E. W. Scripps School of Journalism
Daniel Riffe, Director
Eddith Dashiell, Assistant Director
Patrick Washburn, Assistant Director
The E. W. Scripps School of Journalism is fully accredited, with undergraduate sequences in advertising, broadcast news, news writing and editing, magazine journalism, and public relations.
The journalism school is recognized nationally and by the Ohio Board of Regents for the quality of its more than 200 annual graduates who move into professional careers on leading newspapers, magazines, and news-gathering organizations, as well as into advertising and public relations positions. Careers take them to all parts of the world.
Bachelor of Science in Journalism
Ohio University's E. W. Scripps School of Journalism is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in journalism and mass communication. It is one of a limited number of accredited schools and departments of journalism in the United States.Mission Statement
The E. W. Scripps School of Journalism is dedicated to the needs of its students; to excellence in teaching, advising, service, and research; and to leadership in journalism education. The school stresses the need for a liberal arts foundation combined with a professional education and practical experience for its students. The goals are to search for truth; to develop critical analysis, thinking, writing, and speaking abilities; and to enhance free, responsible, and effective expression of ideas.To that end, the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism:
- stresses the importance of the First Amendment;
- fosters the highest standards of journalism ethics;
- prepares students to enter the journalism professions;
- provides a liaison between students and professionals;
- involves students and faculty in an extended university;
- values an international presence and perspective;
- attracts, nurtures, and retains a diverse group of outstanding students;
- expands scholarly activity to enhance the body of knowledge within journalism;
- supports a diverse faculty offering an array of contributions;
- offers an environment that equips students to live in a diverse world; and
- upholds the university mission of commitment to educational excellence through focus on the individual student.
Journalism today is a profession - like medicine, law, teaching, or engineering. It requires its practitioners to be educated culturally and trained professionally. Blending the liberal arts with professional courses, Ohio University journalism students take approximately three-fourths of their courses outside the professional school.
Five sequences are offered, all leading to the Bachelor of Science in Journalism degree: advertising, magazine journalism, news writing and editing, public relations, and broadcast news.
While there is overlap between journalism and telecommunications in broadcast news career preparation, students interested in being news writers, reporters, and anchors should enroll in the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism, and students interested in studio and field production should enroll in the School of Telecommunications.
While working toward their degree, students may serve on the staff of the Athens Messenger, an independently owned daily newspaper. Four editors are faculty members of the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism. The student staff members of the Athens Messengergather and write news, edit local and wire copy, write headlines, and prepare copy and layouts. This training prepares students to enter the profession immediately after graduation.
Practical experience also is available on a laboratory magazine, Southeast Ohio, and in graphics and advertising laboratories. Many students add to their experience by helping edit the Post, the independent daily campus newspaper; the Athena, the university yearbook; or The Ohio Journalist, the school's alumni publication.
In broadcast news, students get practical experience in preparing and broadcasting news over WOUB-AM/FM/TV, the university's radio and television stations, and over ACTV-7, the local cable television system channel.
Advertising and public relations students gain practical experience through internships with agencies, corporations, hospitals, charitable groups, newspapers, magazines, and broadcast stations. Students comprise the advertising staff of Southeast Ohio magazine and serve in public relations capacities with university and community organizations.
Admission Requirements
The E. W. Scripps School of Journalism admits only the best academically and professionally qualified students who normally rank in the top 15 percent of their high school class and meet minimum standardized test score requirements. Students with a lower class ranking will be considered if they have outstanding SAT or ACT scores. Students demonstrating notable talent or experience and members of historically underrepresented groups will be given special consideration.Transfer Students
The following policy has been established by the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism as a means of selecting the best qualified students for the program. The academic quality of the curriculum depends in part on maintaining enrollment at a number that may be effectively served by our faculty. The school is dedicated to top-quality instruction, and this policy is one means through which that goal is achieved.- Approximately 40 transfer students will be accepted annually into the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism.
