Journalism (JOUR)

JOUR 205 Social Impact of Journalism (Units: 3)

History, organization, social role and function of journalism. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors.

Course Attributes:

• C2: Humanities

JOUR 221 Newswriting (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A2 and A3. Typing speed of 25 wpm or better.

Development of news judgment and clear writing skills. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 222 Newswriting Lab (Unit: 1)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A2 and A3.

Associated Press style writing, English grammar, and punctuation. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 223 Bilingual English and Spanish Newswriting (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Written and verbal fluency in Spanish. Language assessment test.

Development of news judgment, basic reporting, and clear writing skills for Spanish-language media, media produced in both English and Spanish, and media focused on Spanish-speaking cultures. Activity. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (ABC/NC grading only)
(This course is offered as JOUR 223 and SPAN 223. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

• Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
• Global Perspectives

JOUR 226 Digital News Gathering (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 205* and JOUR 221* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Development of multimedia skills, online research and analysis, and other components of multimedia storytelling. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 235 Photojournalism I (Units: 3)

Photojournalistic style and content. Taking pictures of people, telling stories, conveying information. Must have interchangeable lens digital camera. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. Activity. Extra fee required. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

Course Attributes:

• C1: Arts

JOUR 300GW Reporting - GWAR (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; GE Area A2; JOUR 205* and JOUR 221* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Advanced concepts of news gathering, interviewing, and writing. Cover San Francisco and Oakland neighborhoods. A grade of C or better is required for Journalism majors and minors. (ABC/NC grading only)

Course Attributes:

• Graduation Writing Assessment

JOUR 304 Cultural Diversity and News Media (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; GE Area A2*.

Exploration of how the practice of newsgathering influences social reality. Exploration of issues facing U.S. news media as they struggle to understand an increasingly diverse society. Historical overview of the problem and discussion on current obstacles facing journalists' efforts to improve coverage and newsroom representation. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. [Formerly JOUR 610]

Course Attributes:

• Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
• Social Justice

JOUR 307 News Media Law (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division standing.

News media law using studies and practical application in journalism including access to public records, constitutional guarantees, ethical responsibilities in reporting, and publications of stories. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 310 Journalism Ethics (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing.

A healthy democracy requires a healthy news media landscape. Survey ethical principles and norms in professional news reporting. Explore mistakes in journalism as well as emerging industry challenges that can affect our democracy. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 320 Investigative Reporting (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 300GW* with a grade of C or better.

Problems and methodology of investigative journalism; techniques of documentation; from theory to practical application. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 321 Feature Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 300GW* with a grade of C or better; or consent of instructor.

Theory and practice of writing newspaper and magazine stories. Definition of a feature; topics, interviewing techniques, deadline writing; freelancing. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 328 Anthropology and Photography (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of the documentary, social, political, and aesthetic roles of photography (and the archive and photo-essay) in anthropology as a mode of representation and control, but also of resistance. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)
(This course is offered as ANTH 328 and JOUR 328. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

JOUR 330 Editing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 205*, JOUR 221*, and JOUR 222* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Theory and practice of editing; fundamental copy editing, rewrite and layout techniques, headline writing, restructuring, and trimming; story ideas and assignments; page design concepts. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 333 Reporting for Spanish-Language Media (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: JOUR 223* or equivalent with a grade of C or better.

Advanced concepts of newsgathering, interviewing, and writing for Spanish-language media. Cover Spanish speaking communities in the Bay Area. Activity. (ABC/NC grading only)

JOUR 335 Photojournalism II (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 235* with a grade of C or better.

Students demonstrate their proficiency in 10 skills required to become a viable candidate for a general assignment newspaper/magazine/online internship or job. Skills include spot news, general news, feature, portraiture, issue/op-ed illustration, sports, studio lighting, print/web picture story, basic professional portfolio production and social media. Must have interchangeable lens digital camera. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. Activity. Extra fee required. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 395 Online Journalism (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 226* and JOUR 300GW* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Multimedia production for journalists; creation of electronic outlet of text, sound, archived video, and graphics for news. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. Extra fee required. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 400 Multimedia Journalism (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 226* and JOUR 300GW* with grades of C or better.

Employ multiple visual platforms and storytelling structures to produce online journalism. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. Activity. Extra fee required. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 409 Directed Study in Journalism (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor or the department.

