Courses - JOUR Upper Division
General Education Category A must be completed prior to taking any upper division course except upper division language courses where students meet formal prerequisites and/or competency equivalent for advanced study.
300. Photojournalism (3)
Prerequisite: None.
Techniques of photojournalism for newspapers, magazines, corporate communications, new media and public relations. Course covers types of photos needed for all aspects of editorial photography, including lighting, use of filters, working with subjects and the photo picture page.
305. Media Design (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 120 with a grade of "C" or better.
Gives students experience in design of printed and online materials. Examines theories, principles and techniques of contemporary media design. Covers historical roots of media design and acquaints students with use of photographs, illustrations, graphs, type and color in visual communication.
310. Writing for the Daily 49er (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 120 and JOUR 240 with a grade of "C" or better, or consent of instructor.
Students cover a beat and/or write general assignment stories as well as produce multimedia packages for the Daily 49er newspaper and website.
311. News Reporting and Ethics (3)
Prerequisites: JOUR 120 with a grade of "C" or better.
This course covers newsgathering and writing for newspapers, magazines and websites. Students will conduct interviews, and write both hard news and news feature stories—with an emphasis on covering government and public affairs. The course also focuses on journalism ethics.
Letter grade only (A-F).
312. Global News Media (3)
Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements, one or more Exploration courses and upper-division standing.
Analysis of world's news media with an emphasis on structure, ownership, social and political roles and the degree of government pressure and control. Particular attention paid to economic, political and mass media globalization and its effects on developing countries.
Letter grade only (A-F). Course fee may be required. Information on fees related to this course can be found here.
315. Literary Journalism (3)
Prerequisites: Upper division status and completion of GE Foundation; Students must have scored 11 or higher on the GWAR Placement Examination or completed the necessary portfolio course that is a prerequisite for a GWAR Writing Intensive Capstone.
Study and practice of literary reportage. Includes analysis of styles and methods employed by British pioneers, contemporary American, European and Latin American journalists. Discussion and application of ethical guidelines that keep literary journalists from crossing the line between fact and fiction.
316. Freelance and Feature Writing (3)
Prerequisites: Upper division status and completion of GE Foundation; Students must have scored 11 or higher on the GWAR Placement Examination or completed the necessary portfolio course that is a prerequisite for a GWAR Writing Intensive Capstone.
Students learn to develop story ideas and report and write feature stories. Students also learn how to successfully pitch and sell stories to publications, work with editors and establish a career as a freelance writer.
318. Sports Journalism (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 120 and JOUR 240 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students explore the state and practice of sports journalism. Students learn the history of sports reporting, and they participate in all aspects of the sports journalism process from reporting and interviewing to writing, editing and producing.
321. Broadcast News Writing and Reporting (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 120 and JOUR 240 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students learn and practice television and radio news writing and reporting. Students become familiar with script formats, and they create audio and video stories on deadline. While the focus is on television, the skills developed are applicable to other platforms.
331. Editing for Print and Online (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 120 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students learn editing and proofreading skills for print and online media. Students also gain practice in assigning and assessing stories, fact-checking, determining a story lineup and working with writers.
340. Advanced Multimedia Journalism (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 120 and JOUR 240 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students learn the theory and practice of creating cutting edge digital content with a journalism emphasis. Instruction in social media, coding/HTML, web design, animations and other trends and topics in digital journalism could be included.
360. Culture and Politics of the Internet (3)
Prerequisites: Upper division standing and GE Foundation requirements.
This interdisciplinary course is focused on the culture and politics of the Internet. It introduces students to the regulations governing both broadband and mobile Internet services, as well as explores how these policies are shaped.
374. Written Communication for Public Relations (3)
Prerequisites: JOUR 120 and JOUR 270 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students learn to communicate with specific audiences. Students write and edit news releases, feature stories, biographical profiles, fact sheets, media alerts, pitch letters, blogs and other materials. Ethical and legal issues in public relations are also addressed.
375. Strategic Communication for Public Relations (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 120 and JOUR 270 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students strategize and create programs using theoretical, ethical and practical models of public relations. Students develop backgrounders, position papers, proposals, speeches, crisis plans and other materials in response to an analysis of audience demographics, psychographics and cultural perspectives.
Letter grade only (A-F).
380. Advanced Photojournalism (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 120 with a grade of "C" or better, JOUR 300.
This course provides an in-depth study of photojournalism with an emphasis on creating story ideas, essays and features with photos. Students shoot and edit photos. They also create photo layouts for newspapers, magazines and online media.
382. Radio News Production (3)
Prerequisite: Upper division standing.
Students report, write and edit news and feature stories for radio. Special emphasis is on radio production and management techniques.
405. Advanced Media Design (3)
Prerequisites: JOUR 120 with a grade of "C" or better, JOUR 305.
Students learn advanced skills in media design, including typography, color, art and white space. They further develop design skills for media outlets.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units in different semesters.
412. Theories of Mass Communication (3)
Contemporary theories of mass communication. An overview of development of communication theory as it relates to mass media. Evaluation of theories of communication process through analysis of original research upon which theories were founded. Source, message and audience effects of communication process.
