School of Journalism and Mass Communication

“I couldn't have expected better preparation than the five–deadlines–a–week laboratory of the Spartan Daily.”

David Willman
Pulitzer—Prize winning reporter

Undergraduate curriculum: News & Reporting

There's no doubt that the world of journalism is changing dramatically, and for students who wonder what's on the horizon, the News & Reporting sequence at SJSU's School of Journalism and Mass Communications can provide tools to succeed in the 2010s and beyond.

Our journalism faculty have a wealth of experience in media both old and new, and can provide students with the core skills in writing, editing, and production that can be plugged in to any news organization.

Our journalism alumni aren't too shabby, either. Graduates of the journalism program have won or shared six Pulitzer Prizes (three in the last decade) and distinguished themselves with outstanding reporting for newspapers, magazines, TV networks, and Web news outlets all over the world. One of our grads, columnist Steve Lopez of the Los Angeles Times, was even portrayed in a major motion picture in 2009 (The Soloist, played by Robert Downey, Jr.). Best of all, our alumni frequently return to campus to work with students, so their experience and contacts within the industry can help new generations.

Majors consistently win top honors in the William Randolph Hearst national competitions.
Print and Photo majors are consistently awarded top paying internships on the nation's largest dailies and magazines.
All majors complete a required internship, which is excellent training for a career in the field. field.
The journalism degree program has about 250 majors and represents a good multicultural mix of students from around the world.

Required lower division courses:

Engl 1A and Engl 1B
Adv 091; Mcom 72 (GE Area D3)

Recommended lower division courses:

Area A1:     Comm 20; MAS 74
Area B1:     NuFS 05; Metr 10; Geol 02,20; Geog 01
Area B2:     Biol 10; NuFS 04
Area C1:     ArtH 10, 72; Dram 10; Musc 10AB
Area D1:     Psych 01
Area D2:     AfAm 2AB; AAS 33AB; Hist 15AB
Area E:       NuFS 09; RecL 10

Required advanced GE course:

Area Z: MCom 100W

Programs offered:

BS, Journalism, emphasis in:
Reporting and Editing
Magazine
Radio/TV News
Photojournalism
MS, Mass Communication
Minor, Journalism, emphasis in:
Reporting and Editing
Radio/TV News
Photojournalism
News Design

Examples of careers in this field:

Web news writer/Producer
Television Reporter
Photojournalist
Newspaper Reporter/Editor
Newspaper Columnist
News Anchor
News Analyst
Magazine editor/Publisher
Foreign Correspondent