School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Tom Reichert, Ph.D., Dean
Van Kornegay, MMC, Interim Director, School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Karen Gavigan, Ph.D, Interim Director, School of Library and Information Science
The School of Journalism and Mass Communications offers the Master of Mass Communication, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. It also offers the Certificate of Graduate Study in Health Communication in cooperation with the School of Library and Information Science and the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior of the Arnold School of Public Health. There are no separate departments, as such, within the school, although course work is offered in electronic and print journalism, advertising, public relations, integrated communications, visual communications, and a wide range of other subjects dealing with the processes and effects of mass communications.
The general regulations of The Graduate School regarding admission, residency, theses and dissertations, admission to candidacy, and comprehensive examinations apply to all graduate work in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Beyond that, the school may request additional writing samples or other evidence of creative work.
Graduate study at the certificate, M.M.C, M.A., and Ph.D. levels in the school is designed to meet the needs of three categories of students:
- graduates of approved colleges and universities who have little or no undergraduate work in journalism and mass communications but desire to complete a program of intensive academic and professional preparation for work in the mass communications field;
- graduates in journalism and mass communications from accredited programs of journalism and mass communications and graduates of approved colleges or universities who have received a bachelor’s degree in any field and who have one or more years of professional experience in journalism and mass communications;
- graduates of approved master’s degree programs who preferably have two or more years of professional experience in journalism and mass communications and who wish to obtain a doctoral degree.
Proficiency examinations may be required of applicants. Any deficiencies in an applicant’s academic or professional background for the study of journalism and mass communications may require remedial course work that may not count toward the graduate degree.
Applicants for a graduate degree in journalism and mass communications who do not have professional experience or educational background for the field may be required to complete up to 15 semester hours of undergraduate work in journalism and mass communications. Camp Carolina, an intensive summer experience, can be used to satisfy many of these requirements. Each applicant’s case will be evaluated individually to determine the amount, if any, of remedial work required. These remedial courses are usually designated as prerequisites for more advanced courses, numbered 500 or above, which will become part of the student’s plan of graduate study. Graduate students may, with approval of the associate director for graduate studies, enroll for some of these undergraduate courses at the same time they are enrolled in graduate courses. For example, a student enrolled in a 700-level seminar in media law may also be enrolled in an undergraduate skills course in basic news reporting; the student would earn graduate credit for the 700-level seminar but not for the 300-level news reporting class.
Applicants who cannot demonstrate a basic knowledge of statistics (e.g. successful completion of undergraduate basic statistics course) must complete a course from an approved list before registering for JOUR 701 or JOUR 801. Such a course should be completed early in the student’s program and may count toward the graduate degree only if it is 500-level or above.
Courses
JOUR 501 - Freedom, Responsibility, and Ethics of the Mass Media (3 Credits)
Historical development of freedom, responsibility, and ethics in the mass media, including communication theories, pressures, ownership.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy, GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
JOUR 504 - International Mass Communications (3 Credits)
A comparative study of world mass communications media, with particular attention to press systems, the sources and flow of international news, and the problems and implications of world communications.
JOUR 506 - Mass Media Criticism (3 Credits)
Development of critical thinking skills for analyzing mass media.
Prerequisites: JOUR 101.
JOUR 507 - Health Communication: The Science and Practice (3 Credits)
Explores the role of journalism in shaping perceptions of scientific issues and task. Emphasis on methods of effectively communicating about science, health, and the environment.
JOUR 508 - Faith, Values, and the Mass Media (3 Credits)
Faith and values influence the media. An examination of the influence, why it happens, and of religious diversity and the increased public presence of religions, including Hinduism and Islam.
Prerequisites: JOUR 291 and junior or senior standing or consent of instructor
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy
JOUR 509 - Environmental Communication: The Science and Practice (3 Credits)
The role of journalism in shaping perceptions of environmental and scientific issues and tasks. Emphasis on methods of effectively communicating about science and the environment.
JOUR 515 - Mass Communications Capstone Portfolio (3 Credits)
JOUR 516 - Advanced Creative (3 Credits)
Development of writing styles for print and broadcast advertising.
Prerequisites: JOUR 416.
JOUR 517 - Integrated Campaigns (3 Credits)
The development of a complete, well coordinated integrated communications plan that incorporates research and analysis techniques, critical thinking, team work, creative and tactical skills.
Prerequisites: JOUR 416 and JOUR 421.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Research
JOUR 518 - Brand Communications Practicum/Competitions (3 Credits)
Application of advertising techniques and skills in preparation of full scale campaign.
Prerequisites: JOUR 332, JOUR 416, JOUR 421.
