Magazine, News and Digital Journalism Curriculum

Our hands-on, 12-month program offers extensive practice of the skills you’ll need as a working journalist across all digital and print platforms.

Experienced professionals on the faculty work one-on-one with students to offer real-world training in reporting, writing, editing, social media, audience engagement, design, production and more. Instruction in communication law is a requirement for all Magazine, News and Digital Journalism master’s students. And we bring the real world to you, in the form of internship opportunities built into the curriculum.

Summer Immersion (7 credits):

MND 602 Journalism Ethics & Diversity

Key ethical and diversity issues confronting journalists on all media platforms: digital, magazine, news, and social media. Evaluation of journalism standards and practices, especially when interests of audiences and revenue conflict. Case studies and media criticism.		1

MND 605 News Writing and Reporting

Gather news and information for storytelling on multiple platforms: reporting, writing for print, introduction to taking photos, shooting video, capturing audio, using social media. Learn traditions, responsibilities of a free press, ethics, plagiarism, libel.		3

MND 600 Data Journalism

Data literacy and communication are crucial skills for all journalists who aim to tell the truth of any situation. Learn the basics of data journalism, including Datawrapper, Google Sheets, and data visualizations.		3

Fall Semester (6 credits):

MND 615 Enterprise Reporting and Writing

Reporting and writing using the beat system. Creating content for different publications, including newspapers, magazines, and websites. Packaging text and multimedia.		3

MND 617 Multimedia Storytelling for Journalists

This skills course focuses on the production and distribution of journalism via mobile devices and the web. The class requires critical and conceptual analysis of how digital story experiences demand new approaches, techniques, and strategies.		3

Fall or Spring Semester (3 credits):

MND 608 Magazine and News Editing

This class covers editorial skills demanded in media organizations: editing and rewriting copy, identifying audiences, creating content across platforms, generating ideas, working with writers, story organization, writing display copy, fact checking. Additional work is required of graduate students.   		3

Spring Semester (3 credits):

COM 698 Media Law

Problems in media law, including libel, privacy, fair trial/free press, obscenity.		3

Fall and/or Spring Semester (12 credits):

Electives (choose four)

12

Capstone (First Summer Session) (6 credits):

AJC 631 Capstone Arts Writing Workshop (3-6 credits)

Capstone experience for graduate Magazine, News, and Digital Journalism students. Students travel to Charleston, South Carolina, to cover the Spoleto Festival USA and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival for the Charleston City Paper.

OR

COM 670 Internship (3 credits)

Participation in a discipline or subject related experience. Student must be evaluated by written or oral reports or an examination. Permission in advance with the consent of the program director, instructor, and dean. Limited to those in good academic standing.

AND

COM 690 Independent Study (3 credits)

Exploration of a problem, or problems, in depth. Individual independent study upon a plan submitted by the student. Admission by consent of supervising instructor(s) and the department.
Repeatable
6
(Students may fulfill the requirement either by taking 6 credits in MND AJC 631 or by taking COM 670 plus COM 690 with program director approval.)

Sports Media & Communications Track (13 credits):

SMC 601 Sports Media & Communications Proseminar (Summer Immersion)

This class is an examination of the sports media field. Students will discuss career paths within the industry and the roles sports media professionals play.		1
Sports Media & Communications Electives (Fall or Spring Semester)6
SMC students may take any combination of 1- and/or 3-credit courses over the fall and spring semesters to reach a total of 6 Sports Media & Communications elective credits. Students will choose their electives under the guidance of the Director of Sports Media & Communications.
Capstone Experience (First Summer Session)

COM 670 Internship (3 credits)

Participation in a discipline or subject related experience. Student must be evaluated by written or oral reports or an examination. Permission in advance with the consent of the program director, instructor, and dean. Limited to those in good academic standing.

COM 690 Independent Study (3 credits)

Exploration of a problem, or problems, in depth. Individual independent study upon a plan submitted by the student. Admission by consent of supervising instructor(s) and the department.		6
(SMC students will choose sports-related topics and sponsors with the direction of the Director of Sports Media & Communications, when completing their COM 670 and COM 690 coursework.)

Total Credits: 37-38