Sports Journalism, Emphasis

B.A. in Journalism with an Emphasis in Sports Journalism

Careers in journalism and mass communications are increasingly multilayered as technology and new media outlets spur fresh job titles and responsibilities in social media, web management, multimedia and video production, and data analysis in addition to traditional positions. Majors in SOJMC are configured to reflect new realities of the industry, provide a foundation for all JMC fields that then fan into specializations. With an emphasis in sports Journalism students gather information, analyze data, announce games, interview, and print, broadcast, and social media news features for a variety of sporting events. Practical experience is gained working with The Parthenon, WMUL FM 88.1 and Basketball Friday Night in West Virginia.

Course Requirements

Bison image - General Education Course

Cap graduation image - Milestone course: a key success marker for your major. See your advisor to discuss the importance of this course in your plan of study.

The Core Curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking skills and introduce students to basic domains of thinking that transcend disciplines. The Core applies to all majors. Information on specific classes in the Core can be found at https://www.marshall.edu/gened/.

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Curriculum
Core 1: Critical Thinking
FYS 100	First Yr Sem Critical Thinking	3
Critical Thinking		3
Critical Thinking		3
Core 2
ENG 101	Beginning Composition	3
ENG 201	Advanced Composition	3
CMM 103	Fund Speech-Communication	3
Core II Mathematics		3
Core II Natural/Physical Science		4
Core II Humanities		3
Core II Social Science		3
Core II Fine Arts		3
Additional University Requirements
Writing Intensive		3
Writing Intensive		3
Multicultural/International ¹		3
Capstone: JMC 465		3
Major Requirements
Journalism Core
JMC 101	Media Literacy	3
JMC 102	Media Toolbox	3
JMC 241	Media Design	3
JMC 260	Digital Imaging for JMC	3
JMC 345	Mass Comm Law and Ethics	3
JMC 361	Digital Presence	3
JMC 455	Race Gender & Mass Media	3
JMC 490	Jrn & Mass Comm Internship I	3
JMC 499	Professional Portfolio	1
Journalism Cognizance Area
Modern Language		3
Modern Language		3
Select one of the following Cultural Courses:		3
ANT 201	Cultural Anthropology (CT)
GEO 100	Intro to Human Geography (CT)
SOC 200	Understanding Society (CT)
Multicultural/International ²		3
History Elective		3
Literature Elective		3
Literature Elective		3
Journalism Major
JMC 300	Reporting and News Writing	3
JMC 458	Emerging Media for Journalists	3
JMC 465	Multimedia Reporting	3
Sports Journalism Area of Emphasis Requirements
JMC 231	Intro to Audio Production	3
JMC 235	Intro to Sports Journalism	3
JMC 303	Sports News Reporting	3
JMC 321	Sportscasting	3
JMC 330	AD & PR Principles and Ethics	3
or JMC 390	Media Sales & Underwriting
Select three (3) credit hours from the following:		3
JMC 331	Radio-TV Announ & Newscasting
JMC 332	Intro to Video Production
JMC 272	Practice in Radio
JMC 273	Practice in Radio
JMC 372	Practice in Radio or TV
JMC 373	Practice in Radio or TV
Sports Cognizance Courses
Select nine (9) credits from the following:		9
HST 452	History of Sports in America
STHM 218	Sports in Society (CT)
STHM 270	Sport Tourism
STHM 380	Sport Marketing
STHM 401	Ethics in Sport
STHM 496	Olympic Games
Non-JMC elective 300-/400-level		3

¹: Students may not count JMC 436 International Mass Comm as an International-designated course.
²: If the student takes an International-designated course to satisfy their university requirements, they should take a multicultural-designated course to satisfy their journalism cognizance area and vice versa.

Major Information

All journalism and mass communications majors must demonstrate proficiency in grammar before admission to any JMC courses at the 300/400 level. This may be accomplished by:
- an ACT verbal score of 30 or better or SAT verbal score of 650 or better, or
- completing JMC 103 Language Use for Media with a CR, or
- completing JMC 100 Fund Jrn Writing & Edit with a C or better, or
- passing (scoring at least 70 percent) a grammar exam offered by the School.

No more than 4 hours of non-JMC electives may be completed in PEL courses.
All SOJMC majors must complete 3 credit hours of internship. Ideally, internships should be completed during the summer between the junior and senior years. To ensure your work is properly credited, you must work through the internship director.
- Submit a complete internship application.
- Secure approval of the employment or other work.
- Get permission to enroll in JMC 490 Jrn & Mass Comm Internship I .
- Maintain weekly contact, attend scheduled meetings and submit a final report and a portfolio.