Newspaper Overview
The newspaper concentration prepares students to work in many fields, but specifically in writing, editing and design of newspapers. Some 1,500 dailies and thousands more weekly and community publications provide countless job opportunities to UT graduates looking for adventure and seeking to better society through thorough, fair, accurate and representative packaging of the events and issues of the day.
The curriculum is built around a liberal arts concept, requiring between 25 and 30 percent of your courses to be in journalism studies, skills and related background courses — all part of a national accreditation standard creating a balance found essential by the newspaper profession. This allows for many electives, particularly in social sciences — American history, government, anthropology, economics, geography, linguistics, psychology or sociology. A newspaper journalist must know something about how the world works and why. We strongly urge you pick these courses wisely, with an eye on developing critical thinking abilities.
Thanks to technological communication advances, the world is brought increasingly closer together. This makes newspapers more important than ever. The print concentration aims at developing in students a system that fosters several ideals. Through our courses, we attempt to teach the importance of reflecting diverse views, getting the facts (all of them), putting them in context, informing — and listening to — the public, and doing so reliably and consistently. As a result, we believe learning to be a newspaper professional is not just a profession; it's a privilege and a public trust. So we take our courses — and the task of training tomorrow's newspaper journalists — seriously.
Major newspaper courses
J315. News Media Writing and Editing
Introduction to fundamental journalistic writing skills for the media and to fundamental copy editing, including selection, processing and display of news and other information; studies in news audience interests; readability; clarity; verification; and style. Two lecture hours and three laboratory hours a week for one semester. Journalism 312 and 315 may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Journalism 310 with a grade of at least C; a score of at least 45 on the College of Communication Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation Test; and a score of at least 29 on the School of Journalism Word Processing Test.
J320D. Intermediate Reporting
Information-gathering and information-retrieval skills, reporting and editing techniques, and interviewing. Introduction to electronic resources for journalists. Three lecture hours and six laboratory hours a week for one semester. Journalism 320D and 322 may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Journalism 310 and 315 with a grade of at least C in each; a score of at least 45 on the College of Communication Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation Test; and a score of at least 29 on the School of Journalism Word Processing Test.
J330. News Editing
Advanced editing for news media. Emphasis on news judgment, language use, and print editing, as well as skills necessary for the collaborative production of multimedia news. Three lecture hours and four laboratory hours a week for one semester. Journalism 314 and 330 may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Journalism 310, 315 and 320D with a grade of at least C in each; a score of at least 45 on the College of Communication Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation Test; and a score of at least 29 on the School of Journalism Word Processing Test.
J331K. Projects in Professional Experience (Internship)
Internships to be arranged by student and approved by instructor. Offered on the pass/fail basis only. May be taken only once. Journalism 321K and 331K may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Journalism 310, 315 and 320D with a grade of at least C in each; a score of at least 45 on the College of Communication Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation Test; and a score of at least 29 on the School of Journalism Word Processing Test; and consent of instructor. Each student must also have earned a grade of at least C in the following course or courses appropriate to his or her area of concentration: broadcast news: Journalism 322D; print journalism: Journalism 320D; photojournalism: Journalism 325; or, for students with approval to complete a multimedia internship: Journalism 320D.
J131P. Internship
Internship and discussion hours to be arranged. Offered on the pass/fail basis only. May be repeated for credit, but only one hour may be counted toward degree in the College of Communication. Journalism 121P and 131P may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Journalism 331K; a score of at least 45 on the College of Communication Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation Test; and a score of at least 29 on the School of Journalism Word Processing Test; and consent of instructor.
J335. Narrative Journalism
Students develop and produce a publication, focusing particularly on underrepresented groups and issues. Three lecture hours and three laboratory hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Journalism 335, 352 (Topic 2: Community Journalism), Latin American Studies 322 (Topic 11: Latino Community Journalism), 322 (Topic 11: Narrative Journalism), Mexican-American Studies 374 (Topic 4: Latino Community Journalism), 374 (Topic 4: Narrative Journalism). Prerequisite: Journalism 310, 315 and 320D with a grade of at least C in each; a score of at least 45 on the College of Communication Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation Test; and a score of at least 29 on the School of Journalism Word Processing Test; and consent of instructor.
J336. Visual Design
The history, design and production of media materials. Topics include design principles; visual perception; typography; manipulation of images and photographs; printing processes and color reproduction; and page design for print. Three lecture hours and two laboratory hours a week for one semester. Journalism 324K and 336 may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Journalism 310 and 315 with a grade of at least C in each; a score of at least 45 on the College of Communication Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation Test; and a score of at least 29 on the School of Journalism Word Processing Test.