JOUR 521 - Interactive Communication Strategies (3 Credits)
The development of a complete, well-coordinated integrated communications plan that incorporates research and analysis techniques, critical thinking, team work, creative and tactical skills.
JOUR 527 - Advertising Management (3 Credits)
The dynamics of leadership and management in the creative industries.
Prerequisites: JOUR 202.
JOUR 530 - Creative Leadership (3 Credits)
Theories of leadership as applied to creative industries. Students will engage and interact with community-based organizations to assess needs, plan communications strategies, lead student teams in developing those ideas, and present to clients. Junior standing or permission of instructor.
JOUR 531 - Public Relations Campaigns (3 Credits)
Development of public relations campaigns for business and social institutions. Case studies of public relations campaigns and programs.
Prerequisites: JOUR 201, JOUR 332, JOUR 436.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Community Service, GLD: Research
JOUR 533 - Public Relations Management (3 Credits)
Researching, programming, staff, budgeting, and planning public-relations programs by business, government, or consulting firms.
Prerequisites: JOUR 201, JOUR 436.
JOUR 534 - Publication Writing and Design (3 Credits)
Publication writing and design as well as internal or constituent communications, specifically focused on an internal audience. Production of InterCom, the College of Mass Communications and Information Studies’ alumni magazine.
Prerequisites: JOUR 291.
JOUR 536 - Crisis Communications (3 Credits)
Introduction to crisis communications and management from a strategic, theory-based approach using research from historical and current case studies.
Prerequisites: C or better in JOUR 436.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
JOUR 537 - The Carolina Agency (3 Credits)
Participation in a functioning communications agency working for actual clients in a student-directed environment. Opportunity to both lead and be a part of a team servicing the communication needs of various clients.
Prerequisites: JOUR 101; JOUR 201; JOUR 203 or JOUR 202; and JOUR 291.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Community Service, GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
JOUR 538 - The Bateman Team (3 Credits)
Self-directed development and implementation of a public relations campaign as part of a national competition: PRSSA’s Bateman Competition.
Prerequisites: JOUR 332 and JOUR 436.
JOUR 539 - Ethics in Public Relations and Public Policy (3 Credits)
Review of the analytical process of resolving complex ethical issues and cases in public relations; study of the philosophical approaches to communication ethics.
Prerequisites: JOUR 101.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
JOUR 542 - Public Opinion and Persuasion (3 Credits)
Theory and practice of persuasive communication and the role of persuasion in shaping public opinion.
JOUR 550 - Advanced Magazine Article Writing (3 Credits)
Writing techniques used in the preparation and marketing of major nonfiction articles for national, regional, and local publications.
Prerequisites: JOUR 566.
JOUR 553 - Motion-Based Graphics for Visual Communications (3 Credits)
Graphic and motion-based principles and techniques for visual communications within multimedia structures.
Prerequisites: C or better in JOUR 346.
JOUR 560 - Capstone Portfolio Development (3 Credits)
Advanced techniques of graphic and multimedia design and their application to problem-solving situations in the mass media. Emphasis on portfolio development.
Prerequisites: JOUR 446, JOUR 447, JOUR 449.
JOUR 563 - Public/Civic Journalism (3 Credits)
To gain an understanding of theory and practice of public/civic journalism, seen by its advocates as socially responsible journalism that attempts to build civic participation and empower communities.
JOUR 566 - Magazine Article Writing (3 Credits)
Researching, organizing, writing, and marketing articles for publication in general and specialized publications.
Prerequisites: JOUR 361 or JOUR 436.
JOUR 573 - Editorial and Opinion Writing (3 Credits)
Content and style; writing of editorials, analyses, and commentaries.
Prerequisites: JOUR 291.
JOUR 574 - Data Journalism (3 Credits)
Acquiring, analyzing and presenting data using spreadsheets and other tools to uncover stories and provide depth and context to journalism.
Prerequisites: C or better in JOUR 291.
JOUR 575 - Broadcast Journalism Practicum (3 Credits)
Production of public affairs programs.
Prerequisites: JOUR 326, JOUR 333, and JOUR 434.
Corequisite: JOUR 502, JOUR 503, and JOUR 526.
JOUR 576 - Reporting Public Affairs (3 Credits)
Concentrated analyses of reporting in special fields, particularly in the South, including coverage of government, business, labor, the arts and sciences.
Prerequisites: JOUR 361.
JOUR 579 - Broadcast Announcing (3 Credits)
Theory and practice of professional broadcast announcing. Lecture-demonstration-laboratory course in principles underlying professional performance before microphones and cameras and the various broadcast performance functions.
Prerequisites: JOUR 325.
