Truly one of the great journalism schools.
Bob Woodward
Legendary Washington Post Reporter
With a flexible curriculum in which you learn by doing, the Philip Merrill College of Journalism prepares you for the career you want — in any number of fields.
Career Pathways
Practice real-world journalism from day one and develop a wide variety of media skills, whether you're interested in:
- Local news
- Investigations
- Data and AI
- Public affairs and politics
- Sports
- Broadcast
- Digital design, graphics and web development
- Audience engagement and social media
- Documentary and video production
- Business and money
- Podcasting
- Photojournalism
- Entertainment journalism
Courses Available By Career Path
To fulfill degree requirements, students may mix-and-match elective courses or select from a series of courses under the headings below to complete the program deeply prepared for a specific journalism job. The course sequences described below are a guide only, and other combinations may be possible.
NOTE: Not every course is available every semester. The number of courses a student may take is limited by time and course load.
Audience Engagement & Analytics
- Understanding Audiences and Analytics (JOUR475) 3 credits
- News Coverage of Specialized Topics; Social Video Journalism (JOUR389D) 3 credits
- Social Media Content Creation, Audience Engagement and Analytics (JOUR384) 3 credits
- Advanced Online News Bureau (JOUR355) 6 credits
Arts and Entertainment
- Covering Comic Book Culture (JOUR328V) 3 credits
- Entertainment, Arts and Culture Reporting (JOUR389E) 3 credits
- Feature Writing (JOUR371) 3 credits
- Introduction to Music Journalism (JOUR459Q) 3 credits
- The Power of the Writing Voice (JOUR458V) 3 credits
Audio Storytelling
- Audio and Podcast Reporting (JOUR334) 3 credits
- Advanced Audio and Podcast Reporting (JOUR364) 3 credits
Broadcast
- Broadcast News Writing (JOUR360) 3 credits
- News Videography (JOUR347) 3 credits
- Television Reporting and Production (JOUR361) 3 credits
- Producing (JOUR362) 3 credits
- Part-time Broadcast News Bureau (JOUR357) 6 credits
- Full-time Broadcast News Bureau (JOUR367) 9 credits
- Topics in Broadcasting and Electronic Media; Sports Reporting: Broadcast and Storytelling (JOUR368A) 3 credits
Business and Money
- Follow the Money: Reporting on Business (JOUR471) 3 credits
- Media Entrepreneurship (JOUR455) 3 credits
- Special Topics in Journalism; Managing Nonprofit Newsrooms (JOUR458N) 3 credits
- Specialized Topics in News Writing and Reporting; Business and Economics (JOUR328R) 3 credits
Data and AI
- Data Journalism (JOUR472) 3 credits
- News Coverage of Specialized Topics; News Alchemy: Journalism and Artificial Intelligence (JOUR389W) 3 credits
- News Coverage of Specialized Topics; Investigative Reporting with Artificial Intelligence and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) Data (JOUR389X) 3 credits
- Special Topics in Journalism; Machine Editors: Search Engines, Social Media, and The News (JOUR458A) 3 credits
- Special Topics in Data Gathering and Analysis; Sports Data Analysis and Visualization (JOUR479X) 3 credits
- Specialized Topics in News Writing and Reporting; News Application Development (JOUR328O) 3 credits
- Interactive Design and Development (JOUR352) 3 credits
- Specialized Topics in News Writing and Reporting; Data Visualization (JOUR328T) 3 credits
- Advanced Online News Bureau (JOUR355) 6 credits
- Advanced Capital News Service Bureau (JOUR353) 6 credits
- Part-time Broadcast News Bureau, (JOUR357) 6 credits
- Full-time Broadcast News Bureau, (JOUR367) 9 credits
Data Analysis and Web Development
- Data Journalism (JOUR472) 3 credits
- Interactive Design and Development (JOUR352) 3 credits
- News Applications Development (JOUR328O) 3 credits
