Degree Requirements

4 credits

This course surveys the evolution of the American news media. Students examine press freedom, censorship, changing definitions of news and shifting business models underlying journalism. Based on that history, students examine the enduring values and principles of journalism in modern society. (Formerly JO357, cannot be taken for credit if JO357 has been taken.)

4 credits

Pre-requisite: CO 201

This course helps students acquire fundamental newsgathering and writing skills journalists need to work in a variety of platforms. The focus is on essential practices and principles that apply to reporters, photographers, bloggers, producers and editors. The class emphasizes news judgment, storytelling and reporting skills, as well as writing clearly and quickly. Students contribute to the department-managed news service. (Formerly JO250, cannot be taken for credit of JO250 has been taken.) *Pre-req: COM CO201.

4 credits

This course is designed to provide students with a basic working knowledge of the media required for professional journalism, including photography, sound, video, and editing for production of multimedia packages. No previous experience in visual media is required. Students contribute to the department- managed news service. (Formerly JO303, cannot be taken for credit if JO303 has been taken.)

4 credits

Pre-requisite: JO 200 / JO 250

This course helps students advance their reporting skills covering a beats. Students cover courts, crime, education, local and state politics, and other essentials of community reporting. Students develop their own sources and story ideas with the goal of professional publication. Students contribute to the department-managed news service. (Formerly JO310, cannot be taken for credit if JO310 has been taken.) *Pre-req: COM CO201 and COM JO200/250.

4 credits

This course examines ethical issues and dilemmas facing reporters, photographers, editor and producers, and how to resolve them with professional integrity. Legal topics include the First Amendment, libel, confidential sources, copyright and intellectual property. (For undergraduates only, formerly JO525. Cannot be taken for credit if JO525 has been taken.)

4 credits

This is a studio course where students learn the elements of design. Students design a newsletter and sample pages for a magazine on topics of their own choosing. Students design with required Adobe Creative applications. This course covers the principles of typography, composition, and visual language and encourages creative/innovative ideas. All projects will be portfolio pieces. 4 cr, either sem.

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO210) - The course invites students to refine their reporting and writing skills in projects that will showcase their mastery of the craft. Projects will span a variety of lengths, deadlines, and forms. Prerequisites: COM JO 200, 205 and 210. Four credits, fall and spring semesters.

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO205) - An introductory course for students interested in pursuing a career in photojournalism and visual reporting. Students photograph assignments to the standards of professional news outlets and advance their skills in digital photography for use on websites and in publications. Prerequisites: COM JO 205. Four credits, fall and spring semesters.

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: JO200 and JO205 - Learn how to find, write, shoot, and edit news packages, broadcast on television or the internet. Taught by veteran journalists in a newsroom complete with the latest digital technologies. Four credits, fall and spring semesters. (Prerequisites: COM JO 200 and 205.)

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO200 & COMJO210) - Students learn to research and write lengthy articles of national magazine quality. Students also learn editing skills. Four credits, fall and spring semesters. (Prerequisites: COM JO 200 and COM JO 210.)

2 credits

This is a seminar for students interested in managing the student-run radio station, WTBU. It is open to students who serve on the executive board of WTBU. Students will manage all facets of the radio station including music programing, sportscasting, news reporting, promotions, underwriting, website management, and technical equipment. Students will learn how to accomplish specific goals in improving the professionalism of the station and increasing the audience of WTBU.

Var credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: JO200 and JO205; rising junior status; a 2.0 GPA in COM - Valuable on-the-job practice of journalism skills. Provides student with portfolio of professional work. The student works 150 hours per semester or summer at the internship. Assistance in placement; instructor must approve project. Paper, employer evaluation, and portfolio required at end of semester. Credit variable, every semester.

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO351) - For students who like the teamwork and adrenaline of a real newsroom. Students produce a half-hour LIVE news show on the student radio station, WTBU, during each class. Students report, write, produce and engineer all the news sports and commentary on deadline. Students use social media to report stories and upload content to the Boston University News Service website. Student file stories frequently and programs from NPR, BBC, WBZ, and other radio news outlets will be critiqued. Four credits, fall and spring semesters. (Prerequisite: COM JO 200.)

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO351) and consent of instructor. - Students produce a weekly half-hour newscast, broadcast on cable TV and the Internet, with live coverage and video reports about local, national and international news as well as sports highlights and the weather forecast. Students rotate positions weekly, using a television studio and control booth, collaborating to broadcast a fresh, informative and accurate newscast while facing the daily deadlines of a working newsroom. Four credits, fall semester. (Prerequisites: COM JO 200, 205 and 351.)

Var credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor. - Graduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor. - Students work with faculty on individual research, professional training, or special studies. Variable credits, either sem.

4 credits

How well have the media covered recent U.S. wars? Do the media have political biases? What effect has Fox News had on the mainstream media? In the face of growing competition from the Internet, what is the future of traditional journalism? What impact are changes in the business model having on editorial integrity? Does political satire such as the "Daily Show" elevate or debase the political process? This timely course takes a critical look at the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of the news media, including current controversies. Four credits, either semester.