J338. Computer-Assisted Reporting
Study of computer-assisted journalism, including electronic document retrieval and manipulation, spreadsheet and database management, and Internet skills. Collaborative work on major investigative projects. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Journalism 338 and 352 (Topic 5: Computer-Assisted Reporting) may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Journalism 310, 315 and J320D with a grade of at least C in each; a score of at least 45 on the College of Communication Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation Test; and a score of at least 29 on the School of Journalism Word Processing Test; and consent of instructor.
J348S. Media Management
Print and broadcast management and planning in operations, personnel, content, marketing, finance, technology and regulation. Journalism 348S and 378 may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing; a score of at least 45 on the College of Communication Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation Test; and a score of at least 29 on the School of Journalism Word Processing Test.
J373D. Advanced News Reporting
Study of community and institutional news sources; reporting on courts and city, county and state governments; emphasis on fact-finding and skill in writing; in-depth reporting of significant events. Three lecture hours and six hours of laboratory reporting a week for one semester. Journalism 361 and 373D may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Journalism 320D with a grade of at least C.
J377D. Print Design
Advanced print design and layout. Graphics techniques and production processes; planning content and format of newspapers and magazines. Three lecture hours and two laboratory hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Journalism 324, 349T (Topic 6: Print Design), 375, 376D and 377D. Prerequisite: Journalism 330 and 336 with a grade of at least C in each.
Additional Recommended Newspaper-Related Courses
J327. Feature Writing
Restricted to journalism majors. Practice in researching, reporting, writing, structuring and editing feature stories and news features for the print media. Identifying and contacting appropriate freelance markets regarding queries and stories. Only one of the following may be counted: Journalism 327, Latin American Studies 322 (Topic 4: Feature Writing), Mexican-American Studies 374 (Topic 6: Feature Writing). Prerequisite: Journalism 310 and 315 with a grade of at least C in each; credit or registration for Journalism 320D; a score of at least 45 on the College of Communication Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation Test; and a score of at least 29 on the School of Journalism Word Processing Test.
J340C. Topics in Journalism, Communication, and Culture
Issues concerning minority or non-dominant groups within the United States. Topics include Mass Media & Minorities, African-Americans & the Media, and Journalism & Religion. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Some topics may require additional laboratory hours. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Varies with the topic and is given in the Course Schedule.
J349T. Topics in Journalism
Contemporary social, professional and intellectual concerns in the practice of journalism. Topics include Business Journalism, International Reporting, and Oral History as Journalism. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Some topics may require additional laboratory hours. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Varies with the topic and is given in the Course Schedule.
J366E. History of Journalism
Development of the mass media; social, economic and political factors that have contributed to changes in the press. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Journalism 366E and 376 may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and a major in journalism, or consent of instructor.
Internships
Four hours of internship credit (J331K and J131P) may be counted toward your degree. However, you may undertake as many noncredit internships as you desire; we encourage you do so. Practical experience is a must, which is why we also encourage you to work on The Daily Texan, the university's student newspaper, which is often judged the best in the United States. Tryouts are on a regular basis at the beginning of each semester.
At least 150 hours must be devoted to the internship during a full semester or summer, at which point the internship may be terminated if the student and employer agree. The 150 hours must be under the supervision of someone with a significant newspaper background. For more information regarding J331K and J131P, please see the internships page. Whether you decide to take the internship course or make your own arrangements, the journalism faculty believes internships often help students see the "big picture" about their chosen profession, as well as enabling them to develop contacts and mentors, and to gain valuable experience that often leads to other, better journalistic opportunities. In short, internships are highly recommended.
Getting Involved
Finally, we encourage newspaper journalism students to network with professionals and similar-minded students. To that end, we encourage you to check out student organizations. Each has a nominal membership fee that entitles you to attend workshops and luncheons, and to gain access to mentoring opportunities of all kinds. The name of the game in newspapers often is not so much what you know, but who you know. And what better way to meet people than through such organizations as UT's chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Asians in Communications, the National Arab American Journalists Association, and the Magazine Club (often a gateway to working with ORANGE magazine). So don't just report or write. Network.
The Daily Texan & ORANGE
The Daily Texan is one of the oldest and best-known college newspapers in the country. ORANGE magazine, produced twice a year, is primarily written and edited by print students. Many a professional — including Walter Cronkite, Bill Moyers to Mark Morrison (managing editor of Businessweek), Mary Walsh (senior producer at CBS) and Jane Chestnutt (editor of Woman's Day) — has launched a career from within the School of Journalism.
Contact information
George Sylvie, area head, CMA A5.150G, 512-471-1783.