- Advanced Online News Bureau (JOUR355) 6 credits
Digital Design and Visualization
- Data Journalism (JOUR472) 3 credits
- Interactive Design and Development (JOUR652) 3 credits
- Specialized Topics in News Writing and Reporting; Data Visualization (JOUR328T) 3 credits
- Designing Stories with Motion Graphics (JOUR368I) 3 credits
- Advanced Online News Bureau (JOUR355) 6 credits
Investigative Journalism
- News Coverage of Specialized Topics; Investigative Reporting with Artificial Intelligence and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) Data (JOUR389X) 3 credits
- News Bureau: Multimedia Reporting - Investigative Journalism (JOUR353) 3 credits
- Urban Affairs Reporting (JOUR327) 3 credits
- Specialized Topics in News Writing and Reporting; Enterprise Sports Reporting (JOUR328G) 3 credits
- History of Investigative Journalism (JOUR459I) 3 credits
- Enterprise Reporting and Solutions Journalism (JOUR328P) 3 credits
- Specialized Topics in News Writing and Reporting; Local News Investigation (JOUR389L) 3 credits
- Specialized Topics in News Writing and Reporting; Investigative Reporting (JOUR389I) 3 credits
- Special Topics in Data Gathering and Analysis: Using Investigative Tools in Reporting (JOUR479D) 3 credits
Photojournalism/Visual Journalism
- Photojournalism (JOUR370) 3 credits
- Advanced Photojournalism (JOUR383) 3 credits
- News Videography (JOUR347) 3 credits
- Topics in Broadcasting and Electronic Media; Documentary Filmmaking (JOUR368X) 3 credits
- Topics in Broadcasting and Electronic Media; Video Innovation (JOUR368K) 3 credits
- Designing Stories with Motion Graphics (JOUR368I) 3 credits
Production
- Topics in Broadcasting and Electronic Media; Introduction to Studio Production (JOUR368L) 3 credits
- Topics in Broadcasting and Electronic Media; Advanced Studio Production (JOUR368O) 3 credits
- Topics in Broadcasting and Electronic Media; Virtual Production Using Unreal Engine (JOUR368U) 3 credits
- Topics in Broadcasting and Electronic Media; Documentary Filmmaking (JOUR368X) 3 credits
- Topics in Broadcasting and Electronic Media; Documentary Video Production and Cinematography (JOUR368T) 3 credits
- Topics in Broadcasting and Electronic Media; Zooming in: Advanced Visual Storytelling (JOUR368Q) 3 credits
- Topics in Broadcasting and Electronic Media; Video Lab (JOUR368K) 3 credits
Sports and Society
- Sports Reporting and Writing (JOUR382) 3 credits
- Specialized Topics in News Writing and Reporting: Enterprise Sports Reporting (JOUR328G) 3 credits
- Special Topics in Journalism; Sports, Protest, and the Media (JOUR 447) 3 credits
- Special Topics in Journalism; Sports Media Today (JOUR 458B) 3 credits
- Topics in Broadcasting and Electronic Media; Sports Producing (JOUR368Y) 3 credits
- Topics in Broadcasting and Electronic Media; Sports Reporting: Broadcast and Storytelling (JOUR368A) 3 credits
Curriculum
For General Education requirements, consult the current Undergraduate Catalog. Transfer students, please see the General Education Transfer Policy.
Journalism Degree Requirements:
Students are required to earn a minimum of 122 credits. Accredited journalism programs require majors to complete approximately two-thirds of their coursework in areas other than journalism and communication. The Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland adheres to this nationwide policy. This means that of the 122 minimum credits required for graduation, a journalism student must take 42 credits in journalism (numbered 100 or above). Of the remaining 80 credits, a minimum of 65 must be earned in liberal arts-designated courses.
The Philip Merrill College of Journalism stipulates that 57 of the total credits must be taken in upper-level courses (courses numbered 300-499).
