and feature stories; feature writing and criticism; extensive workshop experience; emphasis on the value of research, self-editing and revision. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor.

JOUR 455 Literary Nonfiction

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Explores the art of writing literary nonfiction, a major trend in 21st century journalism; examines several forms of literary nonfiction, including personal essay, memoir, historical biography and modern narrative: to be written in each form; provides extensive workshop experience; emphasizes the value of critiques, self-editing and revision. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor.

JOUR 458/COMM 458 Global Media

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Study of globalization through media ownership; content, flow, cultural values, political power and technological impact; implications of globalization for local economies and audiences. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor. Cross Listing: COMM 458/JOUR 458.

JOUR 468 Magazine Feature Writing

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Focus on the ability to communicate through a variety of styles including traditional long-form magazine writing and profiles; critical analysis and adaptation of writing skills for the latest trends in magazine, including audio and multimedia storytelling and the advent of purely digital magazines. Prerequisites: JOUR 203; junior or senior classification, or approval of instructor; major in university studies-journalism or minor in journalism.

JOUR 484 Internship

Credits 0 to 3. 0 to 3 Other Hours. Directed internship in a private firm or public agency to provide on-the-job experience appropriate to the student's degree program and career objectives. To be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Maximum of 3 credits may apply toward degree. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification; enrollment in USLA-BA-JNS concentration or JOUR minor; approval of instructor; grade of C or better in JOUR 203.

JOUR 485 Directed Studies

Credits 0 to 4. 0 to 4 Other Hours. Research problems related to communication field. Individual work, fitted to special needs of specific student as determined by his or her interests and aptitude. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification; enrollment in USLA-BA-JNS concentration or JOUR minor; approval of instructor.

JOUR 489 Special Topics in...

Credits 1 to 4. 1 to 4 Other Hours. Selected topics in an identified area of journalism and mass communication. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification; enrollment in USLA-BA-JNS concentration or JOUR minor; or approval of instructor.

JOUR 490 Journalism as a Profession

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Exit-level course for interdisciplinary minor in Journalism; requires students to produce publication-quality projects; includes seminars in contemporary news media issues and practices. Prerequisite: JOUR 203; junior or senior classification; enrollment in USLA-BA-JNS concentration or JOUR minor; and approval of instructor.

JOUR 491 Research

Credits 0 to 3. 0 to 3 Other Hours. Research conducted under the direction of a chosen faculty member in Journalism Studies. May be taken for a maximum of 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in JOUR 203; junior or senior classification and approval of instructor.