Courses

You may access a course syllabus by simply clicking the course title, if there are multiple sections of a course the links to the syllabi follow the course description.

160-3 Mass Communication in Society. Acquaints non-journalism students with the history and development Examines media roles in society, potential for development, weak points, and the roles consumers can and should play regarding the media. This course may not be applied toward major or minor credit in Journalism. Explores the concept of convergence in media writing while developing a basic understanding of journalism principles and writing skills for newspapers, online news, magazines, public relations, television and radio; develops skills in word usage, grammar, spelling and AP style for print and broadcast.

201-3 Writing Across Platforms. Explores the concept of convergence in media writing while developing a basic understanding of journalism principles and writing skills for newspapers, online news, magazines, public relations, television and radio; develops skills in word usage, grammar, spelling and AP style for print and broadcast.

202-3 Creativity Across Platforms. Provides a basic understanding of the fundamentals of new media and introduces software and tools that are increasingly being used in the news industry. Students will learn how to create content by utilizing and integrating different content modalities such as text, audio, graphics, photographs and video.

301-3 Principles of Advertising. An introduction to advertising, direct response, sales promotion and marketing public relations, and their functions in today’s communication environment. Explores research, media and message elements involved in the creation of a campaign; governmental regulations; and social and economic considerations.

302-3 Copywriting and Creative Strategy for Advertising. Study of the principles and practice in the writing of copy and color, visual design of persuasive messages such as advertising, sales promotion, direct response, marketing public relations and others. Includes writing for print and broadcast media, across products and services and oral presentation of materials. Lab fee: $42. Prerequisite: ACTE English of 22 or higher or grade of or higher in English 300 and Journalism 301.

304-3 Placing Advertising Messages in the Media. Examination of the various media systems/types available to carry advertising creative messages. Emphasis is given to both the development of advertising span style media objectives and strategies in the context of a media plan, as well as the steps involved in the actual negotiation of specific media vehicles. Prerequisite: ACTE English subscore of 22 or higher or minimum grade of C in English 300 and Journalism 301.

305-3 Direct Response Advertising. Overview of direct response advertising and its measurability the media involved; and the strategic, tactical and creative approaches.Introduces topics such as databasemanagement, mailing lists, telemarketing, lead generation program, catalog marketing, sales promotion and business-to-business marketing communications. Prerequisite: Journalism 302.

306I-3 International Media Systems. (University Core Curriculum) An overview of the mass media systems of the world; comparison of theoretical models and actual practice. Explores differing conceptual models of the mass media and their underlying philosophies; actual operations of different press systems with specific economic, political and cultural structures including historical development and current status.

307-3 Interactive Advertising. Explores the development of interactive media and their impact onintegrated marketing communication and consumer behavior. Analyze the use of new media in brand building,business-to-business communication, direct response, database marketing, and sales promotions. Includesexamination of strategic, planning, and communication aspects of Web sites, online advertising, email marketing, CD-ROMs, interactive presentations, interactive kiosks, and more. Provide s principles suchas user experience, content organization, navigation development, and interface design necessary to develop persuasive interactive marketing materials. Course fee: $42. Prerequisite: Journalism 301.

310-3 Writing for the Mass Media. Emphasis on mass media writing styles; basic principles of editing; the techniques of information gathering and reporting; story organization; the use of library and on-line sources; and other basic newsgathering skills. Lab fee: $42. Prerequisite: a minimum 22 English ACT score or English 300 with a grade of C or better.

311-3 Reporting and News Writing. Continues development of news reporting skills for all media. Emphasizes personal interviews, development and use of news sources, analysis of public records, news beats and specialized reporting structures, and the professional working relationship between the writer and other news personnel. Lab fee: $42. Prerequisite: 310.

312-3 Editing. Introduces principles and techniques of editing and information management. Course emphasizes the editing of body copy and display type for maximum clarity and impact in a wide variety of news media including print, broadcast, and new media publications. Lab fee: $42. Prerequisite: 310.

313-3 Basic Photojournalism. Includes basic camera technique, digital photo imaging methods and evaluation of pictorial communication effects. Discusses the history and ethics of the profession. Student supplies own materials. Lab fee: $52.

