4:19 p.m., May 16, 2007--A new journalism minor with a new introductory course will be offered beginning with the fall 2007 semester, when students from any major may declare for the minor in journalism.

Designed to incorporate a broad, interdisciplinary approach to journalism education, the new minor will encourage students to explore coursework outside the traditional boundaries of the English and communication departments to include study in areas such as economics, political science, international relations and visual communications.

The new journalism minor will replace the traditional journalism concentration offered by the departments of English, history and political science and international relations.

Ben Yagoda, professor of English and director of journalism, said the new minor ties in to the trend in undergraduate journalism programs that expose students to the challenges of working in a field that often calls for the combined use of print, web, broadcast and video mediums.

“Ralph Begleiter [Rosenberg Professor of Communication and distinguished journalist in residence for communication and political science and international relations] and I started planning for this two years ago,” Yagoda said. “We recognized that while the mediums might vary, the need for basic skills like interviewing, reporting and clear writing remained the same.”

Students declaring the journalism minor will be required to take JOUR 301: Introduction to Journalism. The new introductory course will be offered for the first time during the 2008 spring semester. The course, which may be taken in the sophomore or later years, will examine the history, practice and issues of print, broadcast and electronic journalism. To continue in the minor, students must receive a grade of B or better in JOUR 301, or obtain the permission of a member of the journalism faculty.

In addition to Introduction to Journalism, required courses for the 18-credit minor in journalism include:

ENGL 307: News Writing or COMM 329: Broadcast Writing (journalism minor candidates may elect to take both courses, with one counting as an elective); and

ENGL 308: Reporter's Practicum or COMM 326: Field Production/Reporting (journalism minor candidates may elect to take both courses, with one counting as an elective).

Students in the minor also must chose three elective course for nine credits from a course selection that includes Introduction to Mass Media, Nonfiction Workshop (currently called Topics in Writing), Feature and Magazine Writing, Copy Editing and Page Design, and Media Law. Additional electives for the journalism minor include Advanced Reporting, Sports Reporting, Topics in Journalism, Topics in Mass Communication, Designing Online Information, Politics and the Media, Broadcast News, Internship, Global Agenda, Introduction to Communication Research Methods, Economic Issues and Policies, Introduction to Microeconomics: Prices and Markets (journalism minor candidates may count either economics course toward the journalism minor, but not both), and a new course, Ethics and Issues and Journalism.

Students who sign up for the traditional journalism concentration before the first day of class in the fall (Aug. 28) may continue with that program throughout their academic career at UD. Beginning Aug. 28, students will not be able to sign up for the journalism concentration.

“The journalism minor will create a lot of attention,” Yagoda said. ”Its separate presence as a minor will give the program a little more strength and will put the spotlight on our faculty and other resources for students.”

Article by Jerry Rhodes