High School Diploma: You must have graduated by the time you start at NIU in order to be admitted.
Grades: You must have passing grades equivalent to a U.S. C+ average on all transcripts and/or exam scores
Students enrolling at NIU must first prove they can communicate in English at a university level.
Any one of the following will be considered as adequate proof of English proficiency:
Official TOEFL or IELTS score report
TOEFL: Either an Internet-based or paper-based test. Required minimum scores:
71 on an Internet-based test- use NIU’s TOEFL Code 1559
527 on a paper-based test
IELTS: Minimum required overall band score of 6.0
PTE Academic English: minimum score of 48
IGCSE, GCSE, or GCE O-level or A-Level English test subject. Minimum passing grade of C.
International Baccalaureate (IB): Score of 4 of higher on English A Standard Level exam
Completion of ELS level 112 for Academic Purpose offered by ELS Language Centers
High school diploma from Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales). Students will need to submit official school records
As a student in our journalism program, you’ll experience a broad-based liberal arts education combined with an array of skills and theory courses. Our students have a high degree of success in obtaining internships and professional positions through our vast network of alumni (approximately 5,000 journalism and public relations) and organizations such as the Northern Illinois Newspaper Association.
A journalism major will prepare you to work in a multimedia and multicultural environment, practice ethics in communication and maintain the professional standards of journalism.
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Journalism (B.A. or B.S.)
The non-journalism requirements comply with standards of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. To reflect the move towards convergence in the journalism professions, as well as the types of skills news media professionals value most, the journalism program offers students the opportunity to gain experience working in specific media (such as print journalism, broadcast journalism, and digital photography) and encourages them to develop expertise in more than one area of the field. The curriculum also emphasizes ethics, critical thinking skills, and the important role journalists play in society. Students who double major in Communication and Journalism must take JOUR 480 or either COMS 455 or COMS 403. In no case will the COMS or JOUR law/ethics course count towards the same law/ethics block required for each major.
Requirements in Department (36-37)
Required courses (6)
JOUR 200 - Basic News Writing Credits: 3
JOUR 480 - Journalism Law and Regulation Credits: 3
OR COMS 455 - Media Law and Ethics Credits: 3
Constructing Media Narratives: Choose 4 of the following (12):
JOUR 301 - Article Writing Credits: 3
JOUR 301 is a writing infused course.
JOUR 302 - News Reporting Credits: 3
JOUR 315 - Press Photography Credits: 3
JOUR 353 - Sports Journalism Credits: 3
JOUR 354 - Fundamentals of Broadcast News Credits: 3
JOUR 357 - Television Newscast Production/Anchoring Credits: 3
JOUR 360 - Public Relations Writing Credits: 3
JOUR 360 is a writing infused course.
JOUR 401 - Editorial and Opinion Writing Credits: 3
JOUR 401 is a writing infused course.
JOUR 402 - Advanced Reporting Credits: 3
JOUR 415 - Advanced Photojournalism Credits: 3
JOUR 435 - Advanced Public Relations Credits: 3
JOUR 460 - Specialized Press Writing Credits: 3
JOUR 460 is a writing infused course.
JOUR 464 - Content for Emerging Media Credits: 3
JOUR 485A - Topics in Journalism Writing Credits: 3
Editing and Management: Choose 2 of the following (6-7):
JOUR 210 - Information Gathering in the Digital Age Credits: 3
JOUR 312 - Graphics of Communications Credits: 3
JOUR 356 - Electronic News Gathering and Editing Credits: 4
JOUR 364 - Television News Producing and Directing Credits: 3
JOUR 410 - News Editing Credits: 3
JOUR 461 - Specialized Press Editing Credits: 3
JOUR 492 - Internship in Journalism Credits: 3
News in Society: Choose 4 of the following (12):
JOUR 201 - Issues in Journalism Credits: 3
JOUR 295 - Reading News Critically Credits: 3
JOUR 335 - Principles of Public Relations Credits: 3
JOUR 350 - Environment, Health, and the Media Credits: 3
Available for General Education credit in the Creativity and Critical Analysis Domain.
JOUR 407 - Media and Technology Credits: 3
JOUR 436 - Public Relations Problems Credits: 3
JOUR 449 - Media Management Credits: 3
JOUR 481 - History of Journalism Credits: 3
JOUR 482 - International News Communications Credits: 3
JOUR 483 - Mass Media in Modern Society Credits: 3
JOUR 485B - Topics in Journalism and Society Credits: 3
JOUR 486 - Journalism Ethics Credits: 3
JOUR 487 - News and Entertainment Credits: 3
JOUR 490 - Ethnic Minorities and the News Media Credits: 3
Requirements outside Department (B.A., 0-12; B.S., 12-17)
For the B.A. degree
Fulfillment of B.A. foreign language requirement (0-12)
See “Foreign Language Requirement for the B.A. Degree” in the Other Graduation Requirements section of this catalog.