- Transfer students from within or outside Ohio University will be considered only when they have at least 48 quarter hours (32 semester hours) with a minimum 2.5 g.p.a.
- In addition to grades, consideration will be given to test scores, journalism grades, journalism background in a program offered by the school (professional, college, or high school), letters of recommendation, and personal statements of intent.
- Transfer applications will be considered for admission only in the fall quarter.
- You may apply for transfer only through use of the school's Application for Transfer form, obtained by writing to the admissions committee.
- Official transcripts, letters, and other supporting documents must be attached to the Application for Transfer at the time of its submission.
- Evaluations will be conducted and decisions made by a special faculty committee.
- Your application for transfer should be received by the School of Journalism no later than the closing date of the winter quarter. At this time, you may be granted provisional admittance if you will have achieved the required 48 quarter hours by the time of fall quarter admission.
Internship Program
Consistent with its policy of combining classwork with practical training, the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism offers an internship program to qualified students. Many of these internships are developed by students. The period of internship typically is 10 weeks. Interns are provided with as varied hands-on experience in media-related organizations as possible and may be paid. Internship opportunities are located throughout the nation and abroad.Curricula and Requirements
The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication includes among its accrediting standards the following provision: generally, three-fourths of the student's program should consist of courses in the liberal arts and sciences and one-fourth in professional courses in journalism.Journalism students at Ohio University meet the above provision largely by fulfilling two sets of requirements: general and specialization area requirements. The first of these provides for a liberal arts and sciences core for all students, as follows:
Political Science (2 qtrs)
Sociology and/or Anthropology (2 qtrs)
Economics (2 qtrs)
Psychology (1 qtr) (except PSY 120)
History (2 qtrs)
English (2 qtrs) (one from approved school list)
Statistics (1 qtr) (from approved school list)
Philosophy (2 qtrs) (one must be PHIL 120 or 320)
Foreign Language (3 qtrs basic sequence or 1 qtr advanced) or Natural Science (3 qtrs as approved by advisor)
Comparative Arts/Fine Arts (nonperformance courses) (2 qtrs) or African American and/or Women's Studies (2 qtrs)
Speech (1 qtr) INCO 103
Computer Science (1 qtr) CS 120 To this liberal base, which should be the focus of the freshman year, students add courses in a desired area of specialization. This requirement may be filled by completing any one of four options:
- A minimum of 36 hours in a single department within the College of Arts and Sciences (usually structured in accordance with the major requirements of the selected department).
- A minimum of 18 approved hours in each of two departments in Arts and Sciences.
- A minimum of 18 approved hours in one Arts and Sciences department and 18 advisor-approved hours in any other series of related courses.
- A minimum of 20 approved hours in one Arts and Sciences department and 16 advisor-approved hours in any other series of related courses.
Additional nonjournalism courses are required in some sequences. No course may be counted in more than one type of requirement. For example, a course used to meet a general requirement may not be applied to a sequence or specialization area requirement as well.
To assure the liberal emphasis of the overall program, the professional content of the B.S.J. is limited to one-fourth of the 192 hours required for the degree. Credits for all courses in journalism, telecommunications, photography, and visual communication should total at least 45 hours and not more than 55 hours. All professional hours beyond 55 must be compensated for by nonprofessional hours over the required 192-hour total. Nonjournalism courses that are required in sequences are not to be counted as part of the 45-55 total professional hours.
Standards
- To qualify for admission to JOUR 231, you must achieve at least 25 words per minute on a typing examination. This exam is administered on the first day of the JOUR 231 class.
- To remain active in the B.S.J. program, you must earn at least a C in all core courses.
- No core course may be taken more than twice.
Journalism Sequences
All journalism majors complete a basic 22-hour core of six courses: JOUR 133 Precision Language for Journalists (unless waived) (4); JOUR 221 Graphics (5); JOUR 231 News Writing (4); JOUR 233 Information Gathering (3); JOUR 411 Newspaper and Communications Law (3); and JOUR 412 Ethics, Mass Media, and Society (3). A grade of C or better is required in all core courses.JOUR 105 Introduction to Mass Communication, a freshman course, is optional.
