Digital Journalism
Program of Study
Are you curious as to how to become a journalist? Appalachian State University’s Digital Journalism (BS) degree will teach you how to find and gather information from primary sources and then communicate your research to a specific audience through multi-media storytelling. Students also learn how to be a watchdog for the public as a part of the democratic process. Even if you choose not to work in the news industry, the study of digital journalism teaches critical thinking skills that are valuable in any job setting.
The digital journalism program emphasizes practical experience. For example, in introductory reporting classes, students attend and report on local events, interview public officials, and cover breaking news. In advanced courses, students fine-tune their skills in copy editing and learning industry-standard computer software. All types of writing are taught: news, features, editorials, photo essays, and video. Students are encouraged to pursue internships, attend department-wide speaking events by alumni and others, and work for The Appalachian student newspaper.
Admission Requirements
- A minor is required for all Communication majors.
- If double majoring with a major outside of Communication, a minor is not required.
- If double majoring IN Communication, a minor IS required.
- A foreign language is not required for Communication majors.
- Students must have an overall GPA of 2.0 (or higher) to declare a major in Digital Journalism.
Computer Requirement
Many students in the Department of Communication are enrolled in at least one course that involves working with graphics, audio, or video. Students enrolled in video courses will need a computer capable of running Adobe Premier Pro. All other students will likely be successful if they have a computer capable of running Adobe Illustrator.
While computer labs are open, you may not want to rely on them to join online class meetings or to complete your assignments. Having a laptop computer will be very helpful.
Core Courses (6 Hours)
A 2.0 GPA is required in the core courses
COM 1200 - Thinking Through Communication (3)
COM 2101 - Public Speaking (3) OR
COM 2105 - Public Speaking in the Disciplines (3)
Major Courses (30 Hours)
COM 1300 - Journalism Matters: An Introduction to News Literacy and News Writing (3)
COM 2618 - Introduction to Media Publishing (3)
COM 3210 - Copy Editing (3)
COM 3305 - Communication Law (3)
COM 3320 - Audio-Video Production (3)
COM 3340 - Journalism Ethics and a Free Society (3)
COM 3600 - In-Depth Reporting and Writing (3) [WID]
And one of the following:
COM 2610 - News Reporting and Writing (3)
COM 2650 - Selected Topics in Reporting (3)
At least 3 credits from the following:
COM 2250 - TV Practicum (3)
COM 2315 - Mass Communication Activity (1-3)
COM 3900 - Internship (3-12)
And one of the following:
COM 3300 - Mass Media and Society (3)
COM 3130 - Race & Diversity in Media (3)
COM 3132 - Health and Mass Media (3)
COM 3650 - Selected Topics in Mass Media (3)
And one of the following:
COM 4220 - Photojournalism (3)
COM 4240 - Data Journalism (3)
COM 4310 - Advanced Design for Digital Storytelling (3)
COM 4420 - Multimedia Storytelling (3)
COM 4650 - Selected Topics in Digital Media (3)