School of Journalism

Return to: USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism  

USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism 303
(213) 740-0900 (academic inquiries)
(213) 740-3914 (administrative)
(213) 821-0770 (admission inquiries)
FAX: (213) 740-8624
annenberg.usc.edu
Director: Willow Bay, MBA

Director, Operations and Finance: Debra Lawler, MA

Faculty

Walter H. Annenberg Chair in Communication: Ernest J. Wilson III, PhD

University Professor and Annenberg Family Chair in Communication Leadership: Geoffrey Cowan, LLB

Jayne and Hans Hufschmid Chair in Strategic Public Relations and Business Communication: Robert Kozinets, PhD

Knight Chair in Media and Religion: Diane Winston, PhD

Provost Professor of Communication, Journalism and Cinematic Arts: Henry Jenkins, PhD

Professors: K.C. Cole, BA; Geoffrey Cowan, LLB*; Henry Jenkins, PhD; Judy Muller, BA; Tim Page, BA; Michael Parks, BA; Joe Saltzman, MS*; Philip Seib, JD; Roberto Suro, MS

Visiting Professor: Robert Kozinets, PhD

Associate Professors: William Celis, MS*, Jonathan Kotler, JD*; Joshua Kun, PhD (Communication); Larry Pryor, MS; Sandy Tolan, BFA; Jian Wang, PhD; Diane Winston, PhD

Assistant Professors: Mike Ananny, PhD (Communication); Daren C. Brabham, PhD; Kjerstin Thorson, PhD; Aimei Yang, PhD

Professors of Professional Practice: Willow Bay, MBA; Daniel Birman, MA; Laura Castañeda, EdD; Serena Cha, MS; Fred Cook, BA; Jennifer Floto, MA*; Vince Gonzales, MA; Gabriel Kahn, BA; Willa Seidenberg, BA; Erna Smith, BJ; Burghardt Tenderich, PhD

Associate Professors of Professional Practice: Amara Aguilar, MA; Sasha Anawalt, BA; Peggy Bustamante, MA; Rebecca Haggerty, MS; Robert Hernandez, BA; Matthew LeVeque, BA; Alan Mittelstaedt, BA; Stacy Scholder, BA

Senior Lecturers: Jeff Fellenzer, MA; Mary Murphy, BA; Richard Reeves, ME

Lecturers: Alan Abrahamson, JD; Dana Chinn, MBA; Myra Turner, BA

Emeritus Professors: Ed Cray, BA; Murray Fromson; Felix Gutierrez, PhD; Bryce Nelson, MPhil; Clancy Sigal, BA

Emeritus Professor of Professional Practice: Gerald Swerling, MS

Emeritus Associate Professor: William Robert Faith, PhD

*Recipient of university-wide or college teaching award.

Degree Programs

The School of Journalism offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in Broadcast and Digital Journalism, Print and Digital Journalism and Public Relations. It also offers minors in News Media and Society and in Advertising. The school stresses a broad-based liberal arts education to enhance writing and reporting and encourages undergraduate students to pursue double majors or minors in disciplines outside the school.

At the graduate level, a Master of Science degree is offered in Journalism and Master of Arts degrees are offered in Specialized Journalism, Specialized Journalism (The Arts) and Strategic Public Relations. The MS in Journalism degree is designed for students who have some journalism experience. The program emphasizes multi-platform journalism, but also allows students to build on the specialty of their choice including long-form video, news video, audio, text or digital. The Specialized Journalism degree is designed for experienced professionals and recent journalism graduates interested in developing specialized reporting expertise. The Specialized Journalism (The Arts) degree is designed for experienced professional and art practitioners interested in arts and culture criticism and reporting. The Strategic Public Relations degree emphasizes the requisite skills of that discipline, with an emphasis on strategic problem solving, public relations theory and techniques, writing, research-based planning and analysis, case studies, and the application of the discipline to specific industry categories.

Students are required to practice journalism principles and improve their multimedia skills by writing and reporting for neontommy.com (Annenberg Digital News), atvn.org (Annenberg TV News), annenbergradio.org (Annenberg Radio News), intersectionssouthla.org (Intersections South LA) and impact.uscannenberg.org (Impact newsmagazine program). Journalism majors are also encouraged to write and report for the independent student newspaper, the Daily Trojan, at dailytrojan.com.

The school offers several international study programs to undergraduate and graduate students. The USC Annenberg Career Development Office has listings for paid and unpaid internships from around the country. Career advisers conduct mandatory advisement appointments for all sophomores and offer career workshops, guest speakers and mentoring opportunities. Students are advised to participate in at least two internships before graduation.

