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Nov 24, 2024
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2023-2024 Undergraduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED PUBLICATION]
Journalism Major, B.A./B.S., JUMP option with Master of Arts in Communication
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 Return to: Academic Programs
College of Liberal Arts >> Communication and Media
40 hours; C or better required in all major courses; 2.25 major GPA required
At least 22 hours in the major must be at the 300- to 400-level; at least 12 hours must be at the 400-level.
Journalism prepares students for the world of news and information gathering, writing, editing, photography, design, and publishing for print, broadcast, and online media. Students learn journalism skills along with professional values and ethical standards in courses where both convergence and diversity are emphasized. Graduates succeed in any field where writing and a command of the language are needed.
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JUMP (Joint Undergraduate-Master’s Path)
Select programs also offer a Joint Undergraduate-Master’s Path (JUMP) option. JUMP programs are geared toward outstanding undergraduate students who plan to continue their education by enrolling in a related USI master’s degree program. Approved JUMP programs offer students an alternative pathway to degree completion by providing the opportunity to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in approximately five years.
This innovative pathway accelerates the time it takes to complete the graduate degree by allowing students in a JUMP program to complete 12 hours of graduate-level coursework during the final semesters of their undergraduate program. After completing the 12 hours of graduate coursework, special credit will be awarded at the undergraduate level and will apply toward the undergraduate program requirements. Students pay undergraduate tuition and fees for undergraduate coursework and pay graduate tuition and fees for graduate coursework (including the 12 credit hours completed while still an undergraduate).
Admission Requirements (Journalism, JUMP option)
To be eligible for the Journalism JUMP option with the Master of Arts in Communication, students must:
- Be seeking the Journalism major;
- Have completed between 75 and 96 credit hours of undergraduate coursework;
- Have completed COMM 192 ; JRN 273 ; JRN 281 ; JRN 374 or JRN 388 ; JRN 388 ; and either have or will complete COMM 494 and COMM 497 ;
- Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 and a Journalism major GPA of at least 3.50;
- Complete a JUMP application that includes a statement about their academic preparation and their understanding of JUMP policies and procedures.
Program Structure (Journalism, JUMP option)
The Journalism major requires 40 credit hours. The Master of Arts in Communications degree requires 36 credit hours. Students in the JUMP option complete 28 hours of undergraduate-level JRN coursework and 36 hours of graduate-level COMM coursework. After completing 12 hours of COMM electives, special credit will be awarded at the undergraduate level and will apply toward the undergraduate program requirements.
Typical JUMP schedule
UG = Undergraduate, GR = Graduate
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Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
| UG, Year 3 |
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Complete JUMP application;
Apply to Graduate Studies (conditional admission) |
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UG, Year 4
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15 hours UG credit
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3 hours UG credit
6 hours GR credit |
6 hours GR credit
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| Upon successful completion of all UG requirements and 12 hours of GR credit, the BA/BS degree will be awarded and full admission to Graduate Studies (Master of Arts in Communication degree) will be granted. |
| GR, Year 1 |
9 hours GR credit |
9 hours GR credit |
6 hours GR credit |
Foundation and Advanced Communications Core (10 hours)
Visual and Design Sequence (6 hours)
Reporting and Writing Sequence (6 hours)
Capstone Course (3 hours)
Directed Electives (15 hours)
Complete 15 hours of electives, including 9-12 hours at the graduate level. If selecting COMM 495 for the research requirement, complete 12 hours of graduate-level COMM electives. If selecting either COMM 602 or COMM 603 for the research requirement, complete 9 hours of graduate-level COMM electives.
Additional Graduate Coursework
After the BA/BS degree is awarded and full admission to the Master of Arts in Communication program is granted, students will complete an additional 24 credit hours of graduate-level COMM coursework to complete the master’s degree:
- 6-9 hours of required coursework
- 15-18 hours of directed electives
Refer to the Graduate Bulletin for a complete description of the Master of Arts in Communication program or contact the graduate program director with questions.
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