Journalism

College of Arts and Humanities
Department of Communications

Program Description

The Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree program is dedicated to high standards in journalistic practices, skills, and specializations with a strong focus on analytical reasoning, critical thinking and problem solving. Through innovative teaching practices, the program provides a broad-based curriculum designed to promote news and information literacy; proficiency in the various journalistic forms and styles; an understanding of the new media landscape; and information dissemination practices through contemporary and emerging media tools. The program is committed to freedom of the press, freedom of expression, freedom of inquiry, and the questioning of dominant institutional practices and ideologies. It encourages dedication to ethical practices including truth, accuracy, fairness, diversity, inclusivity, and independence. Students seeking careers in digital, broadcast, print, and contemporary news media will complete the program proficient in journalistic practices including writing, research, reporting, interviewing, editing, and publishing across multiple platforms. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the technological, professional, and economic changes that transform the industry through a thorough examination of media institutions and structures. The program provides an understanding of media representations of gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, and encourages professional practice that respects all forms of diversity, equity and inclusion. It trains students to be sensitive to and provide a voice for underserved populations and communities; works in the public interest; and encourages community engagement and social responsibility to audiences and the society at large. Students who graduate with a Journalism degree compete for journalism careers regionally, nationally and globally.

Preparation

High school students are encouraged to take college preparatory English courses and become involved with their high school publications.

Students planning to transfer from a community college should consult with their counselor or advisor to identify appropriate transferable lower division courses.

Student Organizations

The Program sponsors the student organization The Society of Independent Student Journalists (SISJ). Its mission is:

1. to offer educational and professional support for student journalists;
2. to reinforce and strengthen the guiding principles of independent journalists;
3. to give student journalists the opportunity to network with industry professionals and instructors; and
4. to ensure all interested students are proficient in the principles and practices of journalism professionals.

Student membership is highly recommended.

Graduation With Honors

Undergraduate students may be candidates for graduation with Honors in Journalism if they meet the following criteria:

1. A minimum of 36 units in residence at CSU Dominguez Hills;
2. A minimum grade point average of at least 3.5 across all courses used to satisfy the upper-division requirements in the major.

Career Opportunities

The critical thinking and writing skills that Journalism students acquire from their coursework, combined with the experience they gain by participating in internships and student groups, prepare them for many career opportunities.

The Bachelor of Arts in Journalism is designed for students interested in print, online, and broadcast journalism careers. Students who graduate with a journalism degree are prepared for a wide variety of media-related careers, already armed with industry experience. New technologies and media platforms have created many dynamic opportunities for journalism graduates who possess the skills, principles, and practices for a successful career in the diverse regional, national, and international job markets. We train students in the various practices of contemporary journalists, including news writing and reporting, feature writing, column, and opinion writing, interviewing, broadcast journalism, video podcasting, editing, and blogging.

Taught by seasoned journalists from a variety of media outlets, the curriculum focuses on the knowledge, practices, principles, and strategies of successful journalism professionals. In addition to learning effective writing, information gathering, and production techniques, students gain an understanding of how media organizations operate through hands-on internship training and in our news and broadcast production laboratories. Students also develop a keen understanding of how to decipher and navigate through an unprecedented amount of electronic information through media literacy training.

Careers include reporter, editor, features writer, sports journalist, freelance writer, columnist, correspondent, news broadcaster, editorial writer, news director, blogger, video podcaster, media management, researcher, and photojournalist.

Undergraduate Programs

Bachelor

Faculty

Nancy A. Cheever, Journalism  Program Coordinator, Brant Burkey; Ana de la Serna

Department Office: LIB 5324, (310) 243-3313