Undergraduate Degrees

The School of Journalism offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in Print and Digital Journalism, Broadcast and Digital Journalism and Public Relations. The school also offers minors in Advertising and News Media and Society. Journalism students are encouraged to pursue double majors or minors in other areas of study. They must consult with an undergraduate journalism adviser at least once each semester to receive academic advisement covering major course selection and university degree requirements.

To meet accrediting guidelines, a minimum of 72 units must be completed outside the major area of journalism. A maximum of 16 units of course work taken prior to high school graduation and a combined 32 units of AP, IB and pre-high school graduation course work will count toward this requirement. Journalism and public relations majors can take up to a maximum of 48 journalism units; however, the major unit total (44 units) cannot be exceeded, unless the student has fulfilled the accreditation requirement.

A grade point average of at least C (2.0) on all baccalaureate units attempted at USC, as well as on the combined USC-transfer GPA, is required for undergraduate degrees. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in all upper division courses applied toward the major is also required. Students must complete each journalism class with at least a grade of C- in order to count the course toward a major requirement. Journalism courses with a grade of D+ or below must be repeated; courses may only be retaken once.

Admission Requirements

Admission is competitive. Fall 2014 incoming freshmen had an average GPA of 3.94 with an SAT score of 2120-2250 (middle 50%). Transfer students had an average college GPA of 3.70. For admission information and deadlines, refer to the USC Admission Website. All transfer applicants must review the transfer admission application guidelines on the Annenberg Website; contact the Annenberg Admissions Office for more information. USC exclusively uses the Common Application for freshman and transfer admission. Applicants must submit the Common Application and the USC Supplement, both of which can be accessed at commonapp.org. In addition to the university writing samples, a 250-word statement of intent is required; instructions are included with the USC Supplement. Upon admission to the School of Journalism, students will lose transfer credits earned in journalism and public relations course work completed at another college or university.

Students currently enrolled at USC who wish to change their major to journalism must file a formal application with all supporting documents through the Annenberg Student Services Office. Students must have 16 units completed at USC with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in order to be eligible to apply to journalism major. The 3.0 GPA is a minimum standard and does not guarantee admission. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 and a declared major in order to be eligible to apply to journalism minor.

General Education Requirements

The university’s general education program provides coherent, integrated introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated person. This program is effective for all students entering USC in fall 2015 or later, or transfer students beginning college elsewhere at that time and subsequently transferring to USC. It requires eight courses in six Core Literacies, plus two courses in Global Perspectives (which may double-count with courses in the Core Literacies) and two courses in writing. For more information about USC’s general education requirements, see the General Education Program .

Core Curriculum

The School of Journalism’s core curriculum prepares students to write and report for print, broadcast and online media. Print and digital journalism, and broadcast and digital journalism students are required to complete both print and broadcast newswriting and print and broadcast reporting classes. Print and digital journalism majors must complete a newspaper editing and design class; broadcast and digital journalism majors must complete a broadcast production class. In addition to the online media elements integrated into the newswriting and reporting classes, print and digital journalism and broadcast and digital journalism majors must complete an introduction to online media course.

Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation (GSP) Requirement

Journalism majors enrolled in JOUR 202  and public relations majors enrolled in JOUR 209  are required to complete the Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation (GSP) online tutorial before the end of the semester. This test must be taken and passed by the last day of class. Students who do not pass the test will be allowed to retake it once. Students who fail to complete the GSP tutorial within the allotted time frame will not be allowed to progress in the program and will be dismissed from the major.

Note: Students with disabilities may register with the Disability Services and Programs office (DSP) so the DSP staff can assess the nature of the students’ disabilities and recommend the appropriate accommodations to be provided for each student.

Annenberg International Programs

Spring Semester in London (Journalism)

The semester program offers students the opportunity to study at City University in London. Participants will be close observers of the British media and will have an opportunity for personal and direct comparison between the more structured and governmentally controlled media system of the United Kingdom and the laissez faire approach to media regulation in the United States. Students earn 8 USC journalism elective units and 8 social sciences units.

Spring Semester in London (Public Relations)

In the spring of their junior year, USC Annenberg public relations students can spend a spring semester at the University of Westminster in London, one of the leading British institutions for the academic and professional study of public relations and media, culture and society. Students will be integrated into the University of Westminster, and will take courses across the four Westminster campus locations around central London. Students will live in the central London district of Marylebone, and will be immersed into the public relations and media hub that is London.