Individual projects: research, investigations, depth reporting, writing, graphics, surveys, audience studies, and internships. May be repeated for a total of 6 units with consent of the department. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors.

JOUR 410 Building Chinese Media Literacy (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: CHIN 401 or consent of the instructor.

Vocabulary, structures, styles, and topics of contemporary Chinese media. Newspapers, radio and television broadcasts, websites, blogs, and social media of Greater China. Intensive focus on reading and listening, augmented by writing and presentation assignments.
(This course is offered as CHIN 410 and JOUR 410, and is taught in Chinese. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

JOUR 411 Media Chinese (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: CHIN 401 or consent of the instructor.

Mandarin as it is used in various genres on radio/television and in news reports and articles, editorials, interviews, and advertisements.
(This course is offered as CHIN 411, I R 413, and JOUR 411. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

• Global Perspectives

JOUR 426 Data Journalism (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 226*, JOUR 300GW*, and JOUR 395* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Exploration and application of techniques of data analysis, processing and visualization to build interactive journalism elements and projects. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. Activity. (Plus-minus grading only)

JOUR 427 Media Entrepreneurship (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Introduction to the application of entrepreneurship principles to various media industries, with an emphasis on the creation of a media start-up. The principles examined include innovation, rigorous evaluation of the industry, market analysis, and feasible business plans. Exploration of both the creation of new media companies as well as how to work as an independent media professional. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)
(This course is offered as JOUR 427 [formerly JOUR 675] and BECA 427. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

JOUR 435 Photojournalism III (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 221*, JOUR 300GW*, and JOUR 335* with grades of C or better; or consent of the instructor.

Students will research and write a grant proposal and a crowdfunding proposal for their semester-long social documentary photography project. In addition to the documentary project, students will also create a thematic photographic essay and a social media presence for their work. Must own a camera and a media file. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. Activity. Extra fee required. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 450 Publication Design and Graphics (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: JOUR 221* or equivalent with a grade of C or better or consent of the instructor.

Editorial design and production for newspapers, magazines, and websites; design as support for a message. Vocabulary, concepts, and skills of editorial designers and photo editors including content migration to the Internet. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. Extra fee required. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 452 International Media Politics (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division standing.

Examination of how communication among states and non-state entities shapes international relations, from the perspective of various theoretical and epistemological approaches.
(This course is offered as I R 452 and JOUR 452. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

• Social Justice

JOUR 454 Israeli Media Landscape: Journalism, Communications, and Society (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2.

Introduction to Israel's media institutions and the forces that have shaped the country's present media landscape. The development of Israeli media from the birth of Hebrew-language newspapers in Europe, through the first decades of statehood, the shift towards a market economy in the 1980s, and the implications of the digital revolution on local media outlets. Topics include the party press, establishment of public broadcasting and recent struggles for its reform, rise of commercial broadcasting, and major corruption affairs.
(This course is offered as JS 468, JOUR 454, and BECA 468. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

JOUR 469 Media on Media: Media Scandals and Journalism Ethics in Israel, the U.S., and U.K. (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2.

Legal, ethical, and normative questions in the work of journalists and media organizations are examined in case studies from Israel, the U.S., and the U.K. by analyzing the media's relationships with the political arena, the private sector, and security forces. Topics include libel suits, source protection, and advertising boycotts; appropriate means for monitoring and regulating the media; and the significance of media self-reflection and transparency in the digital age.
(This course is offered as JS 469, BECA 469, and JOUR 469. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

JOUR 495 Profiles (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 226* and JOUR 300GW* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Investigation and implementation of profile reporting and storytelling techniques, using a combination of multimedia tools of the students' choice: writing, photography, video and/or online interactivity to bring people's stories alive through keen observation, captivating dialogue, proper tone, effective structure and organization. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. Activity. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 500 Contemporary Magazines (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; or consent of instructor.

Development and role of the contemporary magazine and the rise of specialized periodicals. Magazine start-ups, dynamics of editorial strategy and planning; editing, design, and short article writing. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 535 Photojournalism IV (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 335* or equivalent with a grade of C or better.

Use of artificial and available light to create a portrait essay and a magazine-style essay on a particular theme or location, which the student will formally pitch to a publication. Students will engage with the practice of sustainability and networking models learned in Photo III by interacting directly with publications, non-profits, and NGOs. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. Activity. Extra fee required. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 536 Latina/o Journalism (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: LTNS 530.

