Requirements for the BSJ
Journalism is a profession that incorporates knowledge from various disciplines, as well as critical thinking and practical application skills. A Bachelor of Science in Journalism requires students to complete a core of journalism courses, a sequence of journalism courses, a wide variety of courses in the liberal arts, and a specialization in one or two areas of study outside of journalism.
Jouralism core courses provide all journalism majors an overview of the role of journalism in society, as well as fundamental skills in language usage, news writing, graphics, information gathering, legal issues and ethics.
The JSchool's six undergraduate sequences (Advertising Management, Broadcast News, Magazine Journalism, News Writing and Editing, Online Journalism and Public Relations) provide journalism students the specialized education necessary to pursue specific journalism careers.
The customizable Carr Van Anda program of study offers journalism students at Ohio University the option of developing their own program of study. Undergraduate students designate a preferred sequence on entry into the JSchool but also can change sequences during their studies. Each of these sequences leads to the Bachelor of Science in Journalism degree. Specific requirements for each sequence are described in the university online catalog (see links in the left-hand column of this page).
Students must earn a minimum of 192 quarter hour credits for a BSJ. To assure the liberal arts emphasis of the journalism degree, liberal arts (i.e., non-professional) coursework must total at least 128 quarter hour credits. Professional hours must total between 45 and 64 quarter hour credits. NOTE: Professional hour credits are defined as credits earned in the schools of Journalism, Visual Communication, Media Arts & Studies (formerly Telecommunications) or hours earned in photography courses. Non-journalism courses required in journalism sequences are counted as non-professional hours.
Earning a Minor
Journalism students are not required to earn a minor, but instead must complete a "specialization" requirement of 32 credit hours. However, students may elect to earn a minor. Read more about available minors at Ohio University.
Earning a Double major
To graduate with a double major at Ohio University requires a minimum of 208 quarter hour credits. Students earning two majors may meet the requirements either simultaneously or successively, according to the following guidelines:
- To complete requirements for two degrees conferred on the same date, you must meet the requirements for both degrees and must have completed a total of 13 quarters of college work or its equivalent (208 hours), with a minimum of five quarters of residence, or the equivalent, at Ohio University. When the two degrees are offered by different colleges, you must declare a major program in both colleges and meet the residence requirement the quarter in which the degrees are to be conferred.
- If you have met the requirements for two degrees as stated above and want to have the degrees conferred in successive quarters, you may do so without further credit or residence. For example, one degree may be conferred at the end of one quarter and application made for the second degree in a subsequent quarter.
- If you want to take a second bachelor's degree after receiving the first, you must complete the requirements for the second degree and meet the residency requirement in the college offering the second degree. (See individual college requirements in the Programs by College section.)