314I-3 American Politics and the Mass Media. (University Core Curriculum)(Same as Political Science 314I) Analysis of the role of the mass media in American politics. Emphasis will be on the way in which the media covers political actors and institutions, the effects of media on political attitudes and behavior, and the expanding role of new media, such as the Internet, in politics.

332-3 Journalism Law. Examination of the constitutional law of press censorship, of libel and privacy, of commercial speech and its regulation, of copyright and trademark, of access to government proceedings, and of confidentiality in newsgathering.

335-3 Graphic Communication. Explores the history of visual communication with an emphasis on the integration of text and graphic images through design. Introduces fundamental design principles and the basics of typography, color usage, picture editing, and project management, all within the context of changing communication technology and production methods. Lab fee: $42.

337-3 Video for Online Journalism. Introduces professional shooting and editing techniques to students interested in producing video stories within integrated new media storytelling for online journalism. Conduct pre- and post-production work to develop, investigate and report online news stories in a converged media environment. Prerequisite: 311 and 313.

360-3 Magazine Management and Production. The day-to-day operations of a magazine and the techniques involved in producing a magazine. A combination of lectures and workshops in which the professor will deal individually with student projects. Each student will produce an original magazine idea and bring it to, at least, the semi-comprehensive stage of development. Lab fee: $42.

396 Web Publishing Publishing to the World Wide Web. The class provides instruction in designing for the WWW. Students learn the basics of HTML, and are provided an opportunity to develop literacy in networked, interactive communication. Students learn the basics of good interface design and apply these skills in interactive multimedia such as interactive news and information display, training development, business marketing applications, asynchronous learning materials, and entertainment products

400-3 History of Journalism. Development of American newspapers, magazines, and radio-television with emphasis on cultural, technological, and economic backgrounds of press development. Current press structures and policies will be placed in historical perspective.

402-3 Advanced Creative Strategies. Examination of and practice in the development of persuasive, strategic campaigns and message strategies for multiple clients. Creation of a professional quality portfolio demonstrating proficiency in both traditional and new media required. Prerequisite: 302.

403-3 Media Sales. Historical perspective of media and sales philosophies and tactics grounded in sales ethics. Learn and apply relationship selling techniques enabling students to become media advertising consultants. Learn how to effectively work with local clients, agencies and national firms and balance the goals of management with the needs of clients while enhancing communication effectiveness. Prerequisite: 302 and 304.

404-3 Advanced Media Strategies and Planning. Provides an understanding of the factors that influence media strategy. Emphasis will be placed on advanced concepts such as building reach patterns, calculating effective frequency levels, in order to develop an effective media plan. Introduces media planning for the web and other new media options. Prerequisite: 304

405-3 Introduction to Mass Communication Research Overview of communication research methods including practical training in interpretation and presentation of social science data. Introduction to survey research methods, experimental design, and use of computers for analysis of data. Presentation of data in journalistic forms and social science reports. Not for graduate credit. Prerequisite: 302 or 310.

406-3 Advertising Campaigns. Conceptual synthesis and practical application of business, research,media and creative principles used in the formulation of persuasive messages.Includes the development of a complete campaign for an advertiser.Includes all relevant target audience contact points (e.g., advertising, sales promotion, marketing public relations, event marketing, packaging) and both written and oral presentation of the campaign. Prerequisite: Journalism 302, 304, and 405. See example syllabuses one or two.

407-3 Social Issues and Advertising. Analysis of social issues involving advertising; economic relationships, government and self-regulation, cultural effects,influence on media content and structure, role in democratic processes, international comparisons and the stereotyping of women, minorities and other audience segments. Prerequisite: senior standing.

409-3 Specialized Topics in Advertising. New developments in advertising. Topics change each term. Students should check specific topic and any special requirements and prerequisites before enrolling. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.

410-3 Multi-media Publication Project. All journalistic skills and tools will combine to produce a report on a public issue important to southern Illinois. The report will be published both in hard copy and on the web. Students will have an opportunity to hone skills they already have learned or to learn new skills that broaden their repertoire. Prerequisite: 310 and 413 or consent.