For the B.S. degree
Mathematics/laboratory science sequence (12-17)
See “College Requirement for the B.S. Degree” in the Other Graduation Requirements section of this catalog.
Special Requirements
At least 80 semester hours of the total hours required for the baccalaureate degree must be taken in subjects other than journalism, with at least 65 of those hours in the liberal arts. The department currently considers liberal arts courses to be most of the courses offered in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and courses in art history and appreciation, music history and literature, and theater history and criticism. Students considering courses in communication studies or computer science should consult a department adviser to determine whether the courses can be included in the liberal arts category.
Students must also fulfill the requirements of a minor or a second major, which must be selected in consultation with a department adviser. Since disciplinary academic standards limit the number of professional courses that journalism majors may take, students thinking of including major or minor work in communication studies (with courses, for example, in media studies or organizational/ corporate communication) are particularly urged to see a department adviser before proceeding.
Journalism majors must earn a grade of C or S or better in all required journalism courses. Journalism prerequisites are deemed to be met only by obtaining a grade of C or S or better. It is necessary to repeat a journalism course in which a grade below C or S is earned before taking any course for which it is a prerequisite.
A student’s program of courses must be designed in consultation with, and periodically reviewed by, a department adviser.
Recommendations
Students interested in international affairs are advised to develop a high degree of competence in one or more foreign languages, to become familiar with political systems other than that found in the United States, to take JOUR 482, International News Communications, and to enroll in the interdisciplinary global studies minor. Students interested in ethnic studies are advised to take JOUR 490, Ethnic Minorities and the News Media, and to enroll in a minor such as black studies, Latino/Latin American studies, or Southeast Asian studies.
The following courses are recommended for all journalism majors and students are advised to include at least four of them among their elective courses.
ECON 261 - Principles of Macroeconomics Credits: 3
Available for General Education credit in the Society and Culture Domain.
MKTG 295 - Principles of Marketing Credits: 3
POLS 303 - State and Local Government Credits: 3
POLS 305 - Political Parties and Elections Credits: 3
PSYC 102 - Introduction to Psychology Credits: 3
Available for General Education credit in the Society and Culture Domain.
SOCI 170 - Introduction to Sociology Credits: 3
Available for General Education credit in the Society and Culture Domain.
TOTAL HOURS FOR A MAJOR IN JOURNALISM: 36-49 (B.A.) OR 48-54 (B.S.)
General Education Requirements (12-33)
In addition to completing the above major requirements students must complete the remaining general education requirements. If major requirements fulfill any of the general education requirements, they are listed below and subtracted from the general education credit requirements.
The required minimum of 21 semester hours in Knowledge Domain studies cannot include more than two courses in any one department. (A course with an affiliated laboratory course shall be counted as a single course.)
Foundational Studies (0-12)
Writing Requirement (0-6)
Oral Communication Requirement (0-3)
Quantitative Literacy Requirements (0-3)
For additional information about these requirements, please visit Foundational Studies.
Knowledge Domain Requirements (12-21)
Creativity and Critical Analysis (3-6)
Two 3-credit courses selected from approved general education list. Creativity and Creative Analysis Course List
JOUR 350, a program elective, is a general education course under this domain.
Nature and Technology (6)
Two 3-credit courses selected from approved general education list. Nature and Technology Course List
Society and Culture (0-6)
Two 3-credit courses selected from approved general education list. Society and Culture Course List
Program elective recommendations, ECON 261, PSYC 102, and SOCI 170 are all general education courses under this domain.
Knowledge Domain Elective (3)
One additional 3-credit course from any Knowledge Domain.
Graduation Requirements (3-9)
In addition to completing the above major requirements students must complete the remaining graduation requirements. If major requirements fulfill any of the graduation requirements, they are listed below and subtracted from the graduation credit requirements.
Human Diversity Requirement (3)
One course from the approved Human Diversity course list; may be fulfilled by extracurricular activities. Human Diversity Course List
Writing Infused Requirements (0-6)
Two courses from the approved Writing Infused course list. Writing Infused Course List
Program electives JOUR 301, JOUR 360, JOUR 401, and JOUR 460 are all Writing Infused courses.
Total hours for general education and graduation requirements: 15-42
Total hours for electives: 29-69 (b.a.) Or 24-57 (b.s.)
Total hours for a b.a. Or b.s. In journalism: 120
Depending on the classes you choose, you may pursue a career in broadcasting, print journalism, photojournalism or public relations. With a journalism career, you can travel, meet people and be on the forefront of breaking news and popular culture.
Student Medical Insurance: $ 2448 per year