Duluth campus

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Duluth Campus

Journalism Minor

Communication
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Program Type: Undergraduate minor related to major
  • Requirements for this program are current for Fall 2025
  • Required credits in this minor: 15
In an ever-changing media environment, this minor exposes students to a toolbox of skills and a critical study of mass media. Students are allowed to choose electives in the program that will further complement their area of study.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
  • via classroom (the majority of instruction is face-to-face)
Minor Requirements
Core (12 cr)
JOUR 2001 - Introduction to Journalism (3.0 cr)
JOUR 2101 - Journalist's Toolbox (3.0 cr)
JOUR 2300 - Visual Journalism (3.0 cr)
JOUR 3700 - Media Law and Ethics (3.0 cr)
Electives (3 cr)
Take 1 or more course(s) from the following:
· JOUR 2400 - Community and Journalism [GLOBAL PER] (3.0 cr)
· JOUR 2501 - History of American Media (3.0 cr)
· JOUR 3001 - Local Journalism (3.0 cr)
· JOUR 3095 - Special Topics: Journalism Inquiry (theory) (Titles to be assigned). (3.0 cr)
· JOUR 3195 - Special Topics: Journalism Craft (skills) (Titles to be Assigned) (3.0 cr)
· JOUR 3401 - Digital Storytelling (4.0 cr)
· JOUR 3501 - Audio Stories for Podcasts and Radio (3.0 cr)
· JOUR 3555 - Data Journalism (3.0 cr)
· JOUR 4001 - Specialized Reporting: Narrative Nonfiction (3.0 cr)
· JOUR 4021 - Outdoor and Environmental Journalism (3.0 cr)
· JOUR 4102 - Newsroom Practicum (3.0 cr)
· JOUR 4200 - Social Media in the Digital Age: From Pictographs to Pixels (3.0 cr)
· JOUR 2xxx - 4xxx
· Optional Experience (consent required)
Take 0 - 3 credit(s) from the following:
· JOUR 3991 - Independent Study (1.0-3.0 cr)
· JOUR 4197 - Journalism Internship (1.0-3.0 cr)
 
