Overview
This is a Bachelor's to Master's Track degree program for students in all areas of the B.A. Journalism and Content Creation program.
High performing upperclassmen (those with an overall GPA of 3.25 or higher and a minimum of 78 completed credit hours) may select the graduate track to earn credit towards a Master’s Degree in Professional Communication. Enrollment in this track allows students to simultaneously earn credit towards their undergraduate degree and graduate degree. In order to be part of this program students must contact the Strategic Communication and Media Department Chair and meet the following criteria. (1) Provide a current resume outlining academic and professional experience and (2) provide a letter of interest explaining how the candidate’s academic and/or professional experience and goals align with the MA program. Upon graduation with the undergraduate degree, students must be accepted to the Graduate College and meet all admissions requirements. Once accepted, student transcripts will reflect the dual-enrolled courses.
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| FIRST YEAR REQUIREMENT-STUDENT SUCCESS | ||
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar | 1-2 |
| or YSU 1500S | Youngstown State University Success Seminar | |
| or HONR 1500 | Intro to Honors | |
| GENERAL EDUCATION | ||
| ENGL 1550 | Writing 1 | 3-4 |
| or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 with Support | |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| Mathematics *Any GE Approved Math course, MATH 2623/2623C recommended | 3 | |
| Arts and Humanities (6 SH) | ||
| JOUR 2603 | Media Ethics and Social Responsibilities required for major | 3 |
| GE: Arts & Humanities Course | 3 | |
| Natural Sciences (7 SH two courses are required, one science course must include a lab) | 7 | |
| Social Science (6 SH) | ||
| MCOM 1595 | Media Literacy and Culture | 3 |
| CMST 2610 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| General Education Electives (9 s.h.) | ||
| CMST 1545 | Communication Foundations CMST 1545 or 2600 required in major | 3 |
| or CMST 2620 | Science Communication | |
| GE: General Education Elective | 3 | |
| GE: General Education Elective | 3 | |
| Required Major Courses | ||
| JOUR 2602 | Media Writing | 3 |
| JOUR 3725 | News Reporting | 3 |
| JOUR 3721L | News Content Creation 1 | 3 |
| JOUR 3731L | News Content Creation 2 | 3 |
| or JOUR 3716 | Feature Writing | |
| or JOUR 3717 | Editorial and Opinion Writing | |
| JOUR 4824 | Communication Law | 3 |
| OPTIONS SELECT OPTION A: Broadcast or OPTION B: Editorial or Option C: Sports Information or D: Content Production | 27 | |
| OPTION A: BROADCAST | ||
| STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE: JOUR 3790; JOUR 4890; MCOM 2683; MCOM 2683L; MCOM 2685 | ||
| CHOOSE 3 ADDITIONAL FROM LIST (9 SH, 6 hours of which must be 3700-5800 level): JOUR 2605; JOUR 2632; JOUR 3757; JOUR 3716; JOUR 3717; JOUR 3759; JOUR 3769; JOUR 4823; JOUR 4894 | ||
| Students must take an additional 3 hours in free electives. | ||
| OPTION B: EDITORIAL | ||
| STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE 2 OF: JOUR 3716 OR JOUR 3717 OR JOUR 3731L OR JOUR 3757 Courses cannot be the same as selected in CORE | ||
| ENGL 3743; JOUR 3723 OR ENGL 4849 | ||
| CHOOSE 3 ADDITIONAL FROM LIST (9 SH, 6 hours of which must be 3700-5800 level): JOUR 2605, JOUR 2632, JOUR 3716, JOUR 3717, JOUR 3757, JOUR 3759, JOUR 3769, JOUR 4823, JOUR 4894 *Elective choices must differ from option requirements. | ||
| Students must take an additional 3 hours in free electives. | ||
| Option C: Sports Information | ||
| STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE: JOUR 3716 OR JOUR 3717 OR JOUR 3731L (cannot choose class used in core); JOUR 3757; JOUR 3759 OR JOUR 3769; JOUR 3790 OR JOUR 4890; CMST 2630; MCOM 4879; MCOM 1570; MKTG 3703; MKTG 3749 | ||
| Option D: Content Production | ||
| STUDENTS MUST SELECT 8 COURSES FROM THE FOLLOWING LIST. FOUR OF THE 8 MUST BE JOUR CLASSES.JOUR 2605, JOUR 3716, JOUR 3717, JOUR 3723, JOUR 3759, JOUR 3757, JOUR 3761, JOUR 3769, JOUR 3790, JOUR 4823, JOUR 4890, MCOM 2654, MCOM 2685, MCOM 3711, MCOM 3717, MCOM 4890, CMST 2630, CMST 4850 | ||
