Journalism Concentration

Core Courses

JNX 150 The Journalistic Impulse
As the Gateway course for the Journalism Concentration, this course introduces students to journalism as a profession. It uses the personal as the lens through which to survey the field. The course covers basics of the profession, such as the role of journalism in a democracy, the lifecycle of a story (where it starts, how it develops), and the anatomy of a story (what counts as a journalistic story, how journalistic stories are constructed). In addition, the course invites working journalists as guest lecturers, enabling students to read, hear and discuss journalism from representative contemporary areas of the journalism enterprise.

ENG 136 Journalism Principles and Practice
In this intellectually rigorous writing class, students learn how to craft compelling “true stories,” using the journalist’s tools. They research, report, write, revise, source, and share their work—and, through interviewing subjects firsthand, understand how other people see the world. We consider multiple styles and mediums of journalism, including digital storytelling.

This course deepens students’ capacity by familiarizing them with journalistic methods, including interviewing, reporting, writing and structure, audiovisual modes, and ethical considerations.

Requirements

• JNX 150: A partial-credit gateway course;
• WRT/ENG 136: The core journalism course, Journalism: Principles and Practice;
• Three electives relevant to the student’s area of focus. At least one elective must involve significant public writing, or practice such as photojournalism, digital media, or audio;
• JNX 350: The capstone seminar, involving an independent journalistic project;
• Two practical experiences or internships.

Electives in the Concentration 

At Smith, a wide variety of courses engage meaningfully with public-facing writing, public discourse, and media. These electives are loosely divided into four pillars:

• Writing/Practice Focus: Explicitly engage with public-facing writing and practice through substantive assignments such as articles, podcasts, photography/video, or film;
• Media Literacy Focus: Critically examine media presence, practice and impact in society;
• Quantitative Focus: Provide grounding in quantitative methods useful for journalistic practice, including statistics, data analytics and visualization, and data journalism; and
• Transnational Focus: Explore any of the above in an international context.

Eligible Courses

Writing/Practice Courses

• AMS 351/ENG 384 Seminar: Topics in Writing about American Society
• BIO 380 Science in the Public Eye
• IDP 107 Digital Media Literacy
• ENG 135 Introduction to Writing Creative Nonfiction
• ENG 290 Crafting Creative Nonfiction
• FMS 280 Introduction to Video Production
• MUS 325 Writing About Music
• NSC 316 Seminar: Neuroscience in the Public Eye
• SDS 236 Data Journalism
• All Calderwood seminars (300 level) and very often ENG 291 (Lakes Writing Workshop).

Media Literacy Courses

• AMS 225 Corporate Capitalism, Media and Protest in America
• BIO 101 Modern Biology for the Concerned Citizen
• ESS 230 Body Images and Sport Media
• FMS 150 Introduction to Film and Media Studies
• FMS 237 The Documentary Impulse
• GOV 210 Public Opinion and Mass Media in the United States
• SOC 270 Media, Technology and Sociology

Quantitative Courses

• CSC 109/SDS 109 Communicating with Data
• MTH 105 Discovering Mathematics: Topics course – Sex, Drugs, and Rock-and-Roll: How Chance Changes Our Lives
• MTH 107/SDS 107 Statistical Thinking
• QSK 102 Quantitative Skills in Practice
• SDS 192 Introduction to Data Science
• SDS 236 Data Journalism

Transnational Courses

• IDP 291/SPN 291 Reflecting on the International Experience: Depicting Journey with Digital Storytelling
• GER 350 Language and the German Media
• EAL 101 Introduction to Language and Culture in East Asia: Topics course – Writing and Cultural Identity
• FRN 251 The French Media, Now and Then: Topics course–The French Press Online
• FRN 365 Francophone Literature and Culture: Topics course–Scandals and Spin Control: Francophone Literature in the Media
• JPN 350 Contemporary Texts I

Students may propose other courses in consultation with their faculty adviser. 

Internship Requirements

Internships are an integral element of the Journalism Concentration. Students complete two internships that enable each student to acquire practical, first-hand knowledge of the professional work of journalism and public writing. Students are responsible for researching and securing appropriate internships from a wide array of available local, regional, national and international internships identified in cooperation with the concentration advisers.

Each internship or practical experience must be approved by the student’s concentration adviser, involve a minimum of 100 documented hours of work, and receive a supervisor’s evaluation.

Internships in journalism, media and public writing vary widely in focus, content and competitiveness. 

The Jacobson Center is the organizational hub for the Journalism Concentration, and students design their path in consultation with a faculty adviser. Bridging with the larger community, the Journalism Concentration provides opportunities to interface with Five College, alum and regional journalists and faculty researchers, as well as the considerable resources of the college’s other centers. The concentration encourages a practice that is global in perspective and takes advantage of study abroad experiences.

Capstone Seminar & Projects

JNX 350: Capstone Seminar
The capstone gives students the opportunity to put methodology into practice in an extended self-directed but faculty-guided project.