JOUR 100: Journalism: Theory and Practice (3 credits)
An overview of journalism in the United States. Introduces students to organizations and institutions of the American news media, outlines basic history and social context of American journalism, examines how news is constructed, and explores intellectual underpinnings of the occupational ideals and professional practices that guide journalism today. This introductory course is a requirement for the Journalism major and for the minor. It is recommended that Columbian College students complete this course before applying for the major.

JOUR 111: Reporting and Writing the News (3 credits)
Fundamentals of news reporting and writing, with emphasis on the print media. Develops news judgment, information gathering skills, and facility in crafting news and feature stories. Students complete regular in-class and outside reporting and writing exercises to learn journalistic style. Freshmen need departmental permission to enroll. This course is a prerequisite for applying to the major and a requirement for the minor. Majors must achieve a B or better to apply to the major or remain in good standing.

JOUR 112: Advanced Reporting (3 credits)
Reporting, writing and computer skills for covering beats and developing in-depth news stories. Techniques in researching, observing and interviewing to frame stories of public interest will be learned through outside and in-class reporting and writing assignments. Lectures and class discussions examine Journalism values and ethics. This course is a sequel to JOUR111 and a required course for the major. It is restricted to Journalism majors. Prerequisite: JOUR 111

JOUR 120: Editorial & Persuasive Writing (3 credits)
Techniques of editorial and column writing; editorial page and public affairs programming; function of commentary in a free press. This advanced writing course belongs to the 120s series of writing courses, two of which are required for the major. Prerequisite: JOUR 111

JOUR 121: Feature Writing (3 credits)
Development and writing of a wide range of feature articles, including interviews, profiles, op-ed columns and personal memoirs. Emphasis on weekly writing assignments and practical experience, including marketing work to publications. This advanced writing course belongs to the 120s series of writing courses, two of which are required for the major. Prerequisite: JOUR 111

JOUR 122: Broadcast News Reporting (3 credits)
Preparation of radio and television scripts based on actual news events. Using workshop techniques, scripts are evaluated for content, structure and use of words, pictures and sound. Extensive use of network news reports. This advanced writing course belongs to the 120s series of writing courses, two of which are required for the major. Prerequisite: JOUR 111

JOUR 123: Computer Assisted Reporting (3 credits)
Retrieving information from online sources and government databases, with emphasis on the ethical use and evaluation of data. Use of computer databases to analyze records and produce reliable and valid data for investigative news stories. This course can be counted either as a 120 series writing course or as a 140 series skill and design course. Prerequisite: JOUR 111

JOUR 124: News Online (3 credits)
Examination of news and journalism on the Internet with an emphasis on news writing and presentation, including design and navigation. Students will be exposed to news standards, ethics, issues of access, and distribution and business strategies on the web. This course can be counted either as a 120 series writing course or as a 140 series skill and design course. Prerequisite: JOUR 111

JOUR 130: Business and Technology Reporting (3 credits)
Development of reporting and writing techniques in covering the world of money, work and technology. The course explores how the media relate economic changes to the general public, and develops journalistic practices through exercises in writing and analyzing trends in a broad range of topics, including business, banking, labor, technology and international trade. This course belongs to the 130 series of specialty reporting courses, of which one is required for the major. Prerequisite: JOUR 111

JOUR 131: Science and Medical Reporting (3 credits)
Translating the worlds of science and medicine for a mass audience. Using in-class exercises and outside assignments, students will acquire reporting and writing skills needed to understand and present complex topics to readers and viewers. This course belongs to the 130 series of specialty reporting courses, of which one is required for the major. Prerequisite: JOUR 111

JOUR 132: Campaign Reporting (3 credits)
Developing news gathering and writing skills needed for the coverage of political campaigns. Using in-class exercises and outside assignments, students will acquire reporting and writing proficiency needed to illuminate how campaigns work and how politics affects the lives of citizens. This course belongs to the 130 series of specialty reporting courses, of which one is required for the major. Prerequisite: JOUR 111

JOUR 134: Washington Reporting (3 credits)
Examination of reporting and writing techniques employed in news coverage of the national government, with an emphasis on serving a regional readership or audience. Using Washington as a laboratory, students focus on contemporary issues and newsmakers in the legislative and executive branches of government. This course belongs to the 130 series of specialty reporting courses, of which one is required for the major. Prerequisite: JOUR 111

JOUR 135: Critical Writing and Reviewing (3 credits)
Reviewing and commenting on the arts and entertainment for the mass media. This course belongs to the 130 series of specialty reporting courses, of which one is required for the major. Prerequisite: JOUR 111

JOUR 140: Photojournalism (3 credits)
Elements of effective news and feature photos, including study and evaluation of slides taken by students. Picture selection, cropping, and captions. Student costs include film and developing. This course is in the 140 series of design and skill courses, of which one is required for the major.