| Students must take an additional 3 hours in free electives. | ||
| SEMINAR REQUIREMENT Choose one: | ||
| JOUR 4825 | Selected Topics in Journalism | 3 |
| or MCOM 4897 | Seminar | |
| SENIOR CAPSTONE | ||
| JOUR 4893 | Journalism Senior Project | 3 |
| REQUIRED SUPPORT COURSES | ||
| CMST 1500 | Exploring Communication | 3 |
| CMST 3790 | Personal Brand Communication | 3 |
| MCOM 2624 | Communication Technology - Photo and Video | 3 |
| MCOM 2625 | Communication Technologies: Aesthetics and Design | 3 |
| MCOM 3726 | American Media: History, Principles and Practices | 3 |
| MCOM 3780 | Presentational Literacy | 3 |
| Graduate Swing Classes These courses will only count for graduate credit if you have completed the form indicating you are taking it as the grad level. The form must be completed before the course begins. | ||
| CMST 6900 | Survey of Communication Graduate Studies | 3 |
| Pick Two | 6 | |
| Leadership, Diversity, and Belongingness in the Modern Workplace | ||
| Communication for Instructors and Trainers | ||
| Conflict Management and Negotiation | ||
| Persuasion and New Media | ||
| Theory of Sports and Communication | ||
| Seminar | ||
| FREE ELECTIVES (7-5 SH) *hours will vary based upon what is needed to reach 120 | 7 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120-122 | |
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | S.H. | |
| JOUR 2602 | Media Writing | 3 |
| JOUR 2603 | Media Ethics and Social Responsibilities *GE: Arts & Humanities | 3 |
| CMST 1500 | Exploring Communication | 3 |
| MCOM 2624 or MCOM 2625 | Communication Technology - Photo and Video or Communication Technologies: Aesthetics and Design | 3 |
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar or Youngstown State University Success Seminar or Intro to Honors | 1-2 |
| ENGL 1550 or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 or Writing 1 with Support | 3-4 |
| Semester Hours | 16-18 | |
| Spring | ||
| JOUR 3725 | News Reporting | 3 |
| MCOM 1595 | Media Literacy and Culture *GE: Social Science | 3 |
| MCOM 2625 or MCOM 2624 | Communication Technologies: Aesthetics and Design or Communication Technology - Photo and Video | 3 |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| General Education Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| JOUR 3721L | News Content Creation 1 | 3 |
| MCOM 3726 | American Media: History, Principles and Practices | 3 |
| CMST 1545 | Communication Foundations | 3 |
| Journalism Option Course 1 | 3 | |
| GE: Arts & Humanities | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| JOUR 3731L | News Content Creation 2 or Feature Writing or Editorial and Opinion Writing | 3 |
| CMST 3790 | Personal Brand Communication | 3 |
| Journalism Option Course 2 | 3 | |
| CMST 2610 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| JOUR 4825 or MCOM 4897 | Selected Topics in Journalism or Seminar | 3 |
| Journalism Option Course 3 | 3 | |
| GE: Social Science | 3 | |
| GE: Natural Science with Lab | 4 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| JOUR 4824 | Communication Law | 3 |
| MCOM 3780 | Presentational Literacy | 3 |
| Journalism Option Course 4 | 3 | |
| Journalism Option Course 5 | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| JOUR 4893 | Journalism Senior Project | 3 |
| Journalism Option Course 6 | 3 | |
| Natural Science | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Journalism Option Course 7 | 3 | |
| Journalism Option Course 8 | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 4 | |
| Semester Hours | 13 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120-122 | |
SLO1: Students will create news copy for multiple media platforms that is accurate, well-sourced and adheres to professional standards.
SLO2: Students will produce content for organizations that is consumed by audiences.
SLO3: Students will apply ethical and legal techniques in the creation and distribution of information.
SLO4: Students will use industry standard technology to create visual and interactive components that tell stories.