Overview of U.S. Latina/o journalism from the mid-1800s to the present. Provides insight into the ways in which Latina/os have utilized journalism as a way to merge activism and community formation. [CSL may be available]
(This course is offered as LTNS 536 and JOUR 536. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

JOUR 570 Opinion Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 221* and JOUR 300GW* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Principles and techniques of effective column and op-ed writing. Strategies for getting published. Emphasis on research and critical thinking. History and importance of editorial writing versus news coverage. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 575 Community Media (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: JOUR 221* and JOUR 300GW* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Students will gain experience producing stories for community news outlets, ethnic news outlets, hyperlocal sites, niched-oriented news in the Bay Area. Explore the value, relevance, and role of these alternative media publications. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 580 Environmental Journalism (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors and Environmental Studies majors; JOUR 300GW* or ENVS 450GW* or equivalents.

Examination and practice of environmental journalism through reading and analysis of selected examples along with research and reporting necessary for completion of short and long word, photo and multimedia stories. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 582 Social Media Journalism (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 221* and JOUR 300GW* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Examination and practice of gathering, researching, promoting, and distributing news through social media. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 595 Magazine Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 221* and JOUR 300GW* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Principles and techniques of magazine writing, developing, researching, and writing factual articles. Markets and steps necessary to get published. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 605 Magazine Publication Lab (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 221*, JOUR 300GW*, and either JOUR 321* or JOUR 595*, or equivalents, all with grades of C or better.

Production of three to four editions of Xpress Magazine including updates of the Xpress Magazine website and all related social media networks. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. Activity. May be repeated for a total of 6 units. Extra fee required. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 607 Publication Lab for Photojournalism Students (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors. JOUR 205*, JOUR 221*, and JOUR 335* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Photography for the SF State Golden Gate Xpress print and online publication. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. Laboratory. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 609 Publication Laboratory (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 205*, JOUR 221*, and JOUR 300GW* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Reporting, writing, photography, editing, and producing print and online publication. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. Activity. May be repeated for a total of 6 units. Extra fee required. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 617 Journalism Internship (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 300GW* with a grade of C or better; approved internship proposal required prior to the registration deadline. JOUR 605* and JOUR 609* cannot be taken concurrently.

Credit for an approved internship with employers in the news, magazine, or online industry. Reflection on experiences in journals, resume package preparation, and online portfolio of work. (CR/NC only)

JOUR 645 Journalism in China (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Chinese Flagship majors or consent of the instructor.

Evaluation of the news media landscape in China, comprehension of Chinese print and broadcast reporting, identification of news media employment opportunities in China, evaluation of environmental issues reporting practices in China through learning the basics of documentary film production. Taught in Mandarin.

JOUR 650 Seminar: Contemporary News (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 226* and JOUR 300GW* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Trends in contemporary news including reporting techniques, news delivery and journalistic storytelling. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 667 Seminar: Topics in Journalism (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 300GW* or equivalent with a grade of C or better; or consent of the department.

Class advances journalistic reporting and writing techniques to produce a publishable newspaper, online and magazine articles in areas such as international, business, sports, literary journalism, culture and food, and other timely topics. Fulfills the advanced writing elective requirement. Topics to be specified in the class schedule. May be repeated when topics vary. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 680 Advanced Multimedia Journalism (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 226* and JOUR 395* or equivalents with grades of C or better.

Exploration and application of techniques of interactivity and web-based and mobile application development toward team-driven long-form journalism and public information projects. A grade of C or better required for Journalism majors and minors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 685 Projects in the Teaching of Journalism (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisite: A grade of C or better in the course in which student will be aide and consent of the instructor.

Students are paired with Journalism faculty in a supervised practicum to assist in teaching and to complete directed projects. (Students may earn a maximum of 4 units toward the baccalaureate degree for any course(s) numbered 685 regardless of discipline.) (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 695 Senior Seminar (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Journalism majors and minors; JOUR 395* or JOUR 400*; JOUR 605* or JOUR 609*; or equivalents all with grades of C or better; or consent of the instructor.

Journalism publishing project applying skills and knowledge of the major. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

JOUR 699 Independent Study (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Intensive study and investigation of a selected problem under the supervision of an instructor. May be repeated for a total of units. (CR/NC only)