Additional requirements for the various sequences are as follows:
Advertising Management
Major code BJ6932
JOUR 250 Advertising Principles 4 JOUR 321 Print Advert. and Layout 4 JOUR 323 Print Advertising Prac.or approved internship 2 JOUR 375 Advert. Media Planning and Buying 4 JOUR 450 Advert. Copy Writing 3 JOUR 482 R-TV Advert. and Mgt. 4 JOUR 486 Advertising Campaigns 5 MKT 301 Marketing Principles 4 Journalism electives to make 45-55 hours
Broadcast News
Major code BJ6936
JOUR 350 Radio Broadcast News 4 JOUR 352 TV Broadcast News 4 JOUR 353 Broadcast News Prac. or approved internship 2 JOUR 452 Broadcast News Production 4 JOUR 455 Seminar in Broadcast News 3 JOUR 458 TV News Practice 4 JOUR 459 Advanced TV News Practice 3 JOUR 464 Reporting Public Affairs 3 Journalism electives to make 45-55 hours
Magazine Journalism
Major code BJ6933
JOUR 430 Mag. Editing and Prod. 4 JOUR 431 Mag. Practice 3 JOUR 441 Mag. Feature Writing 4
Select two of the following:
JOUR 331 Contemporary Issues 3 JOUR 350 Radio Broadcast News 4 JOUR 363 Review and Criticism 3 JOUR 441 Mag. Feature Writing 4 (second time with different instructor) JOUR 442 Adv. Feature Writing 3 JOUR 450 Copywriting 3 JOUR 464 Reporting Public Affairs 3
Select one of the following:
JOUR 235 Picture Editing 3 JOUR 333 News Editing 4 JOUR 407 Electronic Publishing 4 JOUR 432 Specialized Bus. Mags. 3 JOUR 443 Advanced Mag. Editing 3 JOUR 483 Mag. Pub. and Mgt. 3 Journalism electives
News Writing and Editing
Major code BJ6934
JOUR 311 Hist. of Am. Journalism 4 JOUR 331 Reporting Contemp. Issues 3 JOUR 333 News Editing 4 JOUR 332 Reporting Practicum 2 and JOUR 334 Editing Practicum 2 or approved internship JOUR 464 Reporting Public Affairs 3
Select two of the following:
JOUR 350 Radio Broadcast News 4 JOUR 363 Review and Criticism 3 JOUR 441J Mag. Feature Writing 4 JOUR 442 Adv. Mag. Feature Writing 3 JOUR 465 Editorial Page 3 JOUR 468 Column Writing 3 JOUR 470 Sportswriting 3 Journalism electives to make 45-55 hours
Public Relations
Major code BJ6935
JOUR 270 Intro to Public Relations 3 JOUR 332 Reporting Prac. 2 or approved internship JOUR 333 News Editing 4 JOUR 370 Media Relations and Publicity 4 JOUR 471 PR Principles 4 JOUR 472 Advanced PR 4
Select two of the following:
JOUR 331 Reporting Contemp. Issues 3 JOUR 350 Radio Broadcast News 4 JOUR 430 Mag. Editing and Prod. 4 JOUR 441J Mag. Feature Writing 4 JOUR 450 Advert. Copy Writing 3
Select one course from:
SOC 210, 211, 412, 413, or 414 4 Journalism electives to make 45-55 hours
Carr Van Anda Program
If you are a junior with a 3.0 accumulative g.p.a. in journalism and a 2.5 accumulative g.p.a. in all work, you may elect a sequence making up your own program in journalism: the basic core of six courses plus your choice of journalism courses to equal 45-55 hours. The program must have the approval of your advisor and the director of the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism. Formal application is necessary.
University Publications and Computer Services revised this file ( https://www.ohio.edu/catalog/98-99/colleges/jour.htm
) June 8, 1999.
Please e-mail comments or suggestions to " ucat@www.ohiou.edu ."