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO310) - Comprehensive training in writing business and economics stories, using articles in The Wall Street Journal and other publications as examples. Emphasis on developing clear, simple language to describe complex issues. No previous economics or business experience is required. Four credits, either semester. (Undergraduate Prerequisites: COM JO 200 and 210. Graduate Prerequisites: COM JO 721.)

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: COMJO 200; Graduate Prerequisites: COMJO 721. COMJO 502 offers a variety of relevant topics in the field of journalism for undergraduate and graduate students to explore. This course is designed to give students a deeper understanding of a particular topic, allowing them an opportunity to test their skills as a journalist.

4 credits

A rigorous grounding in research and investigative methods from interviews and records searching to computer-assisted reporting and use of the Freedom of Information Act. Four credits, fall and spring semesters. (Undergraduate Prerequisites: COM JO 200. Graduate Prerequisites: COM JO 721.)

4 credits

In this course, students learn how to cover entertainment and the arts and how to write criticism of performances and exhibitions. Students develop critical thinking and writing. Topics include: structuring a review; critical biases; profiling celebrities from a critical perspective; cultural criticism (how to write about entertainment or the arts to make broader points about our culture) and, style - how to get it. Assignments include TV, film, music and theater reviews, screenings and a trip to a Boston theater. Guests include prominent Boston critics. Four credits, fall semester.

4 credits

Students examine the nature of race and gender stereotypes and the forms they take, and the historic context in which they develop and change overtime. The class looks at the structures, practices and culture of the news (and entertainment) media that create or echo and reinforce race and gender stereotypes. Students evaluate and analyze dominant political and ideological positions on race and gender in the U.S. and how they are presented by major media outlets. Four credits, every semester.

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO310) - This is a course in writing with a point of view. It includes instruction in writing op-eds and personal essays, along with other forms of expressive and polemical writing. (Undergraduate Prerequisites: COM JO 210. Graduate Prerequisites: COM JO 721.)

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO200 & COMJO205) - Graduate Prerequisites: (COMJO704 & COMJO721) - Whether you go to work for a print, broadcast or digital only newsroom, or produce content for your own start-up or non-profit, knowing how to properly edit content for multiple platforms is critical. This course is designed to give you hands-on experience with editing for multiple platforms. Examples of typical assignments: Editing a text story for print and web, writing a headline and description for YouTube video, copy editing photo captions for a photo gallery, fact checking social media. Students will put what they've learned to practical use by editing content that will run on the department's award-winning showcase news site for journalism students' work.

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO200 & COMJO210) - Graduate Prerequisites: (COMJO721) - This class provides instruction in covering state government, including legislative process, analyzing data, interviewing, and developing beats. Students learn how to write so that readers understand significant issues. Guest lectures, readings, and exercises explore the dynamics of political and public affairs reporting. Taken in the same semester as JO546 (Statehouse Program) as part of the Boston Statehouse Program. Class is open to journalism majors in all specializations. Four credits, every semester. (Undergraduate Prerequisites: COM JO 200 and JO 210. Graduate Prerequisites: COM JO 721.)

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO312) or consent of instructor. - Graduate Prerequisites: and consent of instructor. - An intensive course designed to give students the skills necessary to produce professional quality work meeting publication standards, with emphasis on storytelling in the visual medium. Weekly assignments require students to produce original picture packages complete with written material and captions. Four credits, fall and spring semesters. (Undergraduate Prerequisites: COM JO 205/303 and JO 312; or consent of instructor. Graduate Prerequisites: JO 706 or consent of instructor.)

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO200) - Graduate Prerequisites: (COMJO721) - A special-topic writing course for students interested in a career in sports journalism. Topics include game stories, features, columns, and profiles, as well as examining sport as a commercial enterprise. Four credits, fall and spring semesters. (Undergraduate Prerequisite: COM JO 200. Graduate Prerequisite: COM JO 721.)

4 credits

It used to be commonly accepted that if you wanted to work in audio journalism, then you were likely looking for a career in radio news. But the nature of audio - and journalism - continues to evolve. Now, legacy media outlets like newspapers have entire audio divisions producing daily and longform podcasts while news radio stations are re-thinking their broadcasts and attracting new audiences via streaming apps. But no matter the platform, there are certain tenets of audio storytelling and production that make for great listening and powerful journalism. This class combines the highest editorial standards of public radio with the best practices of digital audio production. You will learn how to write effectively for radio, incorporating in-depth reporting techniques with creative audio storytelling. The goal of this course is to produce a variety of high-quality audio pieces that could potentially be aired on a public radio program or serve as a launching off point for a longer form project. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Creativity/Innovation.

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO301 OR COMJO512) Or consent of instructor. - In this studio course students will develop ideas to design and publish two magazines. For each magazine students will design a cover, a homepage, and one article, in explanatory format. Students will select a subject of their interest for each magazine such as breaking news, world news, local news, politics, crime, business, tech, science, arts, culture, weather, and sports. They start with print, to hone their visual and compositional skills. All projects will be portfolio pieces containing: two homepages presenting news open;' and' two explanatory articles presenting news graphic for their headlines; in addition to their print counterparts.'Four credits, fall and spring semesters.

