21:086:201 Introduction to Media Studies I (3) What and who is "the media"? How can something as diverse and disjointed as the ways that news is produced by journalists and disseminated to the public be spoken about with such a singular and monolithic term? In this course, students explore the many ways that news has been produced and distributed over the course of American history, and how changes in culture and technology have affected, and continue to affect, the relationship between the organizations that produce the news and the people who consume it. Students will work with a mix of interdisciplinary sources in answering those questions, including primary source journalism in various media from different historical periods, key concepts of media and communications theory, scholarly articles on the social impact of journalism and media, and depictions of journalists in popular films and TV shows.

21:086:202 Introduction to Media Studies II (3) Sometimes it seems the media gets the blame for much of the world's social and political ills. Other times modern digital communication is seen as a powerful means toward achieving positive social action. What is clear is that with every advancement in media technology, new issues arise that have profound implications for the shape of cultural and political discourse. Introduction to Media Studies 1 introduced theoretical and historical contexts to understand media in general terms. In this course, we turn our focus to some of the pressing issues which confront those who work in, study, and consume contemporary media and journalism. How can media consumers determine what is fact from fake news? Are we permanently polarized within media bubbles? Why are we influenced by influencers? Is personal privacy at all possible anymore? Can full media access ever be truly free or equal? We will examine and discuss these and other issues through contemporary journalistic writing, video essays, podcasts, artwork, film, and other forms of current critical expression. Prerequisite: 21:086:201.

21:086:304 Convergence (3) Examines early experiments with converging technologies; as well as how digitization, electronic commerce, and new forms of information delivery are changing the nature of television. Prerequisites: 21:086:201 or 202, or by permission of instructor.

21:086:309 Imagery and Culture (3) Imagery and Culture explores culture as ways of life and forms of artistic expression. Looking at areas as near as the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area and as sprawling as the United States of America, we will explore how people live, form communities, and express themselves artistically. We'll look at how our ways of life blend past and present, conflict and consensus, natural and human-made environments, intimate communities and big institutions. All of these have inspired important works of art, photography, paintings, films, and music. The specific focus of the course varies each time the course is offered. Two recent examples include a course exploring how television has influenced journalistic expression and another examining how documentary film and other visual media have told the story of the United State of America.

21:086:334 Journalism, Ethics, and the Law (3) What is journalism? Is the First Amendment still relevant? These are fundamental questions of our time. Much, if not most of the U.S. public remains unaware that throughout the 21st century, the U.S. journalism ecosystem has been in a state of system-wide collapse. Crisis, however, is also an opportunity for innovation, reflection and creation. This real-world course equips students to identify what journalism is, what it is not and most importantly, why knowing the difference matters. Therefore, this course covers the difference between journalism and media; traditional journalistic ethics; the effect of industry instability and social media networks on ethical decision-making when gathering, creating and sharing information; new journalistic ethics for our time; and the past and current role of the First Amendment.

21:086:337 Basic Reporting and Newswriting (3) Basic Reporting and Newswriting will provide students with an overview of journalism, how it works, and how it's changed since the advent of the Internet. We'll explore how journalism is different from other types of writing and the basics of news reporting and writing (the 5Ws) no matter the medium. We'll explore the different types of media that provide journalism (newspapers, TV, radio, magazines, Internet, and social media). We'll explore issues such as the importance of alternative media to disseminating information not covered by the mainstream media, whose standing with the public has diminished. Students will learn how to spot what's really fake news. You will interview individuals in and outside of class for homework assignments. We'll learn interviewing techniques: how to ask the right questions, listen carefully to what people tell you (thus prompting other questions), and observe things that deserve further probing. You're expected to follow the news closely daily, and there might be pop quizzes on the news. We'll also learn how to use the Internet for research.
Prerequisite: 21:355:102.

21:086:338 Advanced Reporting (3) In this course, students will learn to report and write about the news that matters most to their communities. Students will get the opportunity to choose a beat to cover, such as a local government or school district, and they will produce five to seven articles, including shorter daily stories and longer enterprise stories. They will also incorporate social media and multimedia elements in their coverage. Heavy emphasis will be placed on the reporting, doing in-person interviews and telling the stories of real people. Instruction will focus on news judgment, source development, interview skills, researching and backgrounding, and using data and public records. We will also stress the importance of clear and effective writing by studying examples of excellent journalism from newspapers, magazines, and books. In class, we will examine and discuss each other's stories and reporting challenges, hopefully creating the kind of collaborative and collegial atmosphere found in the best newsrooms.

