Journalism Program

THE PROGRAM IN JOURNALISM

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

A minimum of 32 Northwestern-provided or –accepted courses are required for graduation. Many students will want to take more and may do so by taking additional courses in semesters for which they are otherwise registered, but only with the consent of the senior associate dean. Of the minimum 32 courses, 21 must be in liberal arts classes and 11 in journalism.

COURSES IN JOURNALISM:

A minimum of 11 journalism courses are required of all graduates (the figures in parentheses indicate the year and semester during which the course is generally taken. Thus, 2/1 is a course taken in the first semester of the second year.)
• Introduction to 21st Century Media (1/1)
• Editing, Writing and Multimedia Storytelling (1/2)
• Visual Journalism (2/1)
• Enterprise Reporting in Diverse Communities (2/2)
• Storytelling: Interactive News (3-1)
• Journalism Residency Preparation*, taught in a five-week intensive course; and (3-2)
• Law and Ethics (also taught in a five-week intensive course) (3-2); followed by
• Journalism Residency (ten weeks of intensive full-time study, counts as two courses) (3-2)
• A minimum of two elective courses, chosen from such possible offerings as: Design; Photojournalism; Magazine Writing; Advanced Online Storytelling; Public Relations; Literary Journalism; or Special Topics in such areas as Business Journalism; Environmental Journalism; Energy Journalism; Health-Science Journalism; Reporting on Diaspora; Television’s Impact on Culture; Creative Non-Fiction; or Documentary TV or Radio.
* The content of the Journalism Residency Preparation depends upon the kind of residency the student is to pursue. As an example, a student who elects a broadcast residency will be given special training in television news presentation and production.

COURSES IN OTHER FIELDS:

In order to ensure that graduates of the program have pursued liberal arts studies preparing them to be informed journalists, 21 of the required 32 courses must be in subjects other than journalism. Those 21 courses must include the following distribution requirements. The concentration of five courses in one discipline ensures that graduates have a deep understanding of at least one field other than journalism. The five courses taken to fulfill the concentration may include courses taken to fulfill the other distribution requirements set forth below.
• A concentration of 5 courses (including three upper division courses) in one discipline (e.g. economics, political science, a natural science, philosophy, etc.)
• 2 Math/Science courses (one must be Statistics)
• 2 Political Science courses
• 1 Economics course (macro or micro)
• 2 History courses (treating two different eras/areas or topics.)
• 2 Literature courses (treating at least two different genres or literary traditions)
• 1 Philosophy or Religion course
• 1 Art or Art History (including, possibly, Acting, Art Appreciation or Music Appreciation)

JOURNALISM COURSES

Note: Some courses will be offered on an occasional basis

JOUR 101 – Introduction to Journalism
An overview of journalism fundamentals that explores how news is defined, reported, written and produced across print, broadcast and online media platforms in Qatar and around the world. (Offered only in Qatar and only to students in the Academic Bridge Program.)

JOUR 202 - Introduction to 21st Century Media
An exploration of the forces and issues that influence and shape journalism and the media, using history to illuminate current trends. Topics include: what is journalism? what outside forces influence changes in media and journalism? The relationship between journalism and community; media and audience trends; the business and economics of media; the purpose and role of journalism in a democratic society; and standards and ethics for journalists in any society.

JOUR 201 Reporting, Writing and Multimedia Storytelling
An introduction to the fundamentals of journalism necessary for any platform or storytelling format. Includes news and information gathering; story construction; using basic numbers and data to tell a story and assess information; editing and presentation; ethical issues while covering stories; and visual literacy. The course emphasizes drills and practice in basic reporting and writing, plus still photography, photo editing, audio recording, audio editing, audio slideshows, video shooting, video editing, video storytelling, Web page creation and design, and basic exposure to Flash.

JOUR 301 Enterprise Reporting in Diverse Communities
Advanced-skills course on in-depth multimedia reporting and storytelling. By getting to know a specific audience within a Doha neighborhood and experimenting with a variety of reporting and storytelling techniques, students produce cross-platform content for print, broadcast, and the Web. The course also provides training in reporting for and about diverse audiences. Prerequisites: JOUR 201 and sophomore standing.

JOUR 310 Media Presentation: Newspaper/Online
Essentials of newspaper editing and online production, including headlines, page layout and design, photo editing, information graphics, and appropriate electronic tools. Prerequisite: 301. Taken the same semester as the Journalism Residency JOUR 345.

JOUR 311 Media Presentation: Magazine
Fundamentals of editing magazine copy and graphics, with emphasis on precision, style, and structure for print and online products. Provides an overview of the magazine industry— both traditional and increasingly interactive — and the role of magazines in society. Prerequisite: JOUR 301. Taken the same semester as the Journalism Residency JOUR 355.

JOUR 312 Media Presentation: Videography and Broadcast
Writing and producing broadcasts for television, the Web, and alternative digital platforms (such as PDAs) using the appropriate computer and editing equipment, news wires, and video feeds. Emphasis on the editorial decision-making process. Prerequisite: JOUR 301. Taken the same semester as the Journalism Residency JOUR 365.

JOUR 320 Storytelling: Interactive News
The craft of digital storytelling, with emphasis on creating compelling packages for the Web and other digital platforms (such as PDAs) using a variety of narrative formats, interactive tools (such as Flash), and other digital content, including blogs, RSS feeds, and citizen journalism. Prerequisites: 301; 310, 311, or 312.