Letter grade only (A-F).
415. Gender, Class, and Ethnicity in the Media (3)
Prerequisite(s): Upper division standing and GE Foundation requirements.
Students examine the relationship between media and the marginalization, misrepresentation and discrimination of individuals and groups in the United States. Framing, symbolic representation, critical/cultural and other theories will be used to identify and challenge depictions of gender, race, and ethnicity.
Both grading options.
418. Journalism: Past, Present, and Future (3)
Prerequisite(s): Upper division standing and GE Foundation requirements.
This course brings history into the present by exploring journalism in the age of conglomeration, digitization and mobile communication. It provides an overview of major figures, technologies, paradigms and events that have shaped the practice of journalism in the United States.
420. In-Depth Reporting for the Daily 49er (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 240 and JOUR 311 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students produce in-depth profiles and enterprise and investigative stories. Work is published in the Daily 49er in print and/or online.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units in different semesters.
422. Senior Media Production (1)
Advanced work on Forty-Niner Publications as editors.
Credit/No Credit grading only. May be repeated for a maximum of 3 units in different semesters with consent of instructor.
430. Communication Law and Policy (3)
Prerequisite: Upper division standing.
The course examines principles and case studies of communication law with an emphasis on constitutional guarantees of a free press. Students analyze how laws are applied in contemporary situations and learn to make distinctions between ethical and legal issues.
431. Mass Media Ethics (3)
Prerequisite: Upper division standing and GE Foundation requirements.
This course focuses on ethical codes and value systems used in mass media. Students explore philosophical foundations of moral theory and various approaches to ethical decision making for journalists, public relations professionals and other media practitioners.
440. Trends in Online Media (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 120 and JOUR 240 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students learn the theory and practice of state-of-the-art digital content for journalism and public relations. Topics may include viral marketing, mobile media applications, data visualizations, web animations and other new applications.
470. The Digital Public Relations Toolbox (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 120 and JOUR 270 with a grade of "C" or better
This course covers challenges and opportunities presented to public relations practitioners in the digital age, how social media are changing the communication landscape, and best practices in digital public relations including social media strategies, search engine optimization and media monitoring.
471. Public Relations Management and Campaigns (3)
Prerequisites: JOUR 374 or JOUR 375 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students work in agency situations to develop a business proposal for clients involving formal written plans and oral presentations. Students serve as consultants and develop programs for organizations.
478. Public Relations Case Studies (3)
Prerequisites: JOUR 120 and JOUR 270 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students analyze case studies to explore decision-making processes in various areas of public relations, including employee relations, community relations, multicultural relations, investor relations, media relations, marketing communications and crisis communications. Strategic planning, critical thinking and ethical decision-making are emphasized.
480. Magazine Writing and Editing (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 240 and JOUR 311 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students serve as the staff editors and writers for the campus magazine, Dig, and its website, and the department alumni publication, Beach Byline. Activities include pitching, assigning, writing, editing, working with design/designers and proofreading stories for the publications.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units in different semesters.
482. Television News Production and Performance (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 120 and JOUR 321 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students produce television news reports, segments and programs in this hands-on course. Students also gain experience in a variety of television news production roles, including anchor, writer, reporter, producer and researcher.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units in different semesters.
485. Public Relations Agency (3)
Prerequisites: JOUR 270 with a grade of "C" or better and consent of the instructor.
This course develops advanced public relations problem-solving skills. Students create strategic public relations plans and execute a comprehensive public relations program by serving as a student-run public relations agency and working with actual clients for the Bateman Case Study Competition.
Both grading options.
490. Selected Topics in Mass Communications (1-3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 311 with a grade of "C" or better.
Topics of special interest in mass communications selected for intensive study.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units. Topics announced in the Schedule of Classes.
494. Research Methods (3)
Prerequisite: Upper division standing.
Students use principles of scientific research to create, monitor, and evaluate communication programs and audience metrics. Students learn about sampling, surveys, opinion polls, focus groups, content analyses, web analytics and participant observation research. Research planning, theory, design and analysis are emphasized.
495. Enterprise Reporting in Diverse Communities (3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 240 and JOUR 311 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students conceive stories and report on diverse neighborhoods throughout Long Beach. Students participate in all aspects of news production, using written words, photos, audio and video.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units in different semesters.
498. Internship (3)
Prerequisite: Senior standing or consent of instructor.
Students gain practical journalism and/or public relations experience in professional settings. Students locate and secure their own internships. All internships must be approved by the instructor. The class includes seminars and workshops to facilitate professional development and career building.
Credit/No Credit grading only. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units in different semesters.
499. Special Projects (1-3)
Prerequisite: JOUR 311, with a grade of "C" or better. Journalism Major only.
Advance approval of instructor; (permit required to enroll). Research in the field of journalism in broadcast, newspaper, magazine, public relations, advertising, new media or other related fields. Students must meet once a week with instructor.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units with different topics. Letter grade only (A-F).
