The Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Content Creation, Sports Information Track prepares students for careers in sports journalism, athletic communications, media relations, and strategic storytelling within collegiate, professional, and amateur sports organizations.
The program combines foundational classroom instruction with hands-on, applied experience. Students develop essential skills in idea generation, storytelling, reporting, editing, media production, and content creation, with a specific emphasis on communicating sports-related information across digital and traditional platforms in a fast-paced media environment.
The curriculum begins with core coursework in writing, reporting, photography, video, and visual literacy, then advances to immersive, practice-based courses focused on sports reporting, live event coverage, media relations, social media strategy, statistics, and sports content production. Students learn how to craft compelling narratives, manage game-day operations, produce promotional and informational content, and communicate effectively with athletes, coaches, media, and fans.
Graduates leave the program with a versatile professional toolkit suited for careers in athletic departments, sports information offices, media organizations, and marketing and public relations agencies.
Experiential learning opportunities include involvement with student-run media outlets and sports-related productions, as well as internships and professional opportunities with athletic programs, sports media organizations, and regional media partners.
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Student Requirement | ||
| 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 Requirement Any GE Approved Math (MATH 2623 recommended) | 3 | |
| GE: Arts and Humanities (6 SH) | ||
| JOUR 2603 | Media Ethics and Social Responsibilities required for major | 3 |
| HIST 2650 | CL History of American Democracy | 3 |
| Natural Sciences (7 SH) 2 different GE approved science courses, 1 must include a lab | ||
| GE: Natural Science | 3 | |
| GE: Natural Science with Lab | 4 | |
| Social and Behavioral Science (6 SH) | ||
| MCOM 1595 | Media Literacy and Culture required for major | 3 |
| GE: Social and Behavioral Science | 3 | |
| General Education Electives (9 SH) | ||
| CMST 1545 | Communication Foundations CMST 1545 or CMST 2620 required for major | 3 |
| or CMST 2620 | Science Communication | |
| GE: General Education Elective | 3 | |
| GE: General Education Elective | 3 | |
| JOURNALISM MAJOR REQUIREMENTS (18 SH) | ||
| JOUR 2602 | Media Writing | 3 |
| JOUR 3721L | News Content Creation 1 | 3 |
| JOUR 3725 | News Reporting | 3 |
| JOUR 3726 | American Media: History, Principles and Practices | 3 |
| or MCOM 3726 | American Media: History, Principles and Practices | |
| JOUR 3731L | News Content Creation 2 | 3 |
| or JOUR 3716 | Feature Writing | |
| or JOUR 3717 | Editorial and Opinion Writing | |
| JOUR 4824 | Communication Law | 3 |
| Required Support Courses (15 SH) | ||
| 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 3780 | Presentational Literacy | 3 |
| Interdisciplinary Sports Information Required Courses (27 SH) | ||
| MCOM 2686 | Advertising Principles and Production | 3 |
| JOUR 3716 | Feature Writing Course selected must differ from writing class selected in CORE | 3 |
| or JOUR 3717 | Editorial and Opinion Writing | |
| or JOUR 3731L | News Content Creation 2 | |
| JOUR 3757 | Public Relations Writing | 3 |
| or MCOM 3717 | Public Relations Campaigns | |
| or CMST 3757 | Public Relations Writing | |
| or CMST 3717 | Public Relations Campaigns | |
| JOUR 3769 | Sports Public Relations | 3 |
| or JOUR 3759 | Sports Journalism | |
| JOUR 3790 | Documentary Storytelling | 3 |
| or JOUR 4890 | Writing and Producing Television News | |
| CMST 2630 | Social Media Literacy | 3 |
| CMST 4879 | Game Day Content Production | 3 |
| or MCOM 4879 | Game Day Content Production | |
| MCOM 1570 | Sports Field Production 1 | 3 |
| MKTG 3749 | Sports Marketing | 3 |
| or MKTG 3703 | Marketing Concepts and Practice | |
| Seminar Requirement (3 SH) | ||
| JOUR 4825 | Selected Topics in Journalism | 3 |
| or MCOM 4897 | Seminar | |
| Capstone (3 SH) | ||
| JOUR 4893 | Journalism Senior Project | 3 |
| Free Electives *Hours will vary based on what is needed for 120 SH | 16-14 | |
| Student must complete a minimum of 39 SH of Upper-Level Courses (3700-5800) | ||
| Total Semester Hours | 120 | |
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | S.H. | |
| JOUR 2602 | Media Writing | 3 |
| JOUR 2603 | Media Ethics and Social Responsibilities | 3 |
| CMST 1500 | Exploring Communication | 3 |
| MCOM 2624 | Communication Technology - Photo and Video | 3 |
| ENGL 1550 or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 or Writing 1 with Support | 3-4 |
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar or Youngstown State University Success Seminar or Intro to Honors | 1-2 |
| Semester Hours | 16-18 | |
| Spring | ||
| JOUR 3725 | News Reporting | 3 |
| MCOM 2625 | Communication Technologies: Aesthetics and Design | 3 |
| CMST 2630 | Social Media Literacy | 3 |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| HIST 2650 | CL History of American Democracy | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| JOUR 3721L | News Content Creation 1 | 3 |
| JOUR 3726 or MCOM 3726 | American Media: History, Principles and Practices or American Media: History, Principles and Practices | 3 |
| MCOM 1570 | Sports Field Production 1 | 3 |
| CMST 1545 or CMST 2620 | Communication Foundations or Science Communication | 3 |
| GE: Math Course *Any GE approved Math, MATH 2623/2623C recommended | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| JOUR 3731L | News Content Creation 2 or Feature Writing or Editorial and Opinion Writing | 3 |
| JOUR 3769 or JOUR 3759 | Sports Public Relations or Sports Journalism | 3 |
| MCOM 1595 | Media Literacy and Culture | 3 |
| GE: Natural Science | 3 | |
| GE: General Education Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| JOUR 3717 | Editorial and Opinion Writing or Feature Writing or News Content Creation 2 | 3 |
| JOUR 3757 | Public Relations Writing or Public Relations Campaigns or Public Relations Writing or Public Relations Campaigns | 3 |
| MCOM 3780 | Presentational Literacy | 3 |
| MKTG 3749 or MKTG 3703 | Sports Marketing or Marketing Concepts and Practice | 3 |
| GE: Natural Science with Lab | 4 | |
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| JOUR 3790 or JOUR 4890 | Documentary Storytelling or Writing and Producing Television News | 3 |
| MCOM 2686 | Advertising Principles and Production | 3 |
| MCOM 4879 or CMST 4879 | Game Day Content Production or Game Day Content Production | 3 |
| CMST 3790 | Personal Brand Communication | 3 |
| GE: General Education Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| JOUR 4825 or MCOM 4897 | Selected Topics in Journalism or Seminar | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| JOUR 4824 | Communication Law | 3 |
| JOUR 4893 | Journalism Senior Project | 3 |
| Free Elective | 4-2 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| GE: Social Science | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 16-14 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120 | |
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.