JOURNALISM AND MEDIA STUDIES (JMS)
JMS 203 - INTRODUCTION TO MEDIA THEORY
Body of theory in the study of media, including the content, form, consumption, and their effects. The course will assist students in developing critical thinking skills as they explore a range of theories that guide and ground media studies. The goal of this exploration is to make theory accessible so that students can develop a basic understanding of roles of theory in research and practice.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: ENG 102
JMS 210 - WHAT IS TRUTH/FAKE NEWS?
There's no quick fix for the challenges of "fake news" and "alternative facts." Course focuses on development of critical thinking skills needed to explore the boundaries, using newspapers, magazines, videos and internet resources, of our socially constructed, digital reality. This course looks at varied concepts of truth throughout history and across cultural contexts, with particular attention to similarities and differences with the modern, science-based concept of "fact."
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: ENG 101
JMS 219 - ESSENTIAL MULTIMEDIA SKILLS
Students apply technical knowledge and skills to multimedia production situations, sampling a variety of production work through active individual and team participation.Course may look at current topics such as media issues, professional multimedia production techniques, changing media technology, job market information.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: COMM 201 (may be taken concurrently)
JMS 220 - MEDIA WRITING
News writing and reporting principles, interview techniques, classroom and outside writing practice; introduction to writing appropriate to print, broadcast and online journalism; fundamentals of writing, grammar, style. Course meets for five hours weekly and includes writing in lab.
Credits: 4
Prerequisites: COMM 201 (may be taken concurrently)
JMS 290 - SPECIAL TOPICS: MEDIA STUDIES
Course content varies by semester but always focuses on current issues and/or diversity, alternative media, and social justice as they relate to media.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: COMM 201
JMS 305 - NEWS VIDEO PRODUCTION
This course will introduce students to the technology and techniques necessary to bring news reports to life in video for use on news websites or an array of other news media outlets. Students will learn how to collect, edit and present broadcast quality videos to complement news reports across a variety of subjects.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: IMC 220
JMS 307 - DOCUMENTARY VIDEO STORYTELLING
Immersion course in documentary storytelling, including planning the project, shooting video, editing and completion of the project.
Credits: 3
JMS 310 - HISTORY OF JOURNALISM
Development of journalism from European antecedents of the American colonial press through trends developing during the 21st century. Examines US newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and other media.
Credits: 3
JMS 319 - NEWS REPORTING
Field reporting course with emphasis on writing detailed or complex stories from student-initiated beat coverage, interviews, on- or off-campus events, and assignments; research and writing from documents and press conferences.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: JOUR 220
JMS 322 - FEATURE WRITING
Reporting and writing of short- and long-form articles, including profiles, for newspapers, magazines, online media; using observation, conversation, description and character/plot development in writing journalistic article.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: IMC 220
JMS 325 - PHOTOGRAPHY
Introduction to black and white film-based photography. Basic camera and darkroom techniques. Cameras provided by the department. Students provide some supplies.
Credits: 3
JMS 328 - DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY
An exploration of documentary photography consisting of camera usage, shooting assignments, slide lectures, and computer work using Photoshop. No previous photography experience required. Cameras will be provided for the semester. This course will introduce the computer as a powerful tool for the photographer. We will discuss the ethical, philosophical and practical considerations regarding digital imaging. We will be using flat-bed scanners, 35mm slide and negative scanners, and digital cameras for inputting images into the computer. Adobe Photoshop will be our primary imaging program.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: COMM 201
Course Notes: C or better grade required to use in, majors in Department of Communication.
JMS 330 - IPHONE/DEMOCRATIC CAMERA
Everyone is a photographer and cameraphones are everywhere. This course will explore the creative and ethical implications of using the iPhone as an artistic and journalistic tool. Students must have an iPhone 8 or newer to enroll in the course, and will be expected to download various photography apps for use in the class. We will use the iPhone to create, edit, and post photographic work online. Students will learn a new set of photographic standards, applications, and practices through individual and group shooting assignments, readings, examples of contemporary photographic work, and excursions to galleries and museums.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: COMM 201
JMS 339 - WRITING: THE DOCUMENTARY AESTHETIC
Course will examine the influence of the documentary aesthetic on American literature and consider, as well, the problems of documentary, the questions of representation and ethics that haunt it. Study of what the documentary tradition can give to contemporary nonfiction, how today’s writers can transform documentary to suit their times and their purposes. Students are expected to complete a polished piece of documentary nonfiction and a critical paper.
Credits: 3
JMS 343 - PRODUCING DOC PHOTO EXHIBITION
Conceptualizing, editing, and producing a documentary photography exhibition using student and/or professional work. Working together, students will generate ideas for an exhibition in the Gage Gallery, locate/produce work, and install the project in the gallery. The class will focus on the practice of curating a photography exhibition, which will include developing a theme and choosing work, writing statements/artist biographies, and promoting the exhibit to the community.
