Journalism (JRN)

JRN 101. Journalism and American Life. (3)

Students in this Miami Plan class explore the role of journalism in American democracy. They consider the social, historic, cultural, and economic contexts shaping the practice of journalism in the United States while also considering the ethics guiding journalistic choices. This is a course that introduces students to journalism as genre as well as practice, providing students a window into the watchdog, mirror, and marketplace functions of news media in a democracy. IIB. PA-3B, SI-03. CAS-B.

JRN 102. Precision Language for News Writing. (3)

A practical laboratory for English-language writing in the news style. The goal of the course is clear written communication for media writers and public relations professionals. Key formal concepts include the news lead, inverted pyramid, differences in writing across platforms, writing about particular kinds of news or events, and attributing information to reliable sources.

JRN 120. Prodesse Scholars: Truth, Lies, and the News. (3; maximum 6)

Prodesse Scholars interested in public affairs and the media explore the crisis of trust that endangers democratic decision-making. How did we get here? How do we tell truthful reportage from propaganda? Drawing on history, journalism, and philosophy, members of the course will: 1) debate real-world case studies, past and present; and 2) try their hand at writing their own truthful accounts of events unfolding right on campus. How would YOU resolve the age-old challenges of the journalist's trade — to convey reality accurately, fairly, objectively, and without bias?.

JRN 177. Independent Studies. (0-6)

JRN 201. Reporting and News Writing I. (3)

Introduces basic news gathering and news writing. Emphasizes writing for print and online news outlets. Prerequisite for all journalism writing courses. ADVW. PA-1C. CAS-W.
Prerequisite: JRN 102.

JRN 202. Reporting and News Writing II. (3)

Refines news writing skills acquired in JRN 201, with an emphasis on field reporting instruction. Students produce cross-media content, working in broadcast and online formats.
Prerequisite: JRN 201.

JRN 277. Independent Studies. (0-6)

JRN 303. Multimedia Journalism. (3)

Explores the theory and practice of multimedia journalism. Topics include current forms of and social impact of multimedia reporting, particularly in online spaces. Students will also develop online multimedia news projects.
Prerequisite: JRN 202.

JRN 310. Topics in Journalism Studies. (3; maximum 6)

Introduces students to a particular area of scholarship or research methodology within the academic discipline of journalism studies (such as literary analysis, content analysis, journalism history, cultural representations, journalism theory). Students in this class produce work intended for an audience of interested scholars (such as literature reviews or primary source, critical or content analyses) rather than for a general audience.

JRN 313. True Stories in Sound: Digital Audio Journalism. (3)

Advanced-level coursework emphasizing digital audio reporting, writing, and editing. Students learn to produce a range of audio stories for broadcast and podcast platforms.
Prerequisite: JRN 202 or permission of instructor.

JRN 314. Digital Video Reporting. (3)

Advanced-level coursework emphasizing digital video writing, reporting and editing. Students will learn to produce video news stories across broadcast television and mobile platforms.
Prerequisite: MJF 146 and JRN 202, or permission of instructor.

JRN 316. Editing and Design. (3)

Introduces the roles of news producers and editors as key team members in print, broadcast, and online journalism. Topics to be covered include text editing, news values, and design principles, photo presentation and visual editing, audiences and interactivity.
Prerequisite: JRN 201.

JRN 318. Advanced Storytelling in Journalism. (3)

Engages students in the art and craft of telling in-depth stories that inform, engage, compel, and entertain. These techniques involve reporting and writing alike, and they can be put to use in magazines, newspapers, books, websites, documentary film, and multimedia formats.
Prerequisite: JRN 201.

JRN 333. International Journalism. (3)

Covers wide-ranging issues in global news media, including press freedom and safety, the journalist’s role in international politics and economy, and covering conflict. Through research and analysis, students explore how autocracies and transitional nation-states aim to manipulate media, how journalists shape worldviews, and how war correspondents operate. Specialty projects can include gathering refugee and immigrant testimonials, or service work. IIIB. PA-4C.

JRN 340. Internship. (0-20)

JRN 343. Sports Reporting and Writing. (3)

343 Sports Reporting and Writing 3 Journalism 343 serves as an introduction to the basics of sports writing, editing, and reporting with a focus on developing a portfolio of published student work.
Prerequisites: JRN 201 or permission of instructor.

JRN 350. Specialized Journalism. (3; maximum 6)

Focuses on rotating topics such as business reporting, political reporting, sports reporting and photojournalism.
Prerequisite: JRN 201.

JRN 377. Independent Studies. (0-6)

JRN 412. Data Journalism. (3)

An advanced class that focuses on reporting about issues that affect people's lives. Students learn to locate and analyze data sets that shed light on those issues. They also learn to develop story ideas from such data, and to incorporate the data into elegantly written stories accompanied by effective visual representations of related data. CAS-QL.
Prerequisite: JRN 201.

JRN 415. Capstone in Television Journalism. (4)

Provides practicum experience in which students write, report, and produce a regularly scheduled television newscast aired on Oxford's cable television system. Participate in and evaluate all aspects of television news gathering and reporting process.
Prerequisite: MAC 211, JRN 202, and JRN 314 or applied television journalism experience (subject to instructor approval if prereqs not met).

JRN 418. Critical Writing in Journalism. (3)

Focuses on theory and practice in reviewing books, stage productions, motion pictures, and concerts for mass media.
Prerequisite: JRN 201.

JRN 421. Capstone in Journalism. (3)

Integrates theory and practice of journalism; issues of law, ethics, and history as they pertain to journalism. Topics vary each year. SC.
Prerequisite: JRN 201 and senior standing.

JRN 424. Ethics and Digital Media. (3)

Students will focus on key ethical issues related to online writing, communication, and visual design. Course will introduce key ethical principles, including principles of rhetoric, communication, and design ethics, as well as key principles of professional ethics as articulated in fields like professional writing, technical communication, and graphic design. Topics include intellectual property, access and universal design, privacy and surveillance, visual representation and manipulation, global communication and cultural difference, economic issues of justice and equity, and professional rhetorics.
Cross-listed with ENG/IMS.

JRN 427. Inside Washington Semester Experience. (4; maximum 4)

Engages students in an intensive study of the contemporary Washington, D.C. -government institutions, public officials, journalists, consultants, staff, and interest groups - through reading, lecture, onsite observations, expert presentations, discussion, research, and writing. Course is part of a 16-credit semester program conducted in Washington, D.C. Prerequisitess: permission of instructor.
Co-requisites: JRN/MAC/POL 454; JRN/MAC/POL 377 or 477; JRN/MAC/POL 340.
Cross-listed with MAC/POL.

JRN 429. Environmental Communication. (3)

Examines theories, principles, and methods for communicating environmental concepts and scientific information verbally, textually and visually to a range of audiences and stakeholders. Students will work with scientists, peer communities, clients, and focus groups to develop effective and appropriate environmental communications across mediums. Projects may include producing scientific posters, writing reviews of research projects on an environmental problem, preparing oral presentations, creating visual story of scientific work, interviewing scientists for a general news story, writing environmental proposals, and facilitating focus groups.
Cross-listed with ENG/IES.

JRN 454. The Washington Community. (3-4; maximum 4)

This course focuses on the Washington, D.C., as a complex political-social system that is both the seat of American democracy and a metropolis with typical urban opportunities and problems. In this class, students will complement their study of the formal political and media systems in the "Inside Washington" course by focusing on the development and behavior of constituent communities within the city of Washington. Course is part of a 16-credit semester program conducted in Washington, D.C.
Cross-listed with MAC/POL.

JRN 477. Independent Studies. (0-6)