Policy Statement - 05-12 Journalism, Bachelor of Arts in
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism (code JOURBA08)
This major revision was recommended by the Academic Senate on December 9, 2004 and approved by the President on February 22, 2005.
General Requirements
Computer Prerequisites to Entering Journalism Classes
All students entering journalism production classes must be familiar with at least one established word-processing program of the level of at least 40 words per minute.
Professional Skills
JOUR 120 and 311 are the basic writing and reporting courses for journalism, and are prerequisites for most upper-division skills courses in the department.
Residency Requirements
Transfer students must complete at least 50 percent of their upper-division journalism units at CSULB. Journalism courses taken on another campus may not be substituted for CSULB journalism courses without the approval of the CSULB Department of Journalism.
Distribution of Units
Journalism majors may apply no more than 40 units of journalism courses toward the 120 units required for the degree of Bachelor of Arts. A minimum of 65 units must be in the traditional liberal arts and sciences – courses offered by the Colleges of Liberal Arts and the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. With a minimum of 65 units of liberal arts, Journalism majors may elect up to 15 units outside journalism and liberal arts and sciences in courses that fall into other categories. Often these are in areas such as business, the arts or health. No more than 15 units in such areas may count toward the 120 units required for graduation. Students should meet with a journalism adviser before declaring the major, the minor or a minor concentration.
Journalism majors are required to have a minor or a minor concentration. Each CSULB department defines its own minor, and these vary between 18 and 24 units. The minor concentration is composed of 15 units, usually two lower-division and three upper-division courses, and it is selected in consultation with a journalism adviser.
Students interested in pursuing the Single-Subject Credential in English/Journalism should consult the teaching credential adviser in the Department of English.
Specific Requirements
This degree program requires a minimum of 33 and a maximum of 40 units in the major, of which six are lower division and 27 to 33 are upper division.
Lower Division: JOUR 110 and 120.
Upper Division: JOUR 311, 430, 431, 495, two courses chosen from among 312I, 315, 370, 412, 415, 418 and 494 and three courses chosen from among 300, 305, 316, 320, 321, 331, 340, 374, 380, 382, 420, 422, 424, 440, 471, 478, 480 and 482. In addition, students may take up to five additional units chosen from either of the preceding two lists and/or JOUR 490, 498 and 499.
In addition to the “C” average in the overall major and the “C” average in the upper division major at CSULB, both of which are required by the University, journalism majors must earn a “C” or better in each of these core courses: JOUR 110, 120, 311, 430, 431 and 495.
EFFECTIVE: Fall 2005
