JOUR - Journalism

Course Descriptions

 

JOUR 1020 Introduction to Media Production for Journalists (3)

Students learn basic aesthetic and technical requirements in the capturing of sound, still images and motion media for delivery to diverse media outlets. Through a series of assigned projects, students become proficient in using equipment for acquiring sound, stills and motion media. In post-production, students learn to edit and prepare content for delivery and publishing to media outlets, such as radio, cellular phones, podcasts, web blogs, etc.

JOUR 1030 Multimedia News Reporting I (2)

Students enrolled in Multimedia News Reporting I will be learning basic news reporting and writing techniques for social media, radio and newspaper. The lab portion of the course will join students in this class with other journalism students in the News Collaboratory, where they will produce news content in a real-world, multimedia news environment for publication. Students will be practicing the knowledge and skill sets they learn in JOUR 1030. Co-requisite: JOUR 1031. 

JOUR 1031 Multimedia News Reporting I Lab (1)

Students enrolled in Multimedia News Reporting will be learning basic news reporting and writing techniques for social media, radio and newspaper. The lab portion of the course will join students in this class with other journalism students in the News Collaboratory, where they will produce news content in a real-world, multimedia news environment for publication. Students will be practicing the knowledge and skill sets they learn in JOUR 1030. Co-requisite: JOUR 1030. 

JOUR 1830 Broadcast Delivery and Interpretation (3)

Students learn and practice on-air presentation techniques for effective broadcast delivery and interpretation. The course focuses on voice control, voice, and the phrasing and interpretation of copy. May be repeated for credit.

JOUR 1930 Sports Broadcasting (3)

Students learn techniques, strategies, style, and structure of sports play-by-play and color commentary. The distinguishing characteristics of the media of television and radio and their impact on style and content of sports broadcasting are considered. The course focuses on the characteristics of radio and television, sports as drama, journalism, and entertainment, and critiques of professional and student broadcasts. Assignments include radio and television coverage of Webster Gorlok athletic events. May be repeated for credit.

JOUR 2000 News Collaboratory for Non-Journalism Majors (1-3)

Students enrolled in this course will bring specialized knowledge, skills and experiences to student teams publishing multimedia news projects. Whether it be a video major helping to shoot and edit a documentary film, a biology student helping to research radioactive waste in north St. Louis County for an investigative report, or an English major editing stories on an in-depth website examining gun violence, News Collaboratory can provide experiences for students across the university to be a part of telling stories that positively impact our community. Journalism, by its very nature, is interdisciplinary. Students and the projects undertaken in the class are all likely to benefit from having people participating from an array of academic disciplines and perspectives.

JOUR 2070 History of Broadcasting (3)

Students learn the principles, events, and trends that characterize the broadcasting industry in America, including organization, structure, economics, technological developments, news and entertainment programming, audience research and public policy, regulation, and future directions.

JOUR 2110 Production Techniques (3)

Students learn how to use audio and video techniques as related to broadcast journalism. Students learn to successfully maximize available technology in production of pieces for radio and television news. Prerequisites: EPMD 1000 and JOUR 2410.

JOUR 2140 Multimedia News Reporting (2)

Students enrolled in Multimedia News Reporting will be continuing to learn news reporting and writing techniques. This course will focus on reporting and writing news for visual media. Students will produce photo essay, broadcast news-style video packages, and breaking news pieces for social media. We also will emphasize obtaining and understanding public records and how to use them to report with greater context. The lab portion of the course will join students in this class with other journalism students in the News Collaboratory, where they will produce news content in a real-world, multimedia news environment for publication. Prerequisites: JOUR 1030 and JOUR 1031 or permission of the instructor. EPMD 1000 is recommended. Co-requisite: JOUR 2141. 