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: JO 200 - Graduate Prerequisites: JO 721 - This course teaches the basics of how to find, report, write and present data- driven news stories.' It is an introduction to the collection, analysis, presentation and impact of structured information by journalists.'Students will learn six skills:' identifying and obtaining government data, downloading and importing data, "scraping" data, cleaning and standardizing data, analyzing data, visualizing data and crafting a compelling data-driven story for your audience.' Students will also gain an effective mindset for approaching data, including how to obtain data from government agencies and strategies for overcoming obstacles in getting that data. Four credits, fall and spring semesters. (Undergraduate prerequisite: COM JO 200; Graduate prerequisite: COM JO 721.)

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO205) - This course is an advanced visual journalism class, concentrating on moving images and (a little) audio in a cinema direct documentary film tradition. The course takes students through a range of skills to develop their ability to work to professional standards & complete a narrative documentary show-reel adhering to photojournalistic/cinema direct ethics. You may use this class to create visuals/b-roll for an existing documentary film project you are working on. It will be a showcase piece for your portfolio. Active, experiential and hands-on learning will dominate this course. You are expected to have some experience in video and sound, as well as a basic knowledge of how to edit, though the instructor will assist you to grow your skills. 4 credits. (Undergraduate Prerequisites: COM JO 205. Graduate Prerequisites: COM JO 706; or permission of instructor.)

4 credits

Students explore the issues that writers and broadcasters face as they pursue their careers in sports journalism. Each week, we invite working professionals to join us on campus discussing such topics as ethics, sports and its place in society, reporting, women in sports and how to find that first job. Students are expected to ask thoughtful questions and will be required to write an evaluation each week. A great opportunity to start the networking process. Four credits. (Undergraduate Prerequisite: COM JO 200.)

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO205) - Graduate Prerequisites: (COMJO706) or permission of instructor - New course description: This course explores long-form storytelling through the genres of photojournalism and documentary photography. We investigate advanced technical underpinnings and techniques of digital photography with the goals of enabling students to control their work, experiment and develop a deep understanding. Through lectures, hands-on assignments, and critiques, students expand their understanding of digital photography while exploring their creativity to broaden the possibilities and improve the quality of their photographs. With this lecturer's background in conflict and documentary photography, this course will explore those worlds extensively, with an emphasis on narrative photography, but it does not preclude you from any genre of photography you wish to pursue. The goal of the course is for each student to produce a semester-long body of work, or a photographic essay. The art of editing your own work will be a key learning goal. The course will constantly refer to the advanced use of software tools and color management technique. 4 Credits. (Undergraduate Prerequisites: COM JO 205. Graduate Prerequisites: COM JO 706; or permission of instructor.)

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: JO 351 - Graduate Prerequisites: JO 707 - Students learn advanced professional techniques for an essential skill. From preparing an interview to setting it up and carrying it out, students get detailed instruction and feedback. Please note: prior video production experience is required for this class.

4 credits

This course is an examination of cultural history as seen by our fellow journalists. It rests on the premise that to be a great writer, one must also be a great reader. With readings from Walt Whitman to the present, we examine the tools and techniques that make nonfiction writing memorable. Subjects include Mark Twain, George Orwell, Joan Didion, Ernest Hemingway, Martha Gellhorn, Tom Wolfe, Hunter S. Thompson and the great misanthrope, H.L. Mencken. Four credits, fall and spring semesters.

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - The course will prepare students who are interested in writing nonfiction narratives to plan and conduct archival research, especially at BU's Gotlieb Archival Research Center. Students will learn to navigate the archives, then frame and develop historical narratives of significant contemporary events based on research of primary source materials such as personal letters, diaries, government documents and contemporaneous media reports. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Writing-Intensive Course, Creativity/Innovation.

8 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO250 & COMJO310) - Graduate Prerequisites: (COMJO721) - Taking advantage of our location in the state capital of Massachusetts, the Journalism Department offers students the chance to cover the Statehouse for professional news clients. The prime component of The Boston Statehouse Program, this advanced study in government and political reporting offers the opportunity to write and report from Beacon Hill for a Massachusetts news organization. The course goal is to develop writing and reporting skills through the daily experience of covering state government that will apply in many fields. Working with a professor and a professional editor, students acquire the skills necessary to work in a daily news environment, including interviewing, developing sources, archival research and deadline writing. Students develop a substantial portfolio of published work. Taken with JO 511, eight credits, fall and spring semesters. See Statehouse Program: http://www.bu.edu/statehouse. (Undergraduate Prerequisites: COM JO 200 and JO 210. Graduate Prerequisites: COM JO 721.)

4 credits

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO304) - This course focuses on producing long-form, interactive multimedia projects. Working in teams, students learn to produce documentary-style multimedia packages that combine still photography, audio, video, interactives and text. The course will offer an overview of techniques and best practices currently employed by news organizations to produce advanced multimedia projects. Four credits, fall and spring semesters. (Undergraduate Prerequisites: COM JO 304. Graduate Prerequisites: COM JO 704.)