Ohio University
Graduate Catalog

Journalism

The E. W. Scripps School of Journalism offers a Master of Science degree and, in cooperation with the School of Telecommunications, the Doctor of Philosophy degree in mass communication .

Admission is based on your academic and professional background. To assist the School of Journalism in evaluating qualifications, you must submit your scores on the Graduate Record Examination, a resume, three letters of recommendation, official transcripts from all colleges attended, and a statement of 500 words or less about why you want to attend graduate school. International students from non-English speaking countries also are required to send in a TOEFL score. You need not have an undergraduate major in journalism.

Anyone seeking financial aid for the following academic year should apply as early as possible.

The master's program is designed to provide opportunities to study professional journalism or prepare for further academic work. Required coursework in both areas is a blend of professionally oriented classes with mass communication principles, theory, and research.

The flexibility of the program allows professionally oriented students to specialize in newspaper, magazine, or broadcast journalism; public relations; advertising; or visual communication. The master's program requires 49 hours and usually involves 15-18 months for completion. Required courses are as follows:

Master's Degree Core: JOUR 501, 511, 512, 803, and 806.
Advanced Research (choose one): JOUR 808, 811, 816, 821, or 830.
Topics Seminar (choose one): JOUR 635, 812, 814, 815, 850, 866, or 871.
Research (choose one): A thesis, for six hours' credit, involving a carefully designed research project conducted in the traditional academic format, or a professional project of publishable quality.

In addition, you are required to take undergraduate reporting, editing, and graphics if you have not previously taken such courses. Graduate credit will not be earned for these classes.

Some required classes may be waived if you present evidence that you have completed equivalent coursework or have equivalent professional experience. If required classes are waived, other graduate classes must be taken to make up the number of hours.

You are required to maintain an accumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0. Only graduate credits with a grade of B- or above will count toward a degree.

Faculty

Journalism (JOUR) Courses

501 Introduction to Graduate Study (1)
Required of all new graduate students.
Washburn; F; Y.

507 Electronic Publishing (4)
Prereq: 221, 231. Introduction to the production, design, and techniques of electronic publishing using a journalistic approach. Explores many software packages for electronic publishing using Macintosh computers and provides experiences to develop a thorough knowledge of electronic publishing.
Pittman; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

511 Newspaper and Communication Law (3)
Principles and case studies in communication law, constitutional guarantees, libel, privacy, contempt, privilege, copyright, and government regulatory agencies.
Evarts, Stempel; W, Su; Y.

512 Ethics, Mass Media, and Society (3)
Ethics and social responsibility of journalists or other mass communicators. Professional codes, responsibility of media for social change, reaction to political and economic pressures.
Bugeja, Haggerty, Lambert; F, Su; Y.

521 Graphic Production Processes (5)
Advanced study of all processes for reproducing printed communication. Theory and lab.
Hodges; D.

522 Advertising Production (4)
Techniques and problems in methods of advertising production.
Richardson; F.

524 Direct Response Advertising (3)
Introduction to the scope of direct marketing and direct response media, including direct mail, broadcast and print advertising, catalogs, co-ops, telemarketing, inserts, and video cassettes.
Staff; D.

525 Photojournalism (3)
Basic principles and practices of photojournalism for newspapers, magazines, and television. Students shoot, process, and print pictures on assignment.
Staff; D.

526 Advanced Photojournalism (3)
Prereq: 525. Continuation of 525.
Staff; D.

530 Magazine Editing and Production (4)
Prereq: 221. Theory of magazine editing, production, and publishing with lectures on various types of magazines available today and analysis of audiences they serve. Formulas for publishing, editorial content, and article selection; illustration and layout; and technical procedures including sales. Each student will prepare a dummy magazine of his or her own design.
Bernt, Bugeja, Hodges, Westfall; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

531 Magazine Editing and Production Practice (3)
Prereq: 430 or 530. Practice course where students apply their knowledge to production of quarterly magazine done regularly by School of Journalism. Each student assigned specific position on magazine.
Bernt, Westfall; F, W, Sp; Y.

532 Specialized Business Magazines (3)
Prereq: 531. Career opportunities in magazine journalism revealed by in-depth studies of professional, business, and industrial magazines. Course considers publishing problems through case studies.
Bernt; F; Y.

535 Picture Editing (3)
Principles and practices of picture editing. Includes consideration of picture sources, assignment, and handling; photographic techniques and aesthetics; legal and ethical factors; visual idiosyncrasies of various media.
Staff; D.