411-3 Public Policy Reporting. Continued development of reporting skills with emphasis on the reporting of public policy issues and on use of statistics, the analysis of computerized data bases, and advanced techniques for the investigation of complex stories. Prerequisite: 311 or consent of instructor.

412-3 Images and Sound. Photojournalism course advancing news gathering techniques, visual and interactive journalistic communication and photographic content and sound. Audio recording, editing, and flash photography skills will be developed and professional and ethical aspects of photojournalism will be emphasized. Prerequisite: 313 or consent of instructor.

413-3 Advanced Photojournalism. Emphasis on in-depth photojournalistic reporting. Students research, write and photograph picture stories. Examines ethics, history and social role of photojournalism domestically and internationally. Digital imaging and an introduction to full-motion video. Students must have fully adjustable camera. Lab fee: $64. Prerequisite: 412. Student supplies own materials.

414-3 Picture Story and Photographic Essay. Production of photographic stories and essays for newspapers, magazines and news media presentations. Students discuss, research, photograph, design and write several stories and essays, while studying the work of influential photojournalists. Student must supply own camera equipment. Lab fee: $42. Prerequisite: Journalism 313 or consent of instructor.

416-3 Critical and Persuasive Writing. The roles and responsibilities of the editor, editorial writer, and opinion columnist with emphasis upon editorial writing and critical thinking. Editorial problems, methods, policies, style and the fundamentals of persuasion and attitude change form the basis for study. Prerequisite: Journalism 311.

417-3 Freelance Feature Writing. Identification, research and application of creative writing techniques in producing feature articles for various media. Students analyze reader appeal as well as feature story structure and methods of marketing features to various audiences and publications. Lab fee: $42. Prerequisite: Journalism 310.

419-3 Specialized Topics in News Reporting. Develops detailed reporting expertise in such topics as business, environment, education, arts and entertainment, health and medicine, sports, public journalism, etc. Lab fee: $42. Prerequisite: 311 or consent of instructor. See syllabus examples one or two.

426-3 Online Journalism. Examination of emerging forms of news delivery by computer and related convergence of print and broadcast media. Apply concepts and theories and skills in projects, and web-news content management as a real world setting for the production of professional-level cyber-clips for an onnline portfolio. Includes the production of news stories via email, cellular and other evolving media environments. Prerequisite: 310 and MCMA 396.

434-3 Media Ethics. Explores the moral environment of the mass media and the ethical problems that confront media practitioners. Models of ethical decision-making and moral philosophy are introduced to encourage students to think critically about the mass media and their roles in modern society.

435-3 Advanced Graphic Communication. Continues development of message design skills. Emphasizes creative solutions to the display of complex content in a wide variety of media. Lab fee: $46. Prerequisite: Journalism 335.

436-3 Multimedia Publication Design. Building upon the basic skills learned in publishing on the WWW, the course continues the exploration of using computer-based technologies for presentation of information to wide audience using the interactive capabilities of the internet and other new media. Focus is on organization of information, design of presentation, use of transaction generated information, and the production of multimedia files in a networked environment. Includes discussion of topics including privacy intellectual property, libel, and other matters of concerns to an interactive publisher. Course fee: $42. Prerequisite: Mass Communication and Media Arts 396.

450-3 Account Planning and Consumer Research. Introduces the field of account planning.Provides an understanding of how consumer research influences and informs the creative process. Learn to use qualitative research methods that are used in consumer research. Writing creative briefs that are effective and provide insights for the creative team. Prerequisite: 405

490-1 to 6 (1 to 3, 1 to 3, 1 to 3) Readings. Supervised readings on subject matter not covered in regularly scheduled courses. Limited to maximum of 3 credits per semester. Not for graduate credit. Prerequisite: written consent of instructor and director.

494-1 to 6 Practicum. Study, observation, and participation in publication or broadcast activities. A maximum of three credit hours may count toward the major for undergraduates. Prerequisite: consent of instructorand area head. Mandatory Pass/Fail for undergraduates.

495-1 to 12 (1 to 6, 1 to 6). Selected seminars investigating media problems or other subjects of topical importance to advanced journalism majors. Seminars will be offered as the need and the interest of students demand. Prerequisite: senior standing.