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· Journalism Minor
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JOUR 2001 - Introduction to Journalism
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Gateway course for journalism. Draws on a craft-based, digital-first approach to introduce students to fundamentals used by all journalists: information gathering, audience engagement, writing stories, basic news practices and ethics, news style, structure and readability, and interviewing techniques. Students also analyze various styles of journalism and talk about core theoretical concepts behind journalism and mass communication.
JOUR 2101 - Journalist's Toolbox
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Exposes students to the always-changing tools that can be used in journalistic storytelling. The course is designed for students interested in using these journalistic tools in myriad disciplines: journalism, public relations, marketing, design and various communication-related disciplines. prereq: 2001, WRIT 1120; credit will not be granted if already received for 3101
JOUR 2300 - Visual Journalism
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
This course is an introduction to visual journalism and other forms of visual media. Class covers the basics of photojournalism, visual persuasion, visual literary and ethical image-making. Course also covers the basics of data visualization and other visual displays of information.
JOUR 3700 - Media Law and Ethics
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall, Spring & Summer
Examines laws, regulations and major court decisions that affect journalists and news organizations. Topics include First Amendment principles of press freedom, libel, invasion of privacy, prior restraint, access to information, and the regulation of electronic media content. prereq: Writ 1120
JOUR 2400 - Community and Journalism (GLOBAL PER)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: JOUR 2400/FORS 2400
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall, Spring & Summer
Examines the role of journalism in defining communities. Exposure to various concepts of community and the role journalism has in defining these communities on both a local and global scale. Analyze a specific case study of one community journalism entity, and explore the ramifications of technology on the transformation of community. (Course may be offered as a short-term study abroad program.)
JOUR 2501 - History of American Media
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Explores the social and cultural history of journalism in the United States. Explore examples of journalism in various forms and critiques of journalism from time periods and study key moments in journalism history. Examines the practice of journalism, its core values, and how these have changed over time. Explores how technological, social and economic change shape journalism.
JOUR 3001 - Local Journalism
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Skills-based that builds on JOUR 2001. Write publishable news stories based on field work and interviews. Emphasis on fully-developed, multi-source news stories that are fair and complete. Expand interview and research skills, and become familiar with the wide range of information available in public documents. prereq: 2001
JOUR 3095 - Special Topics: Journalism Inquiry (theory) (Titles to be assigned).
Credits: 3.0 [max 12.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Topics not included in regular curriculum. Courses will focus on theory and critical inquiry course relevant to the study of journalism and mass communication. New topics will be proposed through the required procedure but could include journalism in the digital media age, the impact of social media on journalism, citizen journalism, etc.
JOUR 3195 - Special Topics: Journalism Craft (skills) (Titles to be Assigned)
Credits: 3.0 [max 12.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Topics not included in regular curriculum. Courses will focus on skills and craft courses relevant to the production of journalism and media content. New topics will be proposed through the required procedure but could include journalism advance digital storytelling, magazine writing, podcast production, etc.
JOUR 3401 - Digital Storytelling
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Produce various forms of digital news stories drawing on photography, audio, video and other digital forms of storytelling. Learn the style differences between writing electronic news scripts and writing for print. Learn basic field recording techniques and production skills for audio and video. prereq: 2001
JOUR 3501 - Audio Stories for Podcasts and Radio
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
This course teaches students how to record audio interviews and natural sound and assemble professional-quality audio stories. Students will learn how to use audio recording field gear and digital audio editing software. They will learn how to write for the ear. They will critique professional audio productions and produce their own multi-layer documentary-style audio projects, suitable for use on radio, podcasts, or in multimedia installations online or in real world settings. They will learn how podcasts and other audio productions fit into the current digital information landscape. pre-req: JOUR 2001
JOUR 3555 - Data Journalism
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Discover the stories hiding in the numbers. Learn the basic techniques of computer-assisted reporting, data practices laws, using government documents, business reports, and statistical methods. Introduces the basics in creating graphs, charts and other forms of data visualization. prereq: JOUR 2001
JOUR 4001 - Specialized Reporting: Narrative Nonfiction
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Survey of different styles of narrative nonfiction writing including science writing, food and agricultural journalism, travel writing and other specialized forms of journalism. Read and critique examples. Produce work in an area of specialization. prereq: 2001; no grad credit
JOUR 4021 - Outdoor and Environmental Journalism
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Spring
Covers the basics of outdoor and environmental journalism as it pertains to newspapers, magazine, television and online. Read and critique examples and produce work in this genre.
JOUR 4102 - Newsroom Practicum
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Jour 4102/Jour 5102
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Experience in a working newsroom. Apply skills from other journalism classes to plan, produce and manage an online news publication. Basic principles as well as practical skills with advanced computer programs. Includes editing, managing and reporting, as well as the discussion of both journalism and leadership issues. Advance theory and practice in news selection, preparation, and display for newspaper, magazine, broadcast and photojournalism media. Emphasis on the ethical and professional responsibility of the journalist. prereq: 2001; no grad credit
JOUR 4200 - Social Media in the Digital Age: From Pictographs to Pixels
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Periodic Spring
This course introduces students to social, political, historical, and economic aspects of social media in everyday life. Through both hands-on and analytical activities, students will explore and discover the evoluation of social media and apply best practices to using and engaging with social media. Students will study new and use social media tools, such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit to source, create, verify and share news and information. Understanding social media as both an innovation and a disruption, students will learn how emerging and evolving practices impact and shape their personal and professional identity.
JOUR 3991 - Independent Study
Credits: 1.0 -3.0 [max 5.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Directed reading and research in journalism. prereq: 2001, instructor consent
JOUR 4197 - Journalism Internship
Credits: 1.0 -3.0 [max 6.0]
Course Equivalencies: Jour 4197/Jour 5197
Grading Basis: S-N only
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Supervised professional experience as a working staff member with a newspaper, magazine, broadcast station or other communications organization. prereq: 2001, 3700, minimum 60 credits, instructor consent, no grad credit