JOUR 580 - Advanced Reporting Topics (3 Credits)
JOUR 586 - Capstone I - Advanced Reporting - Broadcast and Online Journalism (3 Credits)
Professional practice in meeting daily newscast deadlines through work on the Carolina News television newscast. Focus on polished reporting, performance and production techniques and demonstration of advanced television reporting skills under deadline pressure.
Prerequisites: JOUR 471.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Research
JOUR 587 - Capstone I - Advanced Reporting - Multimedia Journalism (3 Credits)
JOUR 588 - Capstone II - Advanced Broadcast and Online Journalism Production (3 Credits)
JOUR 589 - Capstone II - Advanced Multimedia Journalism Production (3 Credits)
JOUR 590 - Capstone III - Digital Journalism (3 Credits)
Exposure to the evolving variety of journalism techniques, software programs and equipment to effectively tell compelling stories and convey information in multiple visual and interactive forms. Emphasis on extending professional skills while reinforcing current best practices.
Prerequisites: JOUR 471.
JOUR 591 - The Carolina Agency Management Training (3 Credits)
Advanced instruction on how to assume leadership roles in a real life agency setting through tactical planning updates, interdepartmental management, budgeting, and client reviews.
Prerequisites: C or better in JOUR 537.
JOUR 595 - Domestic Study Away in Journalism and Mass Communications (3 Credits)
Domestic study away course will focus on topics in journalism and mass communications and will be taught away from the University of South Carolina Columbia campus. Individual topics will vary by title. Prerequisites to be announced in class schedule.
JOUR 596 - Study Abroad in Journalism and Mass Communications (3 Credits)
Study abroad course will focus on topics in journalism and mass communications and will be taught as a study abroad experience. Individual topics will vary by title. Prerequisites to be announced in class schedule.
JOUR 597 - Internship in Mass Communications (1-3 Credits)
Supervised professional experience. Maximum of three hours credit. Contract approved by instructor, advisor, and department head is required.
Prerequisites: consent of Sequence Chair and Dean’s Office prior to registration.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Internships
Experiential Learning: Experiential Learning Opportunity
JOUR 598 - Directed Independent Studies (1-6 Credits)
Individual mass media projects. Contract approved by instructor, advisor, and department head is required for undergraduate students.
JOUR 599 - Advanced Special Topics (3 Credits)
Advanced topics in journalism and mass communications. Individual topics and prerequisites to be announced by title in class schedule.
JOUR 700 - Proseminar (1 Credit)
Recent ideas, procedures, and techniques that aid in the conduct of professional and scholarly work in mass communication.
JOUR 701 - Research Methods in Mass Communication (3 Credits)
Methods and techniques of quantitative mass communications research: content analysis; survey research applications; media effects studies.
Prerequisites: Statistics competency.
JOUR 702 - Communication Theory (3 Credits)
Theoretical approaches to the study of mass communication including empirical, interpretive, and critical perspectives.
JOUR 704 - Editorial Interpretation, Policy, and Management (3 Credits)
Social issues and responsibilities affecting the management of the mass media.
JOUR 705 - Strategic Communications Principles (3 Credits)
Integration of advertising, public relations, and marketing communication within an organization or agency.
JOUR 706 - Media Law (3 Credits)
General legal philosophy and law affecting the mass media.
JOUR 707 - Contemporary Issues in Mass Communication (3 Credits)
Current issues in mass communication including control, ownership, and conflicts affecting the media.
JOUR 709 - Fundamentals of Data and Digital Communications (3 Credits)
A comprehensive overview of data science basics and applications for communications. Introduces basic concepts, applications, and tools of data science for communication purposes. Includes basic theories and approaches in communications.
JOUR 710 - Organizational Communication (3 Credits)
Communication within organizations including theories, research, and current issues of concern in the field.
JOUR 711 - Applied Mass Communication Research (3 Credits)
Methods and techniques for designing, conducting, and analyzing research related to mass communication.
Prerequisites: JOUR 701.
JOUR 715 - Strategic Communications Strategies (3 Credits)
The strategic planning process applied to integrated communication principles.
Prerequisites: JOUR 705.
JOUR 717 - Methods in Content Analysis Research (3 Credits)
Introduction to content analysis for communication topics. Quantitatively analyze communication content of many kinds from newspaper articles to social media and online content.
JOUR 720 - History of Mass Media (3 Credits)
Periods, movements, and developments in mass communication.
JOUR 725 - Strategic Communications Campaigns (3 Credits)
JOUR 730 - Literary Aspects of Journalism and Mass Communication (3 Credits)
Literary and creative aspects of journalism and mass communication as exemplified in the works of English and American prose and verse writers.
JOUR 740 - New Technologies and the Mass Media (3 Credits)
New technologies related to the mass media.