JOUR 141: Newspaper Editing and Design (3 credits)
Emphasis on newspaper design, editing, and layout. Selecting and editing stories; writing headlines and photo captions; selecting, sizing and cropping photos and other graphic materials; laying out pages. Ethics of editing. This course is in the 140 series of design and skill courses, of which one is required for the major.

JOUR 142: Magazine Editing and Design (3 credits)
Layout, typography, and design for magazines, house organs, and similar publications for associations, institutions and industry. This course is in the 140 series of design and skill courses, of which one is required for the major.

JOUR 147: Television Workshop (3 credits)
A joint workshop between the Journalism and Electronic Media programs, the course centers on the production of a television news show. Students work as a team to produce and air a television newsmagazine on the university's cable system. Enrollment will be limited and departmental registration is required. Preference will go to Journalism majors who have taken JOUR 122 and EMDA 140 (or EMDA 75). This course is in the 140 series of design and skill courses, of which one is required for the major. Prerequisite: JOUR 111

JOUR 150: Media Law (3 credits)
Freedom of the press, censorship, legislative controls, copyright laws, laws of libel and privacy, and other law relating to the news business, privilege and fair comment. This course is in the 150 series of law, history and theory and it is required for the major.

JOUR 152: U.S. Journalism History (3 credits)
History of American journalism, starting with the colonial period; political, social and economic developments. Media relations with government; the evolving concept of journalistic rights and responsibilities. This course is in the 150 series of law, history and theory, of which one is required for the major in addition to JOUR 150.

JOUR 153: Covering Court Decisions (3 credits)
Primer for journalists on how the courts and the Constitution work. Emphasis on reading and reporting U.S. Supreme Court rulings and understanding legal principles. This course is in the 150 series of law, history and theory, of which one is required for the major in addition to JOUR 150. Or it can be counted as a writing course in the 130 series. Starting in 2003-2004 academic year, this course will be reclassified as a specialty reporting course, renumbered JOUR 133.

JOUR 190: Selected Topics: Radio News: History & Practice (3 credits)
A combination lecture and lab course exploring the evolution of America's first form of electronic journalism from its creation in the 1920s to today's digital age. The class will study the underpinnings of today's news formats, listen to historic broadcasts, learn radio broadcast writing technique, write and record newscasts and gain hands-on experience through guest lecture by top professionals and by visiting Washington news outlets. This course is in the 150 series of law, history and theory, of which one is required for the major in addition to JOUR 150.

JOUR 190: Selected Topics: Electronic News Gathering (3 credits)
A hands-on course to teach the skills of gathering, writing and producing television news. Course will cover everything from video voiceovers, to interview techniques, and finally the assembly of news packages from the field. Students will be taught to shoot and edit tapes on the advanced Final Cut Pro system, and emphasis will be placed on construction and story-telling skills. Enrollment will be limited and departmental registration is required. Preference will go to Journalism majors who have taken JOUR 122 and EMDA 140 (or EMDA 75). This course will be counted in the 140 series of design and skill courses, of which one is required for the major. Prerequisite: JOUR 111

JOUR 190: Narrative Journalism (3 credits)
This seminar will introduce students to the storytelling role of journalism through readings, discussions and writing exercises. It will focus on narrative or "literary" journalism and other genres that stretch traditional journalistic precepts. Course includes reading classics in narrative journalism and contemporary works, active participation in discussions, several short writing exercises, and a final project utilizing the techniques of narrative journalism that are the focus of the course. This course counts in the 150 series of law, history and theory, of which one is required for the major in addition to JOUR 150

JOUR 196: Independent Study (1-6 credits)
The student pursues a program of directed reading, research, and writing under the direction of a faculty advisor. This course is limited to seniors. Permission of the program director is required. This is an elective.

JOUR 196: The Washington Post Semester (1 credit)
The Washington Post Semester is a one-credit course offered in a consortium with American University, Howard University and George Washington University. It is designed for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students planning careers in print journalism and provides an opportunity to interact in seminar fashion with professional reporters and editors at one of the nation's premier daily newspapers. The objective of the course is to bring reality and immediacy to the classroom experience. Click here for more details.

JOUR 197: Internship (1-6 credits)
Students spend at least 5 hours a week per credit during the semester interning in an approved news organization. May be repeated for up to six credits. Restricted to juniors and seniors and Journalism majors and minors. Permission of program director required. Grades are assigned pass/no pass. The internship will count as a Journalism elective.

PCM 128: Media, Politics and Government (3 credits)
Exploration of the role played by communication, principally through the mass media, in the conduct of government and the making of public policy. This course counts toward the Journalism major and minor in the 150 series of law, history and theory, of which one is required for the major in addition to JOUR 150.