Program Overview

The Journalism program seeks to prepare students to enter the workforce in journalism and its related fields (such as public relations and advertising) and to offer opportunities to students making a career switch or needing to meet the changing technological demands of the field. The program also seeks to prepare students to transfer to four-year institutions as journalism majors and to train students to be media-literate members of the community.

Instruction is supplemented by hands-on experience working for the student newspaper, The Skyline View, and its online and social media accounts. Students in the program publish Viewpoint magazine in the spring. Students also attend local and regional conferences and have opportunities to pursue internships and jobs in the field.

The degree and certificate programs prepare the student for such careers as print, online and broadcast reporting, writing, and editing; technical writing; copyediting; social media management; marketing; advertising; public relations; and communications.

Note: A grade of C or better is required in all Journalism courses applied to the major for both the Associate Degree and the Certificate.

Program Requirements

Required Courses Units
JOUR 120 Writing and Reporting for the Media 3 units
JOUR 121 Advanced Writing and Reporting for the Media 3 units
JOUR 320 Beginning Newspaper Staff 3 units
JOUR 330 Intermediate Newspaper Staff 3 units
Plus a minimum of 6 units from the following: Units
ART 351 Black and White Photography I 3 units
BCM. 225 Spreadsheets I: Excel 1 unit
BCM. 226 Spreadsheets II: Excel 2 units
ENGL 161 Creative Writing I 3 units
JOUR 110 Mass Media and Society 3 units
JOUR 340 Intermediate Advanced Newspaper Staff 3 units
JOUR 350 Advanced Newspaper Staff 3 units
JOUR 695 Independent Study in Journalism 0.5 - 3 units
Total Required Units: 18