Program Requirements

Undergraduate Program Requirements

Journalism Major

The journalism major consists of 8 courses (5 core courses and 3 electives) for a total of 32 credits. The five core courses are:

Although students are generally encouraged to complete the five core courses in sequence, many courses can be completed out of sequence and/or concurrently. Please see the information in the Core Courses section for details about course prerequisites and sequencing.

This diagram provides an overview of the undergraduate journalism major. The major consists of 8 courses (9, in the case of the Honors Program). Students typically begin by taking the following three courses in sequence: Investigating Journalism (JOUR-UA 50), Journalistic Inquiry: The Written Word (JOUR-UA 101), and Journalistic Inquiry: Multimedia (JOUR-UA 102). Before completing the last two core courses, students choose to specialize by pursuing either a Print/Online journalism track or a Broadcast journalism track. For both tracks, students will then take The Beat (JOUR-UA 201) followed by Advanced Reporting (JOUR-UA 301). In addition to these 5 core courses, students complete 3 electives. Finally, students who wish to pursue the Honors Program will take an Honors version of Advanced Reporting (JOUR-UA 351) followed by an Honors Senior Seminar (JOUR-UA 352). For details about the curriculum, including course prerequisites and sequencing options, please read on.

Tracks

Before completing the last two core courses in the major, Journalism majors specialize by pursuing one of two tracks:

  • The Print/Online Track is designed for students who want to focus on writing and reporting for print and online media.
  • The Broadcast Track is for students who wish to focus on reporting and video production for broadcast media.

Although students are not required to formally declare their track (and it will not be specified in Albert or on their diploma or transcript), they will need to choose which track they want to pursue before taking The Beat and Advanced Reporting.

Journalism Minors

Effective Fall 2019, the Journalism Department will offer two journalism minors. Please visit the Declare section for information about declaring a minor.

Minor in Print and Online Journalism

The Minor in Print and Online Journalism consists of 5 courses (2 core courses and 3 electives) for a total of 20 credits. The two core courses are:

Please see the information in the Core Courses section for details about course prerequisites and sequencing.

Electives

In addition to the department’s rich selection of electives, students can count the following core courses as electives for the Minor:

Minor in Broadcast and Multimedia Journalism

The Minor in Broadcast and Multimedia Journalism consists of 5 courses (3 core courses and 2 electives) for a total of 20 credits. The three core courses are:

Please see the information in the Core Courses section for details about course prerequisites and sequencing.

Electives

In addition to the department’s rich selection of electives, students can count the following core courses as electives for the Minor:

This diagram provides an overview of the two undergraduate minors offered by the Journalism Department. Read more details below.

The Minor in Print and Online Journalism consists of 5 courses, including two core courses and three electives. Students begin by taking Journalistic Inquiry: The Written Word (JOUR-UA 101), followed by a print section of The Beat (JOUR-UA 201). In addition to these 2 core courses, students complete 3 electives.

The Minor in Broadcast and Multimedia Journalism consists of 5 courses, including three core courses and two electives. Students begin by taking Journalistic Inquiry: The Written Word (JOUR-UA 101), followed by Journalistic Inquiry: Multimedia (JOUR-UA 102), and a broadcast section of The Beat (JOUR-UA 201). In addition to these 3 core courses, students complete 2 electives.

For details about the curriculum, including course prerequisites and sequencing options, please visit Core Courses.

Updated Pass/Fail Policy for Spring 2020

The College of Arts and Science has updated its Pass/Fail and Withdrawal Policies for the Spring 2020 semester. For details on these broader policies for CAS, please visit the Academic Standards section of the CAS website.

The following information is for students taking Journalism courses during the Spring 2020 semester. If you have questions about other CAS courses (e.g. CAS core courses), please consult the Academic Standards section of the CAS website.

 

What Journalism Courses Can I Take Pass/Fail?

For the Spring 2020 semester, you can take any journalism course Pass/Fail, whether it’s a core course (Investigating Journalism, Inquiry, Multimedia, The Beat, Advanced Reporting) or an elective. While you are not required by to consult with your professor before choosing the Pass/Fail option, the Journalism Department strongly recommends that you speak with your professor to gauge your standing in a particular class before opting for Pass/Fail.

 

How Many Courses Can I Take Pass/Fail?

CAS is allowing students to take up to two Spring 2020 courses as Pass/Fail, but CAS will consider requests for more. Other schools/colleges may have different policies, so please refer to your school/college for additional guidance.

 

Do Pass/Fail grades impact my GPA?

A “P” grade will have no impact on your GPA, whereas an “F” (Failing) grade for a Pass/Fail course will still be calculated in your term and cumulative GPAs.

If you are concerned about improving your cumulative GPA, you should consider keeping a letter grade.

 

Where exactly will the Pass/Fail option appear?

After final grades are issued, the Pass/Fail grade will appear in Albert and on student transcripts.

 

Will my transcript include any notation alluding to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Yes. The Registrar will be adding language to the official NYU Transcript indicating that:

In Spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic required significant changes to University operations, as all classes were transitioned to remote instruction. Unusual enrollment patterns and grades during this period reflect these disruptions, not necessarily the work of individual students.

This is a university-wide policy that applies to all students regardless of their school or college.

 

How Do I Request to Take Journalism Courses Pass/Fail?

CAS Students

        1. Complete this Journalism Pass/Fail Courses Form. Please note that you don’t need to worry about getting approval from our department—your courses are automatically approved—but we do need to keep track of exactly which courses you want to take as Pass/Fail to make sure everything is documented. You can use the form to share information about multiple courses.
        2. Complete a CAS Academic Standards Petition. You can use the Petition to submit a request for multiple courses. You’ll also get an email confirmation from CAS when the petition is approved.

Other Students (e.g. Tisch, Steinhardt, Liberal Studies).

  1. Complete this Journalism Pass/Fail Courses Form. Please note that you don’t need to worry about getting approval from our department—your courses are automatically approved—but we do need to keep track of exactly which courses you want to take as Pass/Fail to make sure everything is documented. You can use the form to share information about multiple courses.
  2. Complete a Pass/Fail Form/Instructions for your home school/college:

What is the Deadline?

You have until May 12, 2020, to submit your petition to change your grading option to Pass/Fail.