JOUR 2141 Multimedia News II Lab (1)

Students enrolled in Multimedia News Reporting will be continuing to learn news reporting and writing techniques. This course will focus on reporting and writing news for visual media. Students will produce photo essays, broadcast news-style video packages, and breaking news pieces for social media and other social media. We also will emphasize obtaining and understanding public records and how to use them to report with greater context. The lab portion of the course will join students in this class with other journalism students in the News Collaboratory, where they will produce news content in a real-world, multimedia news environment for publication. Students will be practicing the knowledge and skill sets they learn in JOUR 2140. Prerequisite: JOUR 1030, JOUR 1031, EPMD 1000. Co-requisite: JOUR 2140. 

JOUR 2170 Multimedia News Editing (2)

Reporters have long argued that an editor’s first obligation – like that of a doctor – is to do no harm. Good editors make stories better. Great editors make reporters better. This course takes a holistic approach to editing. It’s as much about recognizing what’s missing from a story as what needs to be corrected in a story. This course is an intensive workshop where students learn the essentials of copyreading and editing in a multi-media environment. Your lab experience will take place in the News Collaboratory, where you'll be working one on one with reporters -- helping them to develop better focused story ideas, become more creative in story sourcing and making initial edits on stories. Prerequisites: JOUR 1030 and JOUR 1031 or permission of the instructor. EPMD 1000 is recommended. Co-requisite: JOUR 2171. 

JOUR 2171 Multimedia Editing Lab (2)

Reporters have long argued that an editor’s first obligation – like that of a doctor – is to do no harm. Good editors make stories better. Great editors make reporters better. This course takes a holistic approach to editing. It’s as much about recognizing what’s missing from a story as what needs to be corrected in a story. This course is an intensive workshop where students learn the essentials of copyreading and editing in a multi-media environment. Your lab experience will take place in the News Collaboratory, where you'll be working one on one with reporters -- helping them to develop better focused story ideas, become more creative in story sourcing and making initial edits on stories. Prerequisite: JOUR 1030 and JOUR 1031 or permission of instructor. Co-requisite: JOUR 2170. 

JOUR 2300 Journalism: Layout and Design (3)

Students learn the fundamentals of newspaper and magazine layout and design, principles of good typography, front and interior page makeup, and photo placement.

JOUR 2350 Outdoor/Nature Journalism (3)

This course has a three-fold purpose: to acquaint new journalists and writers with the best works of those who have found inspiration for their prose from the outdoors; to familiarize student writers with journalism about nature sites in the Missouri and Midwest region; to encourage developing outdoor/nature writers to experiment with expository and advocacy journalism.

JOUR 2360 History and Principles of American Journalism (3)

Students learn the historic and contemporary influences on both print and electronic journalism in the American political scene. The course content focuses on key individuals in American media development and their political impact. Prerequisite: Junior/senior standing or permission of the instructor.

JOUR 2380 Free Expression and the First Amendment (3)

Students learn the history and application of free expression and the First Amendment, the various areas of free speech, and the pressures to limit such expression. Included are the areas of political dissent, hate speech, funding of the arts, prior restraint, and wartime restrictions.

JOUR 2410 Introduction to Radio-TV Journalism (3)

Students learn the basics of broadcast news, broadcast style writing, and the problems and challenges of electronic reporting. Lab time is required at a radio station. Prerequisite: JOUR 1030.

JOUR 2600 Introduction to Digital Journalism (3)

This course will help students begin to conceptualize how a multi-media, interactive on-line environment changes the dynamics of news storytelling. Students will learn how to integrate text, images, sound and video into cohesive, compelling and comprehensive news packages. Students will learn how to use converging media to enhance reporting. This is an advanced reporting course, and students will be expected to produce work consistently approaching professional quality. Prerequisites: JOUR 1030 and INTM 1600.

JOUR 2850 Radio-TV News Reporting (3)

Students learn how broadcast news is gathered, prepared, and reported. The course assignments emphasize procedures and strategies involved in covering events, interview skills and techniques, working with sources, and the operation of the newsroom. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisites: JOUR 1020 or JOUR 1030, or permission of the instructor.

