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Journalism · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Journalism & Mass Communication

This core course explores the role of the “Fourth Estate” in a democratic society. It covers the history, theory, and practice of news gathering across print, broadcast, and digital platforms. Students will learn the ethics of objective reporting, the art of the interview, and the responsibility of the gatekeeper in an era of information overload and “Fake News.”

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Apply the "Inverted Pyramid" structure to news writing
  2. Conduct effective interviews and source verification
  3. Navigate the ethics of Libel, Slander, and Privacy Law
  4. Understand the "Gatekeeping" theory vs. Algorithmic curation
  5. Produce multimedia news packages (Text, Audio, Video)
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01History of Mass Media: Print to Digital
  2. 02News Values: What makes a story?
  3. 03The Inverted Pyramid & The Lede
  4. 04Interviewing Techniques: On & Off the Record
  5. 05Media Ethics: SPJ Code of Conduct
  6. 06Media Law: Libel, Slander, & Copyright
  7. 07Fact-Checking & Verification
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Feature Writing: Narrative Journalism
  10. 10Investigative Reporting Techniques
  11. 11Photojournalism & Visual Storytelling
  12. 12Broadcast Journalism Basics
  13. 13Digital Journalism: SEO & Analytics
  14. 14Citizen Journalism & User Generated Content
  15. 15The Future of News: AI & Automation
  16. 16Final Project: The Multi-Platform News Package

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Multi-Platform News Package

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. The Elements of Journalism by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel
  2. Associated Press Stylebook (Current Edition)
  3. On Writing Well by William Zinsser
  4. Manufacturing Consent by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky
  5. Inside Reporting by Tim Harrower
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Broadcast Journalism"30 seconds to air." This high-pressure course simulates a working TV newsroom. Students will learn to write for the ear (simple, conversational scripts), shoot news sequences (B-Roll and SOTs), and edit fast-paced packages.
Creator Economy & Independent JournalismJournalism is unbundling from institutions. This course is a business accelerator for the independent journalist.
Data Journalism & Visualization"In God we trust; all others must bring data." This technical course merges statistics, coding, and design to uncover stories hidden in spreadsheets.
Digital Journalism & Online MediaThe newspaper is dead; long live the feed. This course explores the transformation of news from static print to dynamic digital interactivity.
Disinformation and Media LiteracyIn an era of "Alternative Facts" and Deepfakes, this critical thinking course equips students with the tools to verify truth.