Overview

As a professional school grounded strongly in the liberal arts, the School of Journalism and Mass Communications emphasizes the value of a broad educational foundation as well as proficiency in mass communication skills. In addition to its instructional programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, it offers an extensive program in continuing education and maintains wide-ranging journalism services benefiting both the community and the profession. Its research programs are assuming an increasingly important role in scholarly study. The school is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.

The school serves as headquarters for the South Carolina Scholastic Press Association, the South Carolina Scholastic Broadcasters Association, and the Southern Interscholastic Press Association; faculty members serve as the directors of each. In cooperation with the associations, the school conducts and promotes clinics in graphics, newswriting, editing, photography, advertising, public relations, broadcasting, and management in mass communications.

The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, a national journalism education organization, has its headquarters in Columbia, as does the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communications, an organization of journalism school administrators.

Facilities servicing the electronic practicum in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications include television studios, digital stereo radio control rooms and studios, portable TV cameras and recorders plus associated editing equipment, and the Associated Press broadcast news service. The print practicum has extensive professional electronic editing and digital photocomposition equipment. Advertising and public relations students use all of the above on a regular basis, plus graphics facilities available in their own laboratory. Photojournalism studios and laboratories are also available. All journalism students have access to the school's computer labs during posted hours. Students are also encouraged to participate in the campus radio station, newspaper, and magazine.

Internships are available to students in all sequences, generally during the summer between the junior and senior years, but they may also be accomplished during a regular semester. These are supervised educational activities for which the student may receive three hours of academic credit. To assist journalism majors in finding employment after graduation, the school operates a placement service for graduating seniors and alumni.

Entrance Requirements

Freshman Students. In order to be admitted to a program of study in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, freshmen must meet all University admission requirements. In order to continue in the program, each student must attain a minimum USC GPA of 2.50 upon completion of 30 degree-applicable hours. Credit received for remedial work is not counted toward the 30 hours.

Transfer Students. A student desiring to transfer to the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, from either another college of the University or another institution, must have a cumulative minimum GPA of 2.50 on all work attempted. Transfer students from other institutions must take at least half the journalism and mass communications course work in residence at the University of South Carolina Columbia. Required journalism and mass communications courses from non-ACEJMC-accredited institutions, in order to be applied to the journalism and mass communications degree, must be validated by proficiency tests. Other journalism and mass communications courses from those institutions may be used as journalism and mass communications electives at the discretion of the sequence director. No more than 12 semester hours of journalism and mass communications-related courses from non-ACEJMC-accredited institutions will be applied toward the journalism and mass communications degree.

Because assignments in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications must be written on computers, students must be able to keyboard with reasonable speed and accuracy.

Keyboard proficiency and completion of ENGL 101 and 102 with grades of C or higher are prerequisites for JOUR 202.

Progression Requirements

Each student within the school is expected to make orderly progress toward a baccalaureate degree. To facilitate this, the school's undergraduate program is divided into upper and lower divisions.

1. Lower-division students are those who have earned fewer than 60 semester hours toward the degree or who do not meet admission requirements to the upper division. Lower-division students may not enroll in upper-division journalism courses, which include all 500-level courses.

3. Admission to the upper division is based upon a minimum 2.50 cumulative USC GPA; completion of JOUR 201 and 202 with grades of C or higher; completion of 60 or more semester hours toward the degree; completion, if required, of MATH 100 and 111 and foreign language 109 and 110; selection of a particular program of study within the college; and selection and approval of a minor.

4. All students must maintain a minimum 2.50 GPA in USC courses in order to maintain good standing in the college. Grades will be reviewed at the end of each semester. Students who have less than a 2.50 GPA in USC work are not in good standing and will be placed on probation within the school. Students will be permitted to remain in the college while on probation for only one semester, after which the student will be administratively removed from the college if their cumulative USC GPA is less than a 2.50. With the exception of upper-division courses, they may continue to take course work toward their degree if seats are available.

5. All majors within the school will be expected to pass all journalism and mass communications courses used toward the degree with a minimum grade of C.

6. No journalism and mass communications course may be repeated more than once by any student.

Second Degree. Students from other USC colleges who expect to obtain a second baccalaureate degree from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications must file a statement of intent with the school before reaching senior status, must meet regular admission and progression requirements of the school, must be assigned a journalism advisor, and must formally apply to and be accepted by the school not later than the next-to-the-last semester in which the student expects to receive the journalism degree.

Classes. In all journalism and mass communications classes, enrollment priority will be given to journalism and mass communications majors who are in good academic standing in the school.

Suspension. All students within the school are subject to the University suspension rules as stated in the bulletin. Students admitted to the school as of August 19, 2004, or thereafter, whose USC GPA is less than 2.50 at the time of their suspension, may petition to be readmitted on a probationary status with conditions of probation determined by the dean of the school.

Graduation. All students admitted to the School of Journalism and Mass Communications as of August 19, 2004, and thereafter, must have a minimum 2.50 GPA on all USC work attempted, in addition to meeting all academic degree requirements, in order to obtain a degree from the college.

Programs of Study

The School of Journalism and Mass Communications offers five programs of study: advertising, public relations, visual communications, broadcast journalism, and journalism. All programs of study are accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education for Journalism and Mass Communications. The degree offered by the school is the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communications.

Degree Requirements

(126 hours)

Although individual curricula will vary from student to student, the following are general requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communications.