JOUR 3030 Entrepreneurial Journalism (2)

Digital and social media have changed how journalists do their work. In fact, jobs exist in the profession today that weren't conceptualized even five years ago. Many journalists are working outside of traditional newsroom settings. This course will enable students to adapt to news environments that will continue to evolve throughout one's career. This course will emphasize maximizing freelance writing and editing opportunities, creating and sustaining a media business and book publishing. By semester's end, students will create either a business plan or a book proposal. Co-requisite: journalism majors must be concurrently enrolled in JOUR 3031. 

JOUR 3031 Entrepreneurial Journalism Lab (2)

Digital and social media have changed how journalists do their work. In fact, jobs exist in the profession today that weren't conceptualized even five years ago. Many journalists are working outside of traditional newsroom settings. This course will enable students to adapt to news environments that will continue to evolve throughout one's career. This course will emphasize maximizing freelance writing and editing opportunities, creating and sustaining a media business and book publishing. By semester's end, students will create either a business plan or a book proposal. In the lab section, which will take place in News Collaboratory, students will produce and publish two in-depth reporting projects, applying the creative strategies learned in JOUR 3000. We will be in News Collaboratory every Monday and Wednesday this semester from noon to 12:50. You also will be responsible for holding weekly office hours where you will be editing the work of students from other classes during their general assignment shifts. Co-requisite: Journalism majors must be concurrently enrolled in JOUR 3030. 

JOUR 3050 Sports Reporting (3)

Students learn the principles, strategies, and techniques involved in sports reporting by analyzing a variety of sports styles and approaches and producing sports articles throughout the course. Prerequisite: JOUR 1030 or permission of the instructor.

JOUR 3060 Community Reporting (3)

Students learn and apply the concepts of local reporting of city government, police, fire, schools, and special business districts. Students are assigned community "beats" and are expected to report regularly with stories in their assigned areas. Prerequisite: JOUR 2140.

JOUR 3080 Global Journalism (3)

Students learn strategies and techniques used by the United States and across the globe in the management of domestic and international news. Students listen to and evaluate broadcasts from world capitals, including Moscow, London, Tokyo and Beijing. Students also do content analysis of international newspapers and news websites from all continents. Students learn the different philosophies of freedom of the press operating in international and American news media. May be repeated for credit if taken at an international campus.

JOUR 3130 Feature Writing (3)

Students learn the longer feature and the interpretative or specialized newspaper or magazine article writing style. Student-written articles from class assignments are submitted for publication on a free-lance basis. Prerequisite: JOUR 2140 or permission of the instructor.

JOUR 3150 Topics in Modern Media (1-3)

This course provides the latitude to feature topics in media and journalism not covered by regularly offered courses. May be repeated for credit if content differs. Prerequisite: May vary with the topic.

JOUR 3190 Topics in International Journalism (3)

This course focuses on a particular facet of international media. Content may vary from semester to semester. For example, it may focus on the British Media System and History one semester, while focusing on Press Freedom from Lenin to Yeltsin in another. Prerequisite: JOUR 3080 or permission of the instructor.

JOUR 3220 Presentation of TV News (3)

Students learn the presentation of television news, including stand-up reporting, anchoring, and on-camera interviewing. Extensive use of video allows participants to be critiqued and individual progress to be monitored in all physical aspects of TV news delivery. Prerequisites: JOUR 1830, FTVP 1000 and JOUR 2850.

JOUR 3300 Newspaper Production Workshop (2-4)

The course forms the center of the journalism curriculum. In it students learn to apply the journalistic theories, principles, and techniques they have learned in the classroom to newspaper production. Theories of journalism are tested and refined by the everyday practice of getting out the campus newspaper.

Students meet several times during the week to gain firsthand experience in developing the skills necessary to produce a readable and attractive publication. Students are required to work a minimum of five hours per week on production of the campus newspaper. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: JOUR 2140, JOUR 2170, JOUR 2300, or permission of the instructor.

