Bachelor of Arts in Journalism Roadmap
120 Total Units Required
Minimum Number of Units in the Major: 45
This roadmap is a suggested plan of study and does not replace meeting with an advisor. Please note that students may need to adjust the actual sequence of courses based on course availability. Please consult an advisor in your major program for further guidance.
| First Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 114 | Writing the First Year: Finding Your Voice (A2) 1 | 3 |
| GE Area A 2 | 3 | |
| GE Area B: Quantitative Reasoning (B4) 3 | 3 | |
| GE Area D | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective or Minor 4,5 | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| JOUR 205 | Social Impact of Journalism (Major Core, C2) | 3 |
| JOUR 221 | Newswriting (Major Core) | 3 |
| GE Area A | 3 | |
| GE Area B: Physical Science (B1) and Laboratory Science (B3) 6 | 3-4 | |
| GE Area E | 3 | |
| Units | 15-16 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| JOUR 226 | Introduction to Multimedia Journalism (Major Core) | 3 |
| GE Area B: Life Science (B2) and Laboratory Science (B3) 6 | 3-4 | |
| GE Area C | 3 | |
| GE Area D | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective or Minor 4,5 | 3 | |
| Units | 15-16 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| JOUR 250 | Deadline Journalism (Major Core) | 3 |
| GE Area C | 3 | |
| GE Area F ± | 3 | |
| U.S. and California Government | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective or Minor 4,5 | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Fifth Semester | ||
| JOUR 300GW | Reporting - GWAR (Major Core) | 3 |
| JOUR 304 | Cultural Diversity and News Media (Major Core, AERM, SJ) | 3 |
| JOUR 310 | Journalism Ethics (Major Core, UD-C) | 3 |
| GE Area UD-B: Upper-Division Physical and/or Life Sciences | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective or Minor 4,5 | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Sixth Semester | ||
| JOUR 307 | News Media Law (Major Core) | 3 |
| JOUR 400 | Video Journalism (Major Core) | 3 |
| Writing Course - Select One 7 | 3 | |
| Minor (12-28 units) - Take One 5 | 3 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective or Minor 4,5 | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Seventh Semester | ||
| Select One (Major Practicum): | 3 | |
| Magazine Publication Lab | ||
| Newspaper Publication Laboratory | ||
| Minor (12-28 units) - Take One 5 | 3 | |
| Journalism Elective (6 units) - Take One 8 | 3 | |
| Multimedia Course - Select One 9 | 3 | |
| GE Area UD-D: Upper-Division Social Sciences | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Eighth Semester | ||
| Capstone - Select One 10 | 3 | |
| Advanced Journalism Elective (6 units) - Take One 8 | 3 | |
| Minor (12-28 units) - Take Two 5 | 6 | |
| Complementary Studies or SF State Studies or University Elective or Minor 4,5 | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Total Units | 120-122 | |
- 1
ENG 114 can only be taken if you complete Directed Self-Placement (DSP) and select ENG 114; if you choose ENG 104/ENG 105 through DSP you will satisfy A2 upon successful completion of ENG 105 in the second semester; multilingual students may be advised into alternative English courses.
- 2
To avoid taking additional units, it is recommended that you meet the SF State Studies (AERM, GP, ES, SJ) requirements within your GE or major.
- 3
To determine the best B4 course option, students should complete the online advising activity at mathadvising.sfsu.edu. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.
- 4
Complementary Studies
Students completing the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism must complete a minor or certificate (12-unit minimum) to fulfill the Complementary Studies Requirement.
- 5
Minor or Certificate (12-28 units)
A Journalism major must complete a minor or certificate (12-unit minimum) alongside their bachelor's degree. Completion requires students to maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Students should consult with an academic adviser in Journalism to determine a minor or certificate that meets their interests and professional goals. Please see the specific minor page in this bulletin for information about requirements.
- 6
Consider taking a class combined with a laboratory or a separate lab to fulfill B3 if not already satisfied.
- 7
Writing - Select One
JOUR 320 Investigative Reporting (3 units)
JOUR 330 Editing (3 units)
JOUR 595 Magazine and Feature Writing (3 units)
JOUR 667 Seminar: Topics in Journalism (3 units)
- 8
Electives (6 units) Choose two classes
Advanced Writing (if not taken to satisfy a major requirement)
JOUR 320 Investigative Reporting (3 units)
JOUR 321 Feature Writing (3 units)
JOUR 570 Opinion Writing (3 units)
JOUR 575 Community Media (3 units)
JOUR 580 Environmental Journalism (3 units)
JOUR 595 Magazine and Feature Writing (3 units)
Seminar
JOUR 667 Seminar: Topics in Journalism (3 units)
JOUR 699 Independent Study (1-3 units)
Photojournalism/Visual
JOUR 235 Photojournalism I: Foundations of Photojournalism (3 units) (C1)
JOUR 328/ANTH 328 Anthropology and Photography (3 units)
JOUR 335 Photojournalism II: Staff Photojournalism (3 units)
JOUR 450 Publication Design and Graphics (3 units)
Mutimedia/Digital
JOUR 395 Online Journalism (3 units)
JOUR 480/BECA 480 Audio Journalism (3 units)
JOUR 495 Profiles (3 units)
JOUR 582 Social Media Journalism (3 units)
Project-Based Electives
JOUR 223/SPAN 223 Bilingual English and Spanish Newswriting (3 units) (AERM, GP)
JOUR 426 Data Journalism (3 units)
JOUR 427/BECA 427 Media Entrepreneurship (3 units)
JOUR 500 Contemporary Magazines (3 units)
JOUR 617 Advanced Journalism Internship (3 units)
JOUR 680 Advanced Multimedia Journalism (3 units)
Cross-Disciplinary
JOUR 328/ANTH 328 Anthropology and Photography (3 units)
JOUR 410/CHIN 410 Building Chinese Media Literacy (3 units)
JOUR 411/CHIN 411/I R 413 Media Chinese (3 units) (GP)
JOUR 452/I R 452/BECA 451 International Media Politics (4 units) (SJ)
- 9
Multimedia - Select One
JOUR 426 Data Journalism (3 units)
JOUR 450 Publication Design and Graphics (3 units)
JOUR 480 Audio Journalism (3 units)
JOUR 582
- 10
Senior Capstone (3 units)
Select One:
JOUR 575 Community Media (3 units)
JOUR 605 Magazine Publication Lab (3 units)
JOUR 609 Newspaper Publication Laboratory (3 units)
JOUR 695 Senior Seminar (3 units)
- ±
Given catalog rights, fall 2023 transfer students do not need to complete an Area F course.