Credits: 3
JMS 350 - EDITING
Emphasis on grammar, usage, copy editing, headline writing; overview of editorial processes and standards; introduction to layout and design, and photo editing. Recommended elective for journalism majors who choose no concentration.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: ENG 102
JMS 351 - PUBLIC OPINION & PROPAGANDA
Factors in public opinion formation; techniques and uses of public opinion polling; definition, identification, and socially positive and negative uses of propaganda.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: COMM 201
JMS 354 - PUBLICATION DESIGN
Theories of design and practical experience with creating layout and using photos and art in newspapers, magazines, newsletters, online publications. Students will use Adobe InDesign software for hands-on layout exercises. Students use InDesign software for design.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: JOUR 220
JMS 355 - MAGAZINE WRITING
Research and writing of articles for the contemporary magazine.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: JOUR 220
JMS 357 - MAGAZINE PRODUCTION
Research, writing, design, and production of magazine. Students learn the use of Adobe InDesign for page layout and creation of a magazine prototype.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: JOUR 220
JMS 363 - LAW AND ETHICS
First Amendment rights and responsibilities; libel and slander; legal access to public meetings and documents; restrictions on print and broadcast media; newsgathering considerations; ethical decision making. Journalism students register for a 3-credit-hour lecture and the 1-credit hour Journalism discussion section.
Credits: 1-3
Prerequisites: COMM 201
JMS 373 - EXAMINING MEDIA ETHICS
An investigation of mass-mediated communication, and information as a mass commodity, on values, particularly the value of truth. In an age of information glut, where every possible point of view is represented, all points of view appear to have the same value. Having "values" demands the evaluation of ideas–seeing which ones are "better" than others. This course seeks to help the student find certainty in a culture of confusion.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: ENG 102
JMS 375 - MEDIA CRITICISM
Students use newspapers, magazines and the Internet in applying contemporary criticism to current media issues and performance. Emphasizes the social impact of mass media messages.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: COMM 201
JMS 380 - MEDIA RESEARCH METHODS
Students will learn the advantages and disadvantages of a number of quantitative and qualitative research methods, identify a research question and thesis, review the literature related to their area of research interest, and outline their continuing work in addressing their question and supporting – or refuting – their thesis. Work this semester leads to a proposal for a research project to be executed in the Spring semester (JMS 381).
Credits: 3
JMS 381 - MEDIA STUDIES RESEARCH PROJECT
Students previously completed in MED 380 the first steps in the research process: identified a topic, reviewed literature, identified a research question, identified an appropriate method, and submitted a proposal. In MED 381, students focus on the remaining tasks in the research process: collection of data, analysis and evaluation of data, discernment of an answer to the research question, writing a conclusion, writing an introduction, and presentation of the research.
Credits: 3
JMS 392 - THE CONVERGENCE NEWSROOM
Capstone course for journalism majors, focusing on production of a final reporting project on a selected topic and presented in print, video, and web formats.
Credits: 3
JMS 399 - INTERNSHIP
In-service training with a professional media operation in print, online or broadcast media operations. Students must successfully complete academic reflections and evaluations during their internship term, in addition to successfully completing a single internship totaling at least 200 on-the-job hours, to receive 3 hours of credit. See internship coordinator or departmental office for syllabus.
Credits: 3
JMS 399P - THE PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIP
Approval of internship coordinator required. This course is designed for students preparing to take the internship course for full (3 hours) credit. Covers internship search strategies, resume preparation, interviewing skills.
Credits: 0
Prerequisites: JMS 220
JMS 399Y - INTERNSHIP CONTINUATION
Available only to students currently carrying over registration (with an "incomplete" or "in progress" grade) for the credit-bearing JMS 399 Internship course. JMS 399Y is available for students needing to extend their original registration to complete their internship work. Students who wish to register for JMS 399Y should consult the internship coordinator, as this registration requires an additional form and the department chair's approval.
Credits: 0
Prerequisites: (JMS 220 or JMS 305) and JMS 399 (may be taken concurrently)
JMS 402 - NARRATIVE STORYTELLING
Narrative Storytelling explores the art and craft of literary nonfiction as well as the structure, tone, style and approach to writing narrative stories, giving special attention to Chicago stories and to some of the nation’s leading journalists. The course introduces students to the process of immersing themselves in the subject.
Credits: 3
JMS 403 - VISUAL STORYTELLING
An exploration of visual storytelling consisting of camera usage, concepts and techniques, shooting assignments, slide lectures, and computer work using photo and video editing programs. No previous photography or video experience required. Cameras will be provided for the semester.
Credits: 3
JMS 404 - ETHICS IN MEDIA ENVIRONMENTS
Course presents several broad tools: 1] a structure for critical thought about mediated communication;2] a structure for critical self-evaluation of beliefs, values, and attitudes; and 3] models of media/social criticism in real-world case studies. Classes will include lecture material focused on objective “content,” and a discussion/debate period, in which where students and instructor talk about what that content “means,” and try to relate it real-world events.
Credits: 3
JMS 408 - MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING
Multimedia Storytelling builds on students’ familiarity with narrative and visual storytelling but focuses fully on storytelling through media production for the web. Students will explore the elements and forms of multimedia storytelling and will produce their own work, using video, audio, photos, text, animation – whichever form is determined to be the best way to tell their story.
Credits: 3
Course Notes: Required for the graduate Journalism and Media, Studies program and for the graduate Certificate in, Multimedia Storytelling.
JMS 411 - DATA-DRIVEN REPORT & STORY
This course takes students beyond the reporting preparation offered in more basic courses, and includes introductions to math for journalism, computer-assisted reporting and database analysis, research methods, and data-driven storytelling. We will learn data techniques, strategies, and how to combine data effectively with interviewing and document research. Students will carry out data-driven investigations of their own.
Credits: 3
Course Notes: Required for both the master's in Journalism and Media, Studies and the Certificae in Multimedia Storytelling.