JOUR 3580 Radio News Reporting and Production (3)

Students apply principles and techniques of radio broadcast journalism in a production setting. Students write, report, edit, and present newscasts and public affairs programs on the Webster University radio station. Students learn to apply broadcast journalism theories within this laboratory setting. Lab time is required at a radio station. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: JOUR 2850.

JOUR 3599 Independent Study (Juniors or Seniors) (1-12)

Independent study involves research on a specialized subject or project, artistic work, or study of an interdisciplinary nature. In contrast to a practicum, the emphasis in an independent study is usually on individual pursuit of a specific content area. May be repeated for credit if content differs. Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and filing of official form.

JOUR 3600 Multimedia News Production (3)

Students apply principles and techniques of digital journalism in a production setting. Students write, report, edit and produce content on a Webster University digital news site. Students learn to apply digital journalism theories within this laboratory setting. Prerequisites: JOUR 3300 and JOUR 2110.

JOUR 3750 Environmental Journalism and Communications (3)

In this course students learn how journalists, advocacy group spokespersons, and public relations officials communicate on environmental issues. The course provides future environmental reporters with a sensitivity to the language of hazard and risk, as well as technical and quantitative knowledge about environmental issues. For future public information professionals involved with environmental issues, the course will provide insight on how the media reports on the environment. This is a writing course, and students can be expected to research and write on an array of local and national environmental concerns. Prerequisites: JOUR 1030, sophomore standing, SCIN 1520, or permission of the instructor.

JOUR 4030 News Collaboratory Project (3)

Students enrolled in the Project class will be responsible for overseeing an in-depth news reporting project. Before finals week of the preceding semester, students will need to submit a project proposal to the News Collaboratory instructor. Prerequisite: JOUR 2140/2141, JOUR 2170/2171, JOUR 3030/3031. 

JOUR 4170 Investigative Journalism (3)

In this course, the advanced journalism student learns the specialized techniques of seeking out hidden, untapped news sources, and interpreting specialized data and information. Students learn the skills of investigative reporting in the beat areas of the environment, medicine, business, consumer issues, politics, elections, crime, and more. Students study major practitioners of investigative journalism, from Ida Tarbell and Upton Sinclair to Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Prerequisite: JOUR 2140 or permission of the instructor.

JOUR 4380 Magazine Journalism (3)

Students learn the elements of magazine journalism, including research, interviewing, structure, formats, feature writing, and style. The class is conducted as a workshop, with students producing articles and critiquing the work of their peers. Prerequisite: JOUR 3300 or permission of the instructor.

JOUR 4390 Magazine Production (3)

This course will provide the principles and techniques of producing a student magazine, including writing, editing, photography and other artwork, as well as working with a printer for production. The students in the class assume responsibility for production of the magazine under the supervision of a faculty advisor. May be repeated for credit.

JOUR 4500 Media Criticism for Publication (3)

Students learn to research and write media analysis within a journalism format. Students learn about the techniques of writing media literacy analysis designed for popular consumption in newspapers, magazines, and online publications. Students analyze the content of news and entertainment media and prepare articles based on this research for publication. Prerequisite: JOUR 3130, MEDC 3190, MEDC 5460 for graduate students or permission of instructor.

JOUR 4610 Readings in Journalism (1-6)

May be repeated for credit if content differs. Prerequisites: Usually junior/senior standing, permission of the instructor and filing of official form.

JOUR 4620 Senior Overview (3-6)

Provides an opportunity for seniors to demonstrate their proficiency in a selected area of journalism. The student assumes responsibility for the production of a writing/research project under the direction of a faculty member. Projects may include an investigative article, a story series, or a thesis. Prerequisites: Senior standing, acceptance into the major through portfolio review, permission of the instructor and filing of official form.

JOUR 4700 Professional Development in Journalism (3)

Students learn the various careers available in the field of journalism and apply this knowledge to their personal portfolio development and presentation; attend appropriate journalistic professional organizations; improve their interviewing skills; and prepare their résumés. Prerequisites: Journalism major and senior standing.