Minor in Journalism and Strategic Media

The School of Journalism and Strategic Media in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences offers a minor that can complement almost any major, increasing the value of students as potential employees.

In addition to serving as a minor for another major field, this minor is also a part of the university’s Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degree, which is offered both 100 percent online and 100 percent on campus.

The minor in journalism and strategic media can provide you with valuable skills to help you express yourself logically and clearly, and it provides knowledge about the processes that bring news and persuasive messages to print, broadcast and digital outlets.

 

Valuable Skills

Journalism student learning online

The minor in journalism and strategic media acquaints you with the history, practice, theory and ethics of the journalism field. It will help you secure specialized knowledge regarding media and society, the fundamentals of news reporting, journalistic ethics, media technology and media law.

For those entering fields in which employees spread informational messages, the media literacy learned through this minor offers you an advantage in the commercial or nonprofit workplace. For example, a minor in journalism and strategic media can help students develop skills in effective communication systems necessary for customer service and support.

By combining this minor with business and communications coursework, students can prepare themselves for careers that involve marketing and media relations. Students interested in event promotion and planning can also greatly benefit from a minor in journalism and strategic media. Civil service and diversity are two more areas of interest that align well with this minor.

Although the minor in journalism and strategic media does not prepare you to be a working journalist, it does offer a way to improve your skills for communicating with internal and external audiences. For those who hope to teach classes related to journalism, the minor provides a broad base of knowledge.

 

Courses for the Minor

Foundational Courses (12 hours)

Course Number Course Name
JOUR 1023 Media and Society
JOUR 1033 Media Writing
JOUR 2003 Storytelling for Today's Media
JOUR 3633
or JOUR 4333
Media Law 
or Ethics in Journalism

Additional Coursework: (6 hours) Select two of the following courses with at least one course numbered 3000-level or higher:

Course Number Course Name
JOUR 2053 Multimedia Journalism
JOUR 2063 Media Graphics and Technology
JOUR 3043 Performer in Mass Media
ADPR 3553 Advertising and Public Relations Strategies
ADPR 4483 Multiculturalism in Advertising and Public Relations

To display proficiency in grammar, spelling and punctuation, all students who major or minor in journalism must fulfill the School of Journalism and Strategic Media’s GSP requirement. Students can meet the requirement in one of two ways:  1) pass the GSP exam with a score of at least 75%; or 2) complete JOUR 1003 Journalistic Writing Skills with a grade of C or better. For more information about the GSP requirement, email gsp@uark.edu

 

About Our Program

The School of Journalism and Strategic Media in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences offers this program. The bachelor’s in journalism program was established in 1931 and is fully accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.

For more information about program requirements and enrollment, email Dave Bostwick at bostwick@uark.edu.