536 Advanced Picture Editing (3)
Prereq: 535. Continuation of 535.
Staff; W, Sp; Y.

541 Magazine Feature Writing (4)
Writing and marketing factual magazine feature articles of various types. Finding subjects, researching, writing articles, and surveying markets.
Bugeja, Westfall; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

542 Advanced Magazine Feature Writing (3)
Writing and marketing magazine articles. Emphasis on specialized markets and new trends in industry. Students attempt actual assignments for magazines nationwide.
Bugeja, Haggerty, Westfall; W, Sp, Su; Y.

543 Advanced Magazine Editing (3)
Prereq: 531. Students edit real manuscripts, from the how-to to personal narratives. They learn to recognize weaknesses, devise solutions, and interact with writers. Ethical dilemmas posed by more experimental forms of magazine journalism also are covered.
Staff; Sp; Y.

550 Advertising Copy Writing (3)
Effective persuasion in print and broadcasting.
Helitzer, Peters, Richardson; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

552 TV Newsfilm Production and Editing (3)
Principles and practices of TV newsfilm production and editing.
Staff; F, W, Sp; Y.

555 Seminar in Broadcast News (3)
Discussion of problems--operational, social, economic, legal, and ethical--faced by broadcasters reporting public affairs.
Dashiell, Levin, Stewart; F, W, Sp; Y.

558 TV News Practice (4)
Prereq: 552. Practicum in preparation and presentation of TV newscast. Students select news material including video, format, and script for newscast, then deliver on air. Students rotate through various newsroom positions during quarter.
Stewart; F, W, Sp; Y.

559 Advanced TV News Practice (3)
Prereq: 552, 558. Advanced practicum in preparation and presentation of TV newscast. Students involved in selecting, editing, scripting, and formatting for on-air newscasts. Students also appear on air and assume management responsibilities.
Stewart; F, W, Sp; Y.

561 Specialized Journalism (3)
Seminar approach to individual study of journalistic areas of special interest to individual students.
Staff; D.

564 Reporting of Public Affairs (3)
Problems of preparing in-depth, interpretative, and analytical reports on public affairs for mass media, governmental reporting, and contemporary controversial issues.
Greenwald, Hodson, Izard; F, W, Sp; Y.

565 The Editorial Page (3)
Editorial page in opinion information. Problems of content selection and presentation. Extensive writing of analytical and persuasive editorials and interpretative articles in depth.
Evarts, Lambert; F, W; Y.

566 International Mass Media (4)
Development and operations of world mass communication channels and agencies. Comparative analysis of media, media practices, and flow of news throughout world. Relation of communication practices to international affairs and understanding.
Cooper, Kliesch; F; Y.

567 Foreign Correspondence (4)
Prereq: 231. Graduate course in advanced international reporting for those who have lower-level reporting classes or experience. Students write reports of U.S. for newspapers abroad. Selected students eligible for internships abroad.
Cooper; F, W; Y.

568 Column Writing (3)
The study of newspaper columnists, past and present, with extensive writing of various kinds of columns.
Lambert; Sp; Y.

570 Sportswriting (3)
A look at sports writing from lead to 30--the good, the bad, and the ugly of life in a sports press box. Course builds on newswriting and editing skills. Offers advice on the art of sportswriting and assignments to practice the art by covering live events.
Staff; F; Y.

571 Public Relations Principles (4)
Public relations planning and techniques; selected communication studies and theories. Polling, defining objectives, and analysis of public relations messages.
Sloan; F, W; Y.

572 Advanced Public Relations (4)
Planning public relations programs and projects, including selection of audiences, messages and media, and evaluation of effects. Project in area of student's interest.
Helitzer; W, Sp; Y.

581 Print Media Management (3)
Problems in publishing affecting all departments.
Staff; D.

582 Broadcast Advertising and Management (4)
Peters, Reese; F, Sp; Y.

583 Magazine Publishing and Management (3)
Prereq: 530. An introduction for editors to the topics of audience, circulation, industry, trends, reposition, and launching of magazines. History of the rise and fall of publishing empires, including the financial, legal, and ethical realities that shaped them.
Staff; D.

584 Supervising School and College Publications (4)
Conference course for advisors of high school and college newspapers, magazines, and yearbooks. Problems relating to staff selection, content of publications, copy, layout, photography, printing, advertising, and business phases.
Staff; D.

585 Journalism in the Secondary School Curriculum (4)
Prereq: 9 hrs journalism. Intensive study and analysis of appropriate content for high school journalism courses. Planning course outlines and curricula.
Staff; D.

586 Advertising Campaigns (5)
Thorough understanding of basic elements of advertising campaigns. Includes creation of campaign.
Helitzer, Peters, Reese; F, W, Sp; Y.