These courses are required for all journalism majors, regardless of whether journalism is a student’s primary or secondary major:
I. Journalism Requirements Outside the Major (at least 80 credits)
- Specific Supporting Course Requirements:
- Public Speaking: one course from COMM100, 107 (FSOC), 200 (FSOC) or 230
- History: one course from HIST200 (DSHU) or 201 (DSHU and DVUP)
- Behavioral or Social Science: one course from ANTH260 (DVUP, DSHS), PSYC100 (DSNS), PSYC221 (DSSP), SOCY100 (DSHS) or SOCY105 (DSHS)
- Economics: one course from ECON200 (DSHS) or 201 (DSHS)
- American Government: GVPT170 (DSHS)
- General Education Requirements: A full list of UMD’s General Education requirements can be found on the current Undergraduate Catalog or on the General Education checklist below. Some General Education requirements may be met via the Journalism major supporting coursework above. Transfer students, please see the General Education Transfer Policy.
- Abstract Thinking (at least nine credits total):
- One three-credit statistics course from the following list: BIOM301, BMGT230, CCJS200, ECON230, ECON321, EDMS451, GEOG306, INST314, JOUR405, PLCY304, PSYC200, QMMS251 (formerly QMMS451/EDMS451), SOCY201, STAT400 or a more advanced statistics course
- A minimum of six credits meeting one of the following menu options:
- Foreign Language Option: two courses with at least one course at the intermediate level or higher. (High school equivalency does not satisfy this requirement.)
- Math Option: a course from each of the math and computer science lists below:
- Any mathematics course numbered 107 or higher
- An approved programming course: CMSC106, CMSC122, CMSC125, CMSC131, IMDM127, INST123, INST126 or BMIN305
- Combination Option: one intermediate level or higher foreign language course and one class from the math or programming lists under Math Option
- Concentration: minimum of 12 credits of upper-level (300/400) coursework in one field. Excludes Communications, Journalism or experiential coursework.
- Upper Level Electives: minimum of 12 credits of upper-level (300/400) coursework; excludes Communications classes. Students can count up to six JOUR credits (beyond those required) toward their degree if they take additional courses from JOUR 321-389, 410-469 or 470-479 in place of two UL Electives.
II. Journalism Major Coursework (42 credits)
- Benchmark Requirements:
- By 30 credits
- JOUR200: Journalism History, Roles and Structures
- By 60 credits
- JOUR201: News Writing and Reporting I
- JOUR320: News Writing and Reporting II
- By 30 credits
- Core Requirements:
- JOUR152: Introduction to Storytelling with Code
- Visual Menu: JOUR347 (formerly 262) News Videography or JOUR370 Photojournalism
- JOUR352: Interactive Design and Development
- JOUR402: Media Law and Ethics
- Exploratory Menu (cannot use same class as Visual Menu): JOUR202 News Editing, JOUR347 (formerly 262) News Videography, JOUR370 Photojournalism, JOUR360 Broadcast or JOUR371 Feature Writing
- Upper-Level Coursework:
- Two Skills Elective Courses between JOUR321-389
- One Media & Society Course between JOUR410-469
- One Research Methods Course between JOUR470-479
- One Course of Choice
- One additional course from the Skills Elective, Media & Society, and Research Methods ranges
- JOUR396: 2-credit required internship
- JOUR Capstone Experience
III. Journalism-Specific Requirements
- Completion of JOUR201. Enrollment in JOUR201 requires passing JOUR181 with a grade of “C-” or better or scoring an 80 or above on the grammar diagnostic, passing JOUR200 with a grade of “C-” or better and passing ENGL101 with a grade of “C-” or better. ACT or SAT SCORES ARE NOT ACCEPTED FOR THE GRAMMAR REQUIREMENT.
- “C-” Requirement. Students must earn a grade of “C-” or higher in the following courses in order to have them count for the major: JOUR152, JOUR200, JOUR201, JOUR202, JOUR262, JOUR320, JOUR347, JOUR352, JOUR360, JOUR361, JOUR370, JOUR371, JOUR402 and any course that qualifies as a Capstone Experience. This minimum grade must be achieved prior to taking courses for which the aforementioned courses serve as a prerequisite.
- Benchmarks. Students must complete the benchmark courses by the designated credit thresholds or else they will be required to leave the major.
- Minimum GPA. Students must have at least a 2.0 GPA in their major to earn a degree.
Undergraduate Program Mission
Our undergraduate mission is an uncompromising dedication to the principles of the journalism profession, with training in evolving types of newsgathering and delivery.