Students earn a total of 16 units at Westminster; up to 8 USC upper division journalism elective units toward their public relations major and 8 general electives units.

Spring Semester in New Zealand (Journalism and Public Relations)

The semester program offers students the opportunity to study at the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, a leading southern hemisphere school of journalism and media studies. Fully integrated into the university and its vibrant urban surroundings with strong connections to the nation’s indigenous heritage, the program allows students to earn 8 units that fulfill journalism electives and 8 units of general electives.

Summer Internship in South Africa (Advanced Journalism Majors)

Students participating in this three-week program will report extensively on the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa. The festival is the largest of its kind on the continent and attracts performers from all over the world. Students report for Cue Magazine, a publication managed and run by Rhodes University. Students will receive one unit of internship credit.

International Communication Studies — London, Paris, Prague and Rome

The International Communication Studies program (ICS) allows undergraduate students to study a range of approaches to public communication media across Europe.

Students divide the five-week course into stays in Los Angeles, London, Paris, Prague and Rome. In addition to regular class meetings, students discuss the interplay of current world issues and international media practices with communication practitioners from international news and public relations media, government institutions, private industry and global organizations.

Students enroll in JOUR 482 Comparative Media in Europe  (4 units).

For further information, contact Annenberg International Programs at (213) 821-1276, email ascintl@usc.edu or visit annenberg.usc.edu/international.

Honor Society

Lambda Pi Eta is a national communication/journalism honor society that is open to declared communication, journalism and public relations majors who have completed (or are currently registered for) at least 60 units, at least 12 of which are in the major. To be eligible, students must have a USC GPA and a major GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Academic Integrity Policy

Since its founding in 1971, the USC School of Journalism has maintained a commitment to the highest standards of ethical conduct and academic excellence. Any student found plagiarizing, fabricating, cheating on examinations, and/or purchasing papers or other assignments faces sanctions ranging from an “F” on the assignment to dismissal from the School of Journalism.

Graduate Degrees

The School of Journalism offers one Master of Science degree program in Journalism, one certificate in Journalism and three Master of Arts degree programs in Specialized Journalism, Specialized Journalism (The Arts) and Strategic Public Relations.

Students enrolled in the MS in Journalism will learn how to write, report, produce, code, publish and promote (through social media) cross-platform stories in a converged news environment under intense deadline pressure. Students are also offered courses that provide a specialty in an area of interest which may prepare them for more specific careers in television news, radio news, long-form audio and video documentary production, online video and audio news production, and various forms of text reporting (including newspapers, magazines and online webtext). Classes are also offered that allow students to build on basic digital skills and embark on careers in data journalism, data visualization, app creation, online design and publishing, and coding.

The MA in Specialized Journalism is a program geared toward experienced journalists seeking subject-matter expertise and toward experienced professionals in other fields seeking journalism skills to advance their expertise. The program is also open to recent journalism school graduates with records of excellence and a demonstrated aptitude and commitment to developing an expertise in a specialized field of reporting.

The professionally oriented MA in Strategic Public Relations degree is designed to train both recent graduates interested in the PR/communication field and young professionals considering transitions into, or seeking to advance their careers, in that field, for management-level positions in all types of organizations. In their first year, all students take a core group of courses focusing on strategic problem-solving, research-based actionable insight, business acumen and skills, and in their second year they choose from a wide variety of highly specialized electives.

Admission Requirements

Prerequisites

An applicant must have the equivalent of a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university for the MS or MA degree. This is not required for the graduate journalism certificate.

Criteria

Minimum recommended criteria are a 3.0 GPA for undergraduate work and all graduate work, and valid Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test scores; the GMAT is not accepted in lieu of the GRE. International applicants are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and should receive a score of at least 114-115 on the Internet-based exam; or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). All completed applications are reviewed by the faculty admission committee even if the applicant’s academic quality is below the minimum recommendations. Applicants are strongly encouraged to take the Graduate Record Examinations one month prior to the application deadline. GRE scores are valid for five years; TOEFL and IELTS are valid for two years.

In addition, applicants are judged on a statement of purpose, résumé, writing sample and three letters of recommendation submitted on their behalf. Professional journalism or internship experience is expected for the MS in Journalism and required for the nine-month degree program in Specialized Journalism. A professional work bibliography and samples must be uploaded to the online application. No professional public relations work experience is required for the MA in Strategic Public Relations.