JOUR 746 - Educational Broadcasting (3 Credits)
History, nature, production-performance, evaluation, and means of improvement of educational/instructional broadcasting.
JOUR 747 - Independent Study in Journalism and Mass Communications (1-3 Credits)
Independent study in an area of journalism and mass communications relevant to the student’s professional and/or research goals.
JOUR 749 - Literature of Mass Communication (3 Credits)
Methods for locating, evaluating, and abstracting information from literature relevant to the study of mass communication.
JOUR 750 - Foundations of Multimedia Journalism (3 Credits)
Course is designed to teach the foundations of multimedia journalistic storytelling. It will expose students to core concepts and practices associated with news gathering, news writing and field production.
JOUR 762 - Issues in Mass Communication Management (3 Credits)
Current management-related issues confronting the media, including management of creative people, budgeting, time management on deadline.
JOUR 771 - Media Economics (3 Credits)
Media organizations as economic institutions, including microeconomic analysis, basic trends in revenues and expenditures, evaluation of financial health, and performance in covering business and economics.
Prerequisites: ECON 224.
JOUR 772 - Seminar in Health, Science, and the Media (3 Credits)
The media representation of issues in science, technology and environment from a social science perspective, with emphasis on consequences in areas such as public opinion, public policy, public understanding attitude formation, persuasion and behavior change.
JOUR 773 - Risk Communication (3 Credits)
The critical examination of classic and contemporary empirical research on risk communication as it pertains to health and environment issues, as well as emerging technologies.
JOUR 774 - Public Relations Theory (3 Credits)
An analysis of the theoretical foundation and issues relevant to the practice of public relations.
JOUR 775 - Strategic Communication for Behavior and Social Change (3 Credits)
Theories of persuasion, principles and best practices of strategic communication, as applied to health and cause communication campaigns. Recognize, and develop effective, persuasive communications for social and health topics.
Prerequisites: JOUR 715.
JOUR 776 - Seminar in Interactive Media and Emerging Communication Technologies (3 Credits)
Seminar that examines the social uses and impacts of interactive / emerging media technologies.
JOUR 777 - Practicum in Mass Communications Management (3 Credits)
Seminar and supervised professional management experience in a media organization.
JOUR 779 - Theories of Global Communication (3 Credits)
Discussion of competing theories that attempt to explain current issues in global communication.
JOUR 788 - Implementing Data and Digital Communications (3 Credits)
A capstone experience for data and communication students to implement concepts and skills in data analysis learned throughout the program.
Prerequisites: C or better in JOUR 709 or SLIS 709.
JOUR 789 - Selected Readings and Research (1-3 Credits)
Selected readings course designed to facilitate student’s specialized research interest. Permission of instructor required.
JOUR 790 - Topics in Mass Communication (1-6 Credits)
Specialized topics in mass communication, individual topics to be announced by title. May be repeated for credit.
JOUR 797 - Project Preparation (1-3 Credits)
Individualized scholarly activity to develop and execute special projects relevant to the study of mass communication.
JOUR 799 - Thesis Preparation (1-9 Credits)
JOUR 801 - Communication Research Design (3 Credits)
Principles and applications of quantitative and qualitative communication research designs.
Prerequisites: JOUR 701 and statistics competency.
JOUR 802 - Seminar in Ethical Reasoning in Mass Communications (3 Credits)
Ethical reasoning approaches in production and consumption of media messages.
JOUR 803 - Seminar in Mass Communication Theory and Theory Construction (3 Credits)
Meta-theoretical issues relevant to building theory in mass communication, concept explication, and forms of theory.
JOUR 804 - Seminar in Mass Communication Historical Research Methods (3 Credits)
Application of historical research methods to the study of mass communication.
JOUR 805 - Seminar in Teaching Mass Communication (3 Credits)
Teaching and learning methodologies and theories appropriate to mass communication instruction.
JOUR 806 - Seminar in Mass Communication Legal Research Methods (3 Credits)
Application of legal research methods to the study of mass communication.
JOUR 807 - Advanced Communication Research (3 Credits)
Advanced methods and techniques for analyzing empirical data for communication research.
JOUR 808 - Communication Research: Critical, Cultural, and Naturalistic Approaches (3 Credits)
Designing and conducting critical, cultural and naturalistic research.
JOUR 809 - Seminar in Freedom of Speech (3 Credits)
Issues involving the governmental protection and regulation of speech, and how that affects those involved in mass communication.
JOUR 810 - Independent Research Project (3-6 Credits)
Working closely with a faculty member, a student will design, and conduct a research project, with the objective of submitting the final report for publication or for presentation at an academic conference in the discipline. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
JOUR 899 - Dissertation Preparation (1-12 Credits)