Prerequisite: 21:086:337.

21:086:340 Introduction to Multimedia (3) Today, journalists face many challenges regarding what stories to cover, how to cover them, and what formats are best for a story. This semester, you will learn how to pitch, produce, edit and choose which medium (video, audio, photography, graphics and text) best suits a story they wish to tell. Through lectures, readings, discussions, guest speakers, and fieldwork, students will explore the elements and forms of multimedia storytelling, learn the skills for newsgathering and story production, and learn the best use of media formats to tell compelling stories. Over the course of the semester, you will produce several projects: a photo essay, various videos, and an audio project. By the end of the semester, these projects will come together and be part of your final multimedia project.

21:086:344 Journalism, Ethics, and the Law (3) What is journalism? Is the First Amendment still relevant? These are fundamental questions of our time. Much, if not most of the U.S. public remains unaware that throughout the 21st century, the U.S. journalism ecosystem has been in a state of system-wide collapse. Crisis, however, is also an opportunity for innovation, reflection and creation. This real-world course equips students to identify what journalism is, what it is not and most importantly, why knowing the difference matters. Therefore, this course covers the difference between journalism and media; traditional journalistic ethics; the effect of industry instability and social media networks on ethical decision-making when gathering, creating and sharing information; new journalistic ethics for our time; and the past and current role of the First Amendment.

21:086:346 Independent Study in Journalism and Media Studies (3) With permission and guidance from a member of the faculty, a student pursues an independent course of study, typically resulting in a long form reported piece. Interested students should contact the instructor before registering with a 350-word project proposal along with a list of sources to be interviewed and consulted. The student will produce an outline, a draft and a revision based on instructor feedback, with deadlines staggered over the course of the semester.

21:086:388 Global Journalism (3)

What is global journalism? What does it mean to be a global journalist? And how does one effectively practice global journalism? Through a critical engagement with material from around the world, students will explore (1) The politics of the global news agenda (2) The interconnectedness of global events and (3) The power of narrative in shaping geo-politics.

Students will become familiar with how contemporary reporting is practiced internationally, and to what extent government regulation (i.e., censorship, curbs on Western online outlets) controls how well citizens are informed in particular countries.

21:086:400 Journalism Capstone (3) This course is intended to be the culmination of the journalism program. Its goal is to put into practice the skills that students have developed in the program, and its product will be a magazine focused on a central theme, such as Newark-based artists whose work aims at social justice, and helps students build their professional portfolios. Under the direction of a professional journalist, students will produce one issue of the magazine by semester's end. The instructor will provide guidance on how to write compelling feature articles and effective headlines, how to copy edit to improve early drafts and use effective graphics and photography that advance the stories and meet the theme, overall issue flow and article balance.

Prerequisite: 21:086:338.

21:086:401 Special Topics in Journalism (3) This interdisciplinary humanities course addresses a specific special topic in journalism, such as literary journalism, the history of ethnic media or reporting on the environment, immigration, criminal justice or other critical social issues. The focus varies each time the course is offered.

Prerequisites: 21:355:102 or 21:355:104 or permission of program coordinator.

21:086:459,460 Journalism Internship (3,3) With approval from a faculty member, students will intern with journalism organizations, working 120 hours throughout the course of the semester. Supervisors at the organizations will evaluate the work of the students and offer a suggested grade for the semester. Students must secure the internship independently by the registration deadline. Journalism faculty can offer advice on how to do this.

Prerequisite: 21:086:338.

21:086:493,494 Newsroom Workshop (3,3) This course operates as a newsroom covering the City of Newark. A professional journalist, serving as instructor and newsroom manager, will guide students, hearing their story pitches, assigning them articles and discussing strategies for covering those stories. The instructor will also work with the students on getting the best stories published. Students will also hear firsthand from some of New Jersey's best journalists about how they do their job.

Prerequisites: 21:086:338 or permission of program coordinator.