Procedure

Applicants must complete and submit the online USC Graduate Admission Application. Refer to the Annenberg graduate application guidelines on the Annenberg Website for details before initiating the application. In addition, international students must submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores for admission consideration and, after submitting the online graduate admission application, a Confidential Statement for Financing Studies at USC.

Applicants must upload the following supporting materials to the online USC Graduate Admission Application: statement of purpose, unofficial copy of all transcripts, writing sample and résumé. Letters of recommendation must be submitted online. Official GRE and TOEFL or IELTS scores must be reported electronically from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to USC (institution code 4852). Paper copies of score reports are not required or accepted in lieu of the official ETS report. Official transcripts must be mailed to USC Graduate Admission.

New students are admitted to the MS in Journalism, the MA in Specialized Journalism and the MA in Specialized Journalism (The Arts) for the summer session only. Refer to the graduate application guidelines on the Annenberg Website for application filing dates.

New students are admitted to the MA in Strategic Public Relations degree programs for the fall semester only. Refer to the Annenberg Website for application filing dates.

Degree Requirements

All course work applied toward a degree must be approved by the School of Journalism and the Graduate School.

Annenberg International Programs

Graduate Journalism Internships — China (Hong Kong or Shanghai), South Africa or United Kingdom

Journalism master’s degree students may spend eight weeks at internships in Cape Town, Hong Kong, London or Shanghai during the summer after their first year of graduate study at USC. Students apply to Annenberg International Programs in the fall semester of their first year. From mid-May to mid-July, they then enroll in JOUR 540 International Journalism Seminar I  and JOUR 545 International Internships in the Media  while working full-time at internships with prominent media organizations.

Graduate Strategic Public Relations Internships — China (Hong Kong or Shanghai), South Africa or United Kingdom

Strategic Public Relations master’s degree students may spend eight weeks at internships in Cape Town, Hong Kong, London or Shanghai during the summer after their first year of graduate study at USC. Students apply in the fall semester of their first year. From mid-May to mid-July, they then enroll in JOUR 540 International Journalism Seminar I  and JOUR 545 International Internships in the Media  while working full-time at internships with prominent public relations organizations.

For further information, contact Annenberg International Programs at (213) 821-1276, email ascintl@usc.edu or visit annenberg.usc.edu/international.

Academic Integrity Policy

Since its founding, the USC School of Journalism has maintained a commitment to the highest standards of ethical conduct and academic excellence. Any student found plagiarizing, fabricating, cheating on examinations and/or purchasing papers or other assignments faces sanctions ranging from an “F” on the assignment to dismissal from the School of Journalism.

Programs

Bachelor’s Degree

• •  Broadcast and Digital Journalism (BA)
• •  Print and Digital Journalism (BA)
• •  Public Relations (BA)

Minor

• •  Advertising Minor
• •  Media Economics and Entrepreneurship Minor
• •  News Media and Society Minor
• •  Nonprofits, Philanthropy and Volunteerism Minor

Master’s Degree

• •  Journalism (MS)
• •  Specialized Journalism (MA)
• •  Specialized Journalism (The Arts) (MA)
• •  Strategic Public Relations (MA)

