Journalism & Professional Writing

Major Description:

The journalism and professional writing major provides training in journalism and technical writing, preparing students for successful writing careers. Students learn to gather information and write for various media platforms – print, digital, broadcast, and technical writing. Along with required coursework in media writing, editing, and production, majors can tailor the program to their specific needs through a wide range of courses.

Required Courses

	Course #		Credit Hours	Course Name
____	COMM	175	3	Media Writing
____	COMM	251	3	Advertising
____	COMM	355	3	Mass Communication Law & Ethics
____	COMM	490	3	PR/Communication Campaigns
____	ENGL	230	3	Creative Writing
____	ENGL	250	3	Advanced Grammar
____	ENGL	260	3	Technical Writing*
____	JOUR	160	1	Journalism Practicum I
____	JOUR	200	3	Introduction to Journalism
____	JOUR	210	3	News Editing and Production
____	MDIA	135	3	Digital Photography*
Plus 6 semester hours from at least two of the following:
____	JOUR	165	1	Journalism Practicum II (on Battler Columns staff)**
____	ENGL	245	1	Practicum in Grant Writing**
Plus ONE of the following:
____	ENGL	495	3	Internship in Professional Writing
____	JOUR	495	3	Internship in News Editing and Production

**May be repeated for credit.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE: Four semesters of one modern foreign language are required. (See policy on placement in courses)
LIBERAL STUDIES PROGRAM: As outlined on the appropriate Liberal Studies Check Sheet
* Indicates courses that also meet Liberal Studies requirements
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Students must have a score of at least 20 on the ACT English test or 450 on the SAT Verbal test to be admitted as freshmen into the Journalism and Professional Writing major.
Among REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION, the student must have a grade point average of 2.00 or higher in the major and have 120 college-level credit hours.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the journalism and professional writing program find careers in journalism, technical writing, public relations, publishing, copywriting, and editing. Writing is an extremely transferable skill sought by employers in diverse fields, so students may find employment in other areas such as law, science communication, or marketing.

Wondering what all you can do with a degree from AB’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences? Contact the Office of Career Services for ideas and academic planning.

Internship Opportunities

Opportunities for Involvement

Our majors may also take advantage of related communication programs by earning a double or triple major in public relations, mass communication, or integrated marketing communication.

You will have many opportunities for involvement in experiences and memberships that will help you develop as a well-rounded individual, making you very attractive to future employers. These opportunities include:

Digital Edge, a multi-disciplinary communication club
The Battler Columns, the student-run newspaper
Influx, the annual student-led publication highlighting AB writers, artists, and photographers

For more information, contact us:

Irina Rodimtseva

Associate Professor of English, Director of Honors Program

Irina Rodimtseva

Associate Professor of English, Director of Honors Program

rodimtsevaim@ab.edu

(304) 457-6240

Kayla McKinney

Associate Professor of English; Director of the Honors Program

Kayla McKinney

Associate Professor of English; Director of the Honors Program

Kayla McKinney’s areas of interest include the relationship between museums, natural history, and Victorian literature, and popular culture. She has published work on the literature related to British taxidermy, the influence of the natural history museum on the writings of Charles Dickens, and the music of the rock band Rush. She teaches a wide range of courses in composition and literature.

mckinneyka@ab.edu

(304) 457-6301

Kim Wilkie

Assistant Professor of Speech and Writing

Kim Wilkie

Assistant Professor of Speech and Writing

wilkiekd@ab.edu

(304) 457-6294

John Davies

Associate Professor of Communication & Journalism

John Davies

Associate Professor of Communication & Journalism

daviesjj@ab.edu

(304) 457-6271

Daniel Propst

Associate Professor of English

Daniel Propst

Associate Professor of English

propstda@ab.edu

(304) 457-6398

	Class of 2018	Class of 2019	Class of 2020
Maximum entering class size (as approved by ARC-PA)	36	36	36
Entering class size	36	36	36
Graduates	34	28	34
* Attrition rate	5.5%	22.2%	5.5%
**Graduation rate	94.4%	77.7%	94.4%
Attrition rate calculation: Number of students who attritted from cohort divided by the entering class size. *Graduation rate: Number of cohort graduates divided by the entering class size.

	DIDACTIC PHASE				CLINICAL PHASE			YEARLY TOTALS
	Year 1 Summer	Year 1 Fall	Year 1 Spring	Year 2 Summer	Year 2 Fall	Year 2 Spring	Year 3 Summer	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Total
Tuition	$14,500	$14,500	$14,500	$14,500	$14,500	$14,500	$29,000	$43,500	$43,500	$29,000	$116,000
Fees	$200	$305	$305	$330	$205	$205	$550	$810	$740	$550	$2,100
Books	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000	$0	$0	$0	$3,000	$1,000	$0	$4,000
Supplies	$0	$0	$0	$500	$0	$0	$1,000	$0	$500	$1,000	$1,500
Other Supplies	$0	$0	$0	$0	$800	$967	$0	$0	$1,767	$0	$1,767
Room	$4,050	$4,198	$4,198	$4,198	$5,165	$5,165	$10,330	$12,446	$14,528	$10,330	$37,304
Board	$2,100	$2,100	$2,100	$2,500	$2,500	$2,500	$5,000	$6,300	$7,500	$5,000	$18,800
Transportation	$855	$855	$855	$2,133	$2,133	$2,133	$4,266	$2,565	$6,399	$4,266	$13,230
Personal Expenses	$2,509	$2,509	$2,509	$2,509	$2,509	$2,509	$5,018	$7,527	$7,527	$5,018	$20,072
Certification Exam	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$850	$0	$0	$850	$850
Loan Fees	$68	$68	$68	$68	$68	$68	$136	$204	$204	$136	$544
Health Insurance	$2,441	$2,441	$2,441	$2,441	$2,441	$2,441	$4,882	$7,323	$7,323	$4,882	$19,528
TOTAL								$83,675	$90,988	$61,032	$235,695

Journalism & Professional Writing