601A Graphics of Communication (5)
Creative and practical aspects of typography, layout, and design of printed communication. Does not count toward M.S. or Ph.D.
Hodges, Pittman; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

601B News Reporting (4)
Prereq: typing proficiency and English proficiency exam. Methods of gathering and evaluating news and writing typical news stories. Practice work in covering assignments and preparing copy. Does not count toward M.S. or Ph.D.
Haggerty, Lambert, Washburn; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

601C News Editing (4)
Prereq: B or better in 601B, English proficiency exam. Copyreading, headline writing, news selection, and layout of newspages. Does not count toward M.S. or Ph.D.
Evarts, Stempel; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

601D Advertising Principles (5)
Major factors in development of advertising programs. Does not count toward M.S. or Ph.D.
Helitzer, Peters, Richardson; F, W, Sp; Y.

601E Photojournalism (3)
Prereq: English proficiency exam or 601B. Basic principles and practices of photojournalism for newspapers, magazines, and television. Includes consideration of roles of photographers and picture editors in communication and their relationships with other members of editorial team and mechanical departments of publications. Students shoot, process, and print pictures on assignment. Does not count toward M.S. or Ph.D.
Staff; F, W, Sp; Y.

635 Seminar in Picture Editing (3)
Study of picture editing practices in newspapers, magazines, and television.
Staff; Sp; Y.

662 Graduate Internship (1-15)
Professional project for students not choosing to do a thesis.
Staff; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

665 Professional Project (1-15)
Professional project for students not choosing to do a thesis.
Staff; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

691 Research in Journalism and Communications (1-15)
Staff; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

695 Thesis (1-15)
Staff; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

790 Independent Study (1-4)
Prereq: written proposal. Student can pursue personal scholarly interests under faculty supervision.
Staff; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

792 Seminar (3-5)
Selected topics of current significance. May be repeated with different topics.
Staff; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

803 Seminar in Mass Communication Theory (5)
Communication process, interpersonal and mediated, and possible barriers to effectiveness. Review of literature on effects of mass communication on individuals and groups, contrasting channels, and message structures. Media as social and economic institutions.
Culbertson, Riffe; F, W; Y.

806 Research Methods (5)
Techniques for study of communication content, message sources, audiences, and effects.
Stempel; F; Y.

808 Legal Research (4)
Prereq: 511. The study of the legal literature relative to First Amendment, including that involving speech, the press, broadcast, and the broad area of social and political communication. Each student learns to use legal reporters and documents. Electronic searching and Shepardizing are taught. Field trips to Columbus are necessary. Each student prepares an extensive legal bibliography in a First Amendment area of interest.
Evarts; D.

811 Historical Research in Journalism (5)
Research in mass communication history, individual projects and readings, application of historiographic methods.
Washburn; W, Sp; Y.

812 Government and Mass Communication (4)
Communication and political order. Theory and structure of democratic and totalitarian communication systems, relationships between government and mass communication in modern world.
Evarts; D.

814 Literature in Journalism (4)
Directed reading and discussion in literature.
Stempel; Su; Y.

815 Seminar in Theory of Freedom of the Press (4)
Prereq: 511. Historical and philosophical development of concept of free expression and its relationship to development of Anglo-American system of information flow. Contrasting ideologies and their evolution. Implications of these theories in contemporary states.
Izard; D.

816 Seminar in Mass Media Research (5)
Prereq: 806. Students present research ideas to seminar, discuss progress and problems, report findings, and defend projects before group. Emphasis also on scaling and measurement, nonparametric statistics, research strategy, and nature and function of theory in mass communication research.
Riffe; Sp; Y.

821 Seminar in Content Analysis (4)
Methods of studying mass media content; individual projects and readings.
Bernt, Stempel; Sp; Y.

830 Magazine Research and Development (4)
Investigation into and seminar discussion of role of magazine in American society. Problems of magazine publishing, problems of magazine editing, and structure and nature of magazine industry in U.S. Major research project.
Staff; D.

850 Seminar in Advertising Copy (4)
Human information processing as it affects advertising copy.
Staff; D.

866 Seminar in International Mass Media (5)
Prereq: 566, 803. Directed research and reading applied to problems of international communication and comparative foreign journalism. Each student studies press of selected nations or areas in which he or she has special interest.
Cooper, Kliesch; W; Y.

871 Public Relations Problems and Programs (4)
Prereq: 571, 572. Overall planning and operation of public relations programs in government, industry, and educational and nonprofit organizations. Analysis and seminar discussion of problems and policies in such institutions. Case method used in conjunction with individual field studies conducted by class members.
Culbertson; W; Y.

895 Dissertation (1-15)
Staff; F, W, Sp, Su; Y.

Return to 1995-1997 Graduate Catalog Table of Contents

University Publications and the Computer Services Center revised this file ( https://www.ohio.edu/~gcat/95-97/areas/journalism.html ) April 13, 1998.

Please e-mail comments or suggestions to " gcat@www.cats.ohiou.edu ."