Journalism

• COM JO 451: Television Newsroom
  Students produce a half hour newscast, broadcast on cable TV and the Internet, with live coverage and video reports on local, national and international news as well as sports highlights and weather. Students rotate positions weekly, using television studios and the control booth, collaborating to broadcast a fresh, informative and accurate newscast while facing the daily deadlines of a working newsroom. 4 cr, 1st sem.
• COM JO 490: Directed Studies
  Students work with faculty on individual research, professional training, or special studies.
• COM JO 491: Directed Studies: Broadcast Journalism
  Students work with faculty on individual research, professional training, or special studies.
• COM JO 500: Media Criticism
  How well have the media covered the war in Iraq? Do the media have political biases? What effect has Fox News had on the mainstream media? In the face of growing competition from the Internet, what is the future of traditional journalism? Do news-oriented personalities such as Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert elevate or debase the political process? This timely course takes a critical look at the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of the media, including current media controversies. 4 cr. either sem.
• COM JO 501: Introduction to Business and Economic Reporting
  Comprehensive training in writing business and economics stories, using articles in The Wall Street Journal and other publications as examples. Emphasis on developing clear, simple language to describe complex issues. Articles may be published in teh Worcester Telegram and Gazette. No previous economics or business experience is required. 4cr. either sem
• COM JO 502: Journalism Special Topics
  Every year several courses have been created under this category to examine current journalism issues in seminar format. See the department for specifics.
• COM JO 503: Journalism Research
  A rigorous grounding in research and investigative methods from interviews and records searching to computer-assisted reporting and use of the Freedom of Information Act.
• COM JO 504: Arts Criticism
  This course explores the nature of arts and entertainment criticism, and helps students develop their critical writing skills. Topics include: structuring a review; critical biases; profiling celebrities from a critical perspective; cultural criticism - how to write about entertainment or the arts to make broader points about our culture; and, style - how to get it. Assignments include TV, film and theater reviews, screenings and a trip to a Boston theater. Guest speakers feature some of Boston's most prominent critics. 4 cr, either sem.
• COM JO 506: Columns and Editorials
  This is a course in writing with a point of view. It includes instruction in op-ed columns as well as personal columns, which are short personal essays.
• COM JO 508: Electronic Copy Editing
  This course is designed to train copy editors for newspapers, magazines, and the Internet. The primary focus is on newspapers, but other applications are also considered. Class sessions will focus on writing and editing/copying editing skills, and layout and design skills using Quark Xpress. 4 cr, both sem.
• COM JO 511: Covering Government and Politics
  This class provides instruction in the covering the legislative process, analyzing data, interviewing, and developing beats. Students will learn writing techniques to help readers understand significance issues. Guest lectures, readings and exercises explore the dynamics of political and public affairs reporting. Taken in tandem with JO546 (Filing for Newspapers) as part of the Boston Statehouse Program and offered separately to graduate and undergraduate broadcast majors in coordination with the broadcast department. 4 cr, either sem.
• COM JO 512: Editorial Design
  This is a studio course where students learn to design for print. Students will design a newsletter and sample pages for a magazine on topics of their own choosing. Students will learn and design with QuarkXPress, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator. This course covers the principles of typography, composition, and visual language and encourages creative/innovative ideas. All projects will be portfolio pieces.
• COM JO 513: Advanced Photojournalism
  An intensive course designed to give students the skills necessary to produce professional quality work meeting publication standards, with emphasis on storytelling in the visual medium. Weekly assignments require students to produce original picture packages complete with written material and captions.
• COM JO 514: Sports Journalism
  A specialized writing course for students interested in a career in sports journalism. Covers game stories, features, columns, and profiles, as well as examining sport as a commercial enterprise.
• COM JO 515: Multimedia for Photojournalists
  Required for photojournalism graduate students. Throughout this course students produce multimedia stories, build a website and launch an online photo gallery of best work.Students learn traditional photo editing skills utilizing a modern workflow. Students are encouraged to be innovarted in storytelling approach, using photo, video, audio and text, and self-publish professional work on their own website.
• COM JO 516: Foreign Reporting
  This course covers the practical, critical, and theoretical issues involved in reporting the world for domestic audiences. How can journalists best report on different cultures? How can they demystify ?the other? for their readers and viewers? How do you work with a ?fixer?? Manage your own trauma? Stay safe? How does 19th Century colonialism still influence foreign coverage and how do you escape this influence? What?s to be learned from Conrad?s ?Heart of Darkness? about reporting on Africa? When is ?personalizing? the news a bad idea and when is a good time to do it? Students read outstanding examples of foreign reporting, workshop their stories, and learn how to be successful given the current standards for foreign reporting. However, in light of such challenges as globalization, global warming, ethnonational conflict, and the rise of China, the class also debates how to develop better norms in the future. 4 cr, either sem.
• COM JO 519: Narrative Radio
  Students will produce in depth, narrative audio stories similar to what is heard on public radio. They will use digital recorders and Protools audio software. Students will also produce slide shows using Soundslides. Most stories will air on WBUR and WTBU.
• COM JO 520: Advanced Production and Design
  This is a studio course where students learn to design for web and print. Students will design sample pages for two online/print magazines on topics of their own choosing in the categories of visual arts, music, and culture/issues/ideas. Students will design with and master Dreamweaver, QuarkXPress, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator. The aim of this course is to enhance communication through visual language. Typography and the use of images are explored as creative/innovative ideas are developed. All projects will be portfolio pieces. 4 cr, either sem.
• COM JO 522: Professional Photo Portfolio
  A course preparing students for entry into a career in visual journalism. Weekly assignments are designed so that students build a portfolio allowing them to compete for opportunities in the professional world. Students will master critical skills including story development, use of multimedia, writing, and meeting deadlines. 4 cr., 2nd sem.
• COM JO 523: The Presidency and the Media
  Students follow the week-to-week interaction of the president and the media, while examining the evolution of relations between journalists and American presidents from FDR to Clinton.

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