1. General Education Requirements (90 hours)¹

ADVERTISING, PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS MAJORS

English (15 hours)
ENGL 101 and 102 (grade of C or better in each)
One course from ENGL 282 through 289 (ENGL 283 and 285 are recommended)
One course from ENGL 360, 460, 462, 463, 600-605
One additional ENGL course

Humanities and Fine Arts (9 hours)
SPCH 140 or 260
Two fine arts courses approved by the college

Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Business (30 hours)
ECON 224
MKTG 350
JOUR 201
Two HIST courses (one must be non-U.S.)
One course from ACCT 324, MGMT 371, or MKTG 351, 455, 457, 459
One course from ACCT 324, 437, 439, 504; AFRO; COLA; CRJU; ECON; FINA; GEOG (except 201, 202, 545, 546); POLI; HIST; IBUS; LASP; MGMT; MGSC (except 290 and 291); MKTG; SOST; WOST
Three courses from ANTH, PSYC, SOCY

Natural Sciences, Numerical/Analytical Reasoning, Foreign Language (18 hours)
Seven hours natural science chosen from the following fields to include one 4-credit laboratory science course from: ASTR; BIOL; CHEM; ENVR; GEOG 201, 202, 545, 546; GEOL; MSCI; PHYS
STAT 110 and one of the following options: PHIL 110 and 111, or two CSCE courses, or another STAT course, or MATH 122, or MATH 141
Additional hours from natural science or numerical/analytical reasoning or foreign language
Foreign language: students shall demonstrate in one foreign language the ability to comprehend the topic and main ideas in written and, with the exception of Latin and Ancient Greek, spoken texts on familiar subjects. This ability can be demonstrated by achieving a score of two or better on a USC foreign language test. Those failing to do so must satisfactorily complete equivalent study of foreign language at USC. Course work equivalent to university foreign language course work at or above the 121 level will apply toward the journalism degree. If USC foreign language courses numbered 109 and 110 (or 111) are taken to meet the University's proficiency requirement, a maximum of 4 hours will apply toward the journalism degree.

Minor (18 hours)
A student in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications must complete a minor consisting of 18 credit hours of prescribed courses. The minor is intended to develop a coherent basic preparation in a second area of study. Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the minor. No course may satisfy both major and minor requirements. All minor courses must be passed with a grade of C or better. For descriptions of specific minors, students should consult the department in which they wish to minor for a list of courses. A minor form must be completed by the end of the freshman year and approved by the school.

Electives--nonjournalism (0-3 hours)

Total: 90 hours

BROADCAST JOURNALISM AND JOURNALISM MAJORS (84 hours)

English (15 hours)
ENGL 101 and 102 (grade of C or better in each)
One course from ENGL 283, 288, or 289 (283 is recommended)
One course from ENGL 285 or 287 (285 is recommended)
One course from ENGL 360, 460, 462, 463

Humanities and Fine Arts (9 hours)
SPCH 140 or 260
Two fine arts courses approved by the college

Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Business (24 hours)
One HIST course from 101, 102, 104, 105, 106, 107, 109
HIST 111 and 112
One 300+ level non-U.S., non-Western Europe HIST or POLI course
ECON 224
One course from ACCT 324, 437, 439, 504; AFRO; BADM; COLA; CRJU; ECON; FINA; GEOG (except 201, 202, 545, 546); HIST; IBUS; LASP; MGMT; MGSC (except 290 and 291); MKTG; POLI; SOST; WOST
Two courses from ANTH, PSYC, SOCY

Natural Sciences, Numerical/Analytical Reasoning, Foreign Language (18 hours)
Seven hours of natural science chosen from the following fields to include one 4-credit laboratory science course from: ASTR; BIOL; CHEM; ENVR; GEOG 201, 202, 545, 546; GEOL; MSCI; PHYS
STAT 110 and one of the following options: PHIL 110 and 111, or two CSCE courses, or another STAT course, or MATH 122, or MATH 141
Additional hours from natural science or numerical/analytical reasoning or foreign language
Foreign language: students shall demonstrate in one foreign language the ability to comprehend the topic and main ideas in written and, with the exception of Latin and Ancient Greek, spoken texts on familiar subjects. This ability can be demonstrated by achieving a score of two or better on a USC foreign language test. Those failing to do so must satisfactorily complete equivalent study of foreign language at USC. Course work equivalent to university foreign language course work at or above the 121 level will apply toward the journalism degree. If USC foreign language courses numbered 109 and 110 (or 111) are taken to meet the University's proficiency requirement, a maximum of 4 hours will apply toward the journalism degree.

Minor (18 hours)
A student in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications must complete a minor consisting of 18 credit hours of prescribed courses. The minor is intended to develop a coherent basic preparation in a second area of study. Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the minor. No course may satisfy both major and minor requirements. All minor courses must be passed with a grade of C or better. For descriptions of specific minors, students should consult the department in which they wish to minor for a list of courses. A minor form must be completed by the end of the freshman year and approved by the school.

Total: 84 hours

¹Twenty-four or more of these hours must be at or above the 300 level. In addition, sequences may limit or exclude courses in certain areas. Sixty-five of the 90 hours must be in the liberal arts and sciences as defined by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.

2. Journalism and Mass Communications Core Courses (required of all majors)

JOUR 201, 202, 303, 304, 364

3. Additional Required Courses (by major)

Advertising
JOUR 328, 368, 364, 458, 465, 545, plus 9 hours of electives in journalism and mass communications

Public Relations
JOUR 328, 368, 364, 436, 531, 566, plus 9 hours of electives in journalism and mass communications. Three of the elective hours must be chosen from JOUR 333, 335, 458, or 540.

Broadcast Journalism
JOUR 325, 326, 434, 502, 503, 526, 534, plus 6 hours of electives in journalism and mass communications

Journalism
JOUR 325, 333, 335, 529, 532, 533, 536, 546, plus 3 hours of electives in journalism and mass communications

Visual Communications
JOUR 337, 364, 464, 529, 537, 564, plus 9 elective hours in journalism and mass communications

Total: 42 hours 

Journalism and Mass Communications Course Descriptions