Goals of the Journalism Minor:

Students seeking a minor in journalism will experience a curriculum that synthesizes the conceptual and theoretical foundations of journalism as well as the professional skills needed for success. The program has four goals:

• To develop journalistic ability to interview, collect and interpret information into a story using a variety of media. This also involves the development of different types of news and reporting formats including but not limited to: basic skills, features, editorials, sports, investigative and enterprise.
• To develop an ability to think critically and independently.
• To develop breadth of knowledge in various fields informing journalism such as science, politics, economics and social issues.
• To develop an ethical framework and understanding of the journalism field.

At the end of this program, students will be able to:

• Present a portfolio that includes stories in a variety of news and reporting formats and involving various print and electronic media.
• Present a variety of the news and reporting formats pieces that demonstrate critical thinking standards of accuracy, clarity of writing, depth and fairness.
• Present news and reporting pieces with precision and accuracy from the perspective of a discipline.
• Develop a personal philosophy on journalism ethics.
• Demonstrate using ethical techniques and considerations in news and reporting pieces.

Minor Program Requirements

To minor in journalism, students must complete 28-30 hours including the Journalism Core and the Journalism Cognates.

Journalism Core (19 hours)

Journalism Cognates (9-11 hours)

and 6-8 hours from the following:

Course Descriptions

The semesters listed after course descriptions indicate when courses are expected to be offered. Schedules are subject to change; students should confirm semester offerings with the department when planning degree programs. 

190. Basic Reporting (1)

Students will focus on the basics of writing for print and electronic media, including the “Five Ws,” the “Inverted Pyramid,” interviewing and note-taking. Students interested in working on The College World, the student newspaper of Adrian College and/or exploring a career in journalism are encouraged to take this course. FALL, SPRING. 

238. Introduction to Journalism (3)

Students will explore journalism through reading, writing and historical research, including an overview of basic writing techniques used by journalists and review the journalistic process through discussion, reading newspapers, viewing online news sites and films and hands-on activities, including social media. Open to freshmen. FALL.

306. Community Journalism (3)

Practices common to local journalism and the journalist within the community. Students participate in a variety of activities geared to train them to become reporters for a community newspaper. Writing for print and electronic media with an emphasis on beat reporting including local government, schools and law enforcement. (Prerequisite: JRNL 238). SPRING.

310. Narrative Journalism (3)

Focused study on the narrative form of journalism, past and present; topics may include literary journalism, magazine journalism and story-telling. (Prerequisite: JRNL 238). SPRING.

396. First Amendment (3)

Uses Supreme Court cases and other materials to explore all the constitutional rights afforded under the First Amendment. This course will include discourses on free speech theory, the interplay between a free press and democracy, and the extent to which religious institutions and government are constitutionally compatible. (Prerequisites: JRNL 238 and SCJ 225). Also listed as SCJ 398. OFFERED AS NEEDED.

405. Journalism and Social Media (3)

Journalistic practices common to the use of Facebook, Twitter, Storify, Tumblr; using “crowdsourcing” and other social media and implementing within the context of traditional journalism. Focus on historical and ethical perspectives of social media and trends in use of social media as a journalistic tool. (Prerequisite: JRNL 306). FALL.

415. Focus on Journalism (3)

Students will explore a variety of topics including various techniques involved in reporting on specific disciplines, including law, politics, ethics, sciences, business, and the economy. (Prerequisite: JRNL 238). FALL.