Journalism and Professional Writing Advising Guide
The JPW Major
Required Courses
JPW 208 Introduction to Journalism
JPW 250/IMM 140 Writing for Interactive Media
JPW 301/IMM 443 Computer Assisted Reporting (Prereq: JPW 208 or JPW 250/IMM 140)
JPW 308 Media Law (Prereq: JPW 208 or permission of instructor)
JPW 309 Media Ethics (Prereq: JPW 208 or permission of instructor)
JPW 311 News Editing and Production (Prereq: JPW 208 or permission of instructor)
JPW 498 Beats and Deadlines (Prereq: JPW 208)
JPW 499 Media Experience (Prereq: JPW 208)
3 Journalism Options
JPW 251/IMM 240 Feature Writing (Prereq: JPW 208 or JPW 250/IMM 140)
JPW 310 Press History (Prereq: JPW 208 or permission of instructor)
JPW 321/AAS 321 Race, Gender, and News (Prereq: JPW 208 or JPW 250/IMM 140)
JPW 326/CLS 326/PHL 326 Plato to Cable TV (Prereq: soph or jr standing or permission of instructor)
JPW 350 Magazine Writing (Prereq: JPW 208 or JPW 250/IMM 140 or permission of instructor)
JPW 351 Desktop Publishing (Prereq: JPW 208 or JPW 250/IMM 140)
JPW 370 Topics in Journalism (Prereq: JPW 208 or permission of instructor)
JPW 371 Topics in Professional Writing (Prereq: JPW 250/IMM 140 or permission of instructor)
JPW 391 Independent Study in Journalism or Professional Writing
JPW 397 Practicum (Prereq: JPW 208)
JPW 399 Internship in Journalism or Professional Writing
JPW 401 The Washington Center
JPW 493 Independent Research II (Prereq: JPW 208)
1 Elective
One course, by advisement, from outside the JPW offerings (e.g. creative or advanced writing, literature,
business, design, political theory, science and technology, international studies).
The Journalism Minor
JPW 208 Introduction to Journalism
JPW 308 Media Law (Prereq: JPW 208 or permission of instructor)
JPW 311 News Editing and Production (Prereq: JPW 208 or permission of instructor)
JPW 498 Beats and Deadlines (Prereq: JPW 208)
JPW 499 Media Experience (Prereq: JPW 208)
The Professional Writing Minor
Required: JPW 250/IMM 140 Writing for Interactive Media
3 Professional Writing Options
JPW 208 Introduction to Journalism
JPW 311 News Editing and Production (Prereq: JPW 208 or permission of instructor)
JPW 350 Magazine Writing (Prereq: JPW 208 or JPW 250/IMM 140 or permission of instructor)
JPW 370 Topics in Journalism
JPW 371 Topics in Professional Writing (Prereq: JPW 250/IMM 140 or permission of instructor)
JPW 399 Internship
JPW 498 Beats and Deadlines (Prereq: JPW 208)
1 Elective
AGD 160 Introduction to Graphic Design
BUS 200 Legal & Regulatory Environment of Business
ECO 101 Principles of Economics: Micro
COM 212 TV Production
COM 371 Topics in Public Relations
SAMPLE SCHEDULE FOR JPW MAJORS
(1) Fall (Freshman)
1. Foreign Language level 1
2. Liberal Learning Requirement (Math, Science,
Social Science, History, or Philosophy/Religion)
3. First Year Seminar (note which LL requirement this
fulfills)
4. Major Course (JPW 208)
(2) Spring (Freshman)
1. Academic Writing (if not, LL requirement: Math, Science,
Social Science, History, or Philosophy/Religion)
2. Foreign Language level 2
3. Liberal Learning Requirement (Math, Science, Social Science,
History, or Philosophy/Religion)
4. Major Course (JPW 250)
(3) Fall (Sophomore)
1. Foreign Language level 3 (if not, LL requirement:
Math, Science, Social Science, History, or
Philosophy/Religion)
2. LL requirement: Math, Science, Social Science,
History, or Philosophy/Religion
3. Major Course (JPW 308)
4. Major Course (1st JPW option)
(4) Spring (Sophomore)
1. Minor course (if not, LL requirement: Math, Science, Social
Science, History, or Philosophy/Religion)
2. Liberal Learning Requirement (Math, Science, Social Science,
History, or Philosophy/Religion) OR elective
3. Liberal Learning Requirement (Math, Science, Social Science,
History, or Philosophy/Religion) OR elective
4. Major Course (2nd JPW option)
(5) Fall (Junior)
1. Liberal Learning Requirement (Math, Science,
Social Science, History, or Philosophy/Religion) OR
elective
2. Minor course (if not, LL Requirement (Math,
Science, Social Science, History, or
Philosophy/Religion) OR elective)
3. Major Course (JPW 311)
4. Major Course (3rd JPW option)
(7) Fall (Senior)
1. Minor course (if not, LL requirement: Math,
Science, Social Science, History, or
Philosophy/Religion)
2. Liberal Learning Requirement (Math, Science,
Social Science, History, or Philosophy/Religion) OR
elective
3. Liberal Learning Requirement (Math, Science,
Social Science, History, or Philosophy/Religion) OR
elective
4. Major Course (JPW 499)
(6) Spring (Junior)
1. Minor course (if not, LL Requirement (Math, Science, Social
Science, History, or Philosophy/Religion) OR elective)
2. Minor course (if not, LL Requirement (Math, Science, Social
Science, History, or Philosophy/Religion) OR elective)
3. Liberal Learning Requirement (Math, Science, Social Science,
History, or Philosophy/Religion) OR elective
4. Major Course (JPW 301)
(8) Spring (Senior)
1. Liberal Learning Requirement (Math, Science, Social Science,
History, or Philosophy/Religion) OR elective
2. Liberal Learning Requirement (Math, Science, Social Science,
History, or Philosophy/Religion) OR elective
3. Major Course (JPW 309)
4. Major Course (JPW 498)
Note: The above is a sample schedule only. Your schedule may change dramatically should you pursue
one or more minors or a double major, or study abroad for a semester. Consult regularly with your
academic adviser, who will help you adapt your schedule to your individual needs. Remember that
several JPW courses are available only in certain semesters (JPW 308 and JPW 311 are fall only; JPW 301,
JPW 309 and JPW 498 are spring only and generally are taken in your junior and senior years). When you
are exempted from a required course or when a course double-counts for Liberal Learning and Civic
Responsibilities, please note that your course total must still add up to 32 units in order to graduate.
Journalism and Professional Writing: Schedule for Required Course Offerings
FALL SEMESTER ONLY
SPRING SEMESTER ONLY
BOTH SEMESTERS
JPW 308 Media Law
JPW 301/IMM 443 Computer
Assisted Reporting (Research
Methods)
JPW 208 Intro to Journalism
JPW 311 News Editing and
Production
JPW 309 Media Ethics
JPW 250/IMM 140 Writing for
Interactive Media
JPW 499 Media Experience
(internship)
JPW options
JPW 498 Beats and Deadlines
Important Note:
Make sure you have fulfilled all the prerequisites before enrolling in a class. In general, you should take
JPW 208 and JPW 250 as freshmen or sophomores (or as first-semester juniors for transfer students).
Other courses we recommend for JPW majors and minors:
We often are asked what other courses a student interested in journalism or professional writing might
consider. All courses are valuable, as journalists write about a wide variety of topics, but these can be of
particular use: Interactive Multimedia, Communication Studies, Business/Marketing, Economics,
Computer Science, Photography and Statistics. For more information, please talk to a JPW professor.