University Certificate

• •  Journalism Certificate
• •  Public Policy Advocacy Graduate Certificate

Courses

Communication and Journalism

• •  ASCJ 100 The Changing World of Communication and Journalism

Journalism

• •  JOUR 190 Introduction to Journalism
• •  JOUR 201 History of News in Modern America
• •  JOUR 202 Newswriting: Print
• •  JOUR 203 Newswriting: Broadcast
• •  JOUR 205 Journalism Practicum
• •  JOUR 209 Effective Writing for Strategic Public Relations
• •  JOUR 210x Basics of News Production for Non-Majors
• •  JOUR 250 Strategic Public Relations: An Introduction
• •  JOUR 253 Theoretical Foundations of Strategic Public Relations
• •  JOUR 302 Reporting: Print
• •  JOUR 303 Reporting: Broadcast
• •  JOUR 306 Production: Broadcast
• •  JOUR 308 Newspaper Editing and Design
• •  JOUR 309 Introduction to Online Media
• •  JOUR 310 Investigative Reporting
• •  JOUR 330 Photojournalism
• •  JOUR 340 Introduction to Advertising
• •  JOUR 341 Advertising Copywriting
• •  JOUR 342 Advertising Media and Analysis
• •  JOUR 343 Advertising Design and Production
• •  JOUR 351a Strategic Public Relations Media and Content
• •  JOUR 351b Strategic Public Relations Media and Content
• •  JOUR 371 Censorship and the Law: From the Press to Cyberspace
• •  JOUR 373 Journalism Ethics Goes to the Movies
• •  JOUR 375 The Image of the Journalist in Popular Culture
• •  JOUR 380 Sports, Business and Media in Today’s Society
• •  JOUR 381 Entertainment, Business and Media in Today’s Society
• •  JOUR 390 Special Problems
• •  JOUR 400 Interpretive Writing
• •  JOUR 401 L Online Site Management and Production for Journalists
• •  JOUR 402 Advanced Television Reporting
• •  JOUR 403 Television News Production
• •  JOUR 405 Non-Fiction Television
• •  JOUR 407 Newsradio
• •  JOUR 409 Radio News Production
• •  JOUR 410 Radio Documentary
• •  JOUR 412 Introduction to Online Publishing
• •  JOUR 420 Advanced Photojournalism
• •  JOUR 421 Photo Editing for News Media
• •  JOUR 422 Visual Journalism
• •  JOUR 425 Advanced Radio News Production
• •  JOUR 428 Social, Legal and Ethical Foundations of Public Relations
• •  JOUR 429 Business and Economic Foundations of Public Relations
• •  JOUR 430 Writing the Film Review
• •  JOUR 431 Feature Writing
• •  JOUR 432 Sports Commentary
• •  JOUR 433 Writing About Science
• •  JOUR 435 Writing Magazine Non-Fiction
• •  JOUR 436 Magazine Production
• •  JOUR 440 Environmental Journalism
• •  JOUR 441 Sports Reporting
• •  JOUR 443 Business Reporting
• •  JOUR 444 Reporting on Religion
• •  JOUR 446 Entertainment Reporting
• •  JOUR 447 Arts Reporting
• •  JOUR 448 Government and Public Affairs Reporting
• •  JOUR 449 Reporting Los Angeles
• •  JOUR 450 Advanced Strategic Public Relations
• •  JOUR 451 Promotional Public Relations
• •  JOUR 452 Public Relations in Entertainment
• •  JOUR 454 Sports Public Relations
• •  JOUR 455 Public Relations for Non-Profit Organizations
• •  JOUR 456 Public Relations for Diverse Audiences
• •  JOUR 457 The Role of Celebrity in Public Relations
• •  JOUR 458 Public Relations in Politics and Political Campaigns
• •  JOUR 459 Fact and Fiction: From Journalism to the Docudrama
• •  JOUR 460 Social Responsibility of the News Media
• •  JOUR 462 Law of Mass Communication
• •  JOUR 463 Strategic Public Relations Research, Analysis and Insights
• •  JOUR 465m Latino News Media in the United States
• •  JOUR 466m People of Color and the News Media
• •  JOUR 467 Gender and the News Media
• •  JOUR 468m The American Press and Issues of Sexual Diversity
• •  JOUR 469 Money, Markets and Media
• •  JOUR 470 Community Journalism
• •  JOUR 471 Advanced Multimedia Storytelling
• •  JOUR 473 Emerging Media Strategies for Communication and Public Relations
• •  JOUR 474 Interviewing and Profile Writing
• •  JOUR 475 Publications Design and Technology
• •  JOUR 476 Reporting Urban Affairs
• •  JOUR 477 Web Analytics for News and Nonprofit Organizations
• •  JOUR 478 Social Media Analytics: Big Data and Content Creation for Real-time Public Relations
• •  JOUR 480 Sports and Media Technology
• •  JOUR 481 Careers and Strategies in Health Communication
• •  JOUR 482 Comparative Media in Europe
• •  JOUR 483 Negotiating and Reporting Global Change
• •  JOUR 484 American Religion, Foreign Policy and the News Media
• •  JOUR 485 Multimedia PR Content: Digital/Social Media Lab
• •  JOUR 486 Multimedia PR Content: Introduction to Digital Design Tools
• •  JOUR 487 Multimedia PR Content: Introduction to Audio/Video Tools
• •  JOUR 488 Multimedia PR Content: Visual Communication of Information
• •  JOUR 490x Directed Research
• •  JOUR 491 Transmedia, New Media and Strategic PR/Communication
• •  JOUR 492 Personal Branding
• •  JOUR 493 Comics and Graphic Storytelling
• •  JOUR 494 Transmedia, New Media and Strategic Communication
• •  JOUR 498 Honors Seminar
• •  JOUR 499 Special Topics
• •  JOUR 500 Media and Society