JOUR 321 Storytelling: Magazine and Feature Writing
The craft of magazine and feature writing, with emphasis on character, scene and theme development, story architecture, voice, alternative story forms, in-depth reporting, public service journalism, and marketing ideas for articles. Prerequisites: 301; 310, 311, or 312.

JOUR 322 Storytelling: Videography and Broadcast
The craft of audio-video storytelling for television and the Web, including practice in field reporting and producing packages ranging from one- to three-minute television news pieces to longer alternative audio-video formats for the web and other digital platforms. Prerequisite: 301; 310, 311, or 312.

JOUR 345 Journalism Residency in Newspaper/Online
(2 units) Hones reporting and newswriting skills through practical assignments, including multimedia opportunities whenever possible, under deadline pressure and close editorial supervision. Prerequisites: 310; 320, 321, or 322.

JOUR 355 Journalism Residency in Magazine
(2 units) Exploration of aspects of magazine writing and reporting. Practical assignments, including print and Web content whenever possible, in a magazine office with deadline pressure and close professional supervision. Prerequisites: 311; 320, 321, or 322.

JOUR 365 Journalism Residency in Broadcast
(2 units) Gathering television news in the field; writing scripts, readers, voiceovers, packages, and on-camera news for reporters and anchors. Practical assignments in a television newsroom under close professional supervision. Prerequisites: 312; 320, 321, or 322.

JOUR 368 Documentary
Formats used in audio and video documentary production, with emphasis on transforming a major research effort into a radio or broadcast program or a multipart series. Prerequisites: 361 and junior standing.

JOUR 370 Media Law and Ethics
The legal and ethical framework defining media freedoms and constraints around the world, including copyright and trademark issues. Historical context and focus on the evolution of constitutional, statutory, judicial, and ethical standards. Taken the same semester as the Journalism Residency.

JOUR 375 Literary Journalism
A survey of the work of several print and broadcast journalists to explore the intersection of journalism and literature; analysis of the relationships between form and content within the historical contexts in which pieces were produced. Prerequisite: 340, 351, or 360.

JOUR 376 Design and Infographics
Advanced tools of layout, typographic contrast, and color theory, including creating infographics, with a focus on current approaches to newspaper, magazine, web, and newsletter design. Prerequisite: 310, 311, or 312.

JOUR 378 Photojournalism
Advanced skills and practice in telling stories with photographs, photo slideshows, photo galleries, and audio slideshows. Ethics as it applies to photojournalism. Prerequisite: 310, 311, or 312.

JOUR 388 Internship (0 units)
Student-initiated internships in journalism. Prerequisites: sophomore standing and consent of the senior associate dean.

JOUR 390 (a) Visual Journalism
Contemporary journalists must also know how to tell stories visually. Shooting and editing video, still photography, and audio – all to tell stories. This is a required course in Qatar, to be taken before JOUR 301.

JOUR 390(b) Principles of Public Relations
An introduction to public relations, exploring its origins, theoretical grounding, ethical standards, principles and practices, and its role in society. Design, implementation and evaluation of a public relations plan using strategic and integrated communication methods.

JOUR 390 Special Topics
Specialized, courses offered from time to time by faculty. Subjects contemplated include but are not limited to Business Journalism, Environmental Journalism, Energy Journalism, Religion Journalism and Health & Science Journalism, Public Relations Strategy and Public Relations Writing. Students may take more than one Special Topics course.

JOUR 399 Independent Study
Academic work sponsored and supervised by a faculty member working one-on-one with a student. Prerequisite: consent of the senior associate dean.

Journalism Grade Policy

The minimum cumulative grade point average a student must earn to graduate from Northwestern University in Qatar is 2.0, but the minimum grade point average in all Journalism courses average must be at least 2.25.

No more than one-fifth (1/5) of all classes students taken for the NU-Q degree, including liberal arts courses, may have a final grade of D or F, regardless of the final cumulative grade point average. It is understood at “a grade of D” means anything less than C-minus.

To earn a Journalism course credit, students must earn a grade of C-minus or higher. Journalism courses can be, or in the case of requirements must be, retaken until the student earns at least a C-minus.

A Sample 4-Year Program in Journalism
(A typical course load is four courses per semester, however after the first year students will be permitted to take as many as five courses as a way of enhancing their education. Courses in boldface below are Journalism courses.)

YEAR 1

Fall
21st Century Media
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. history)
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. political science)
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. literature)

Spring
Reporting, Writing and Multimedia Storytelling
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. religion)
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. history)
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. math)

YEAR 2

Fall
Visual Journalism
Journalism Elective: Principles of Public Relations
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. political science)
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. literature)
Liberal Arts Elective (e.g. design)

Spring
Enterprise Reporting
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. history)
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. acting)
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. statistics)

YEAR 3

Fall
Storytelling: Interactive News
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. economics)
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. history)
Liberal Arts elective (e.g. sociology)
Journalism Elective: (e.g. Public Relations Writing and Strategy)

Spring
Journalism Residency Prep class
Journalism Law and Ethics
Journalism Residency (counts as 2 courses)

YEAR 4

Fall
Journalism Elective: (e.g. Television Documentary)
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. history)
Liberal Arts elective (e.g. creative writing)
Liberal Arts elective (e.g. international politics)

Spring
Journalism Elective: (e.g. Public Relations Writing and Strategy)
Journalism Elective: (e.g. Science Reporting)
Liberal Arts Requirement (e.g. history)
Liberal Arts elective (e.g. politics of gender)
Liberal Arts elective (e.g. sociology)