Concentrations
Students with well-defined career interests may elect to concentrate in advertising, public relations, journalism, or broadcasting/production.
Students are urged to take at least one internship as part of their major. Students should also participate in campus professional organizations that relate to their career interests and, where appropriate, develop a professional portfolio under the direction of C/J faculty
Students who elect to concentrate in a particular area should consult the suggested course sequences listed below:
Students who plan to study abroad should consult with the department chair prior to completing their planned course selections. Generally, Communication/Journalism majors may take no more than two C/J electives during their study abroad semester.
Advertising
Students interested in advertising are advised to take:
- Communication/Journalism 281: Introduction to Advertising
- Communication/Journalism 383: Creative Ad Writing: Print
- Communication/Journalism 384: Creative Ad Writing: Broadcast
- Communication/Journalism 353: Public Speaking (to fulfill the speech course requirement)
- Communication/Journalism 309: Desktop Publication Design
- Communication/Journalism 369: Web Design
Students should be involved with Ad Club and plan to complete at least one internship with an advertising agency or in a marketing position.
Broadcasting
The Broadcasting Concentration provides students with the performance, production, writing, and critical thinking skills necessary for a career in contemporary broadcasting. Students may choose from a variety of courses that will provide theoretical and experiential learning.
Students interested in broadcast journalism are advised to take:
- Communication/Journalism 302: Advanced News Writing and Reporting
- Communication/Journalism 310: Sports Reporting
- Communication/Journalism 354: Interviewing (to fulfill the speech course requirement)
- Communication/Journalism 365: Broadcast Performance
- Communication/Journalism 366: Broadcast Journalism
- Communication/Journalism 367: An Introduction to the New Media
Students interested in broadcast production are advised to take:
- Communication/Journalism 231: Introduction to Media Production
- Communication/Journalism 310: Sports Reporting
- Communication/Journalism 332: Advanced Media Production
- Communication/Journalism 334: Photography for the Media
- Communication/Journalism 354: Interviewing (to fulfill the speech course requirement)
- Communication/Journalism 431: Digital Video Production
- Communication/Journalism 492: Television Practicum
Students interested in broadcast management and station operations are advised to take:
- Communication/Journalism 253: Business Communications
- Communication/Journalism 346: Media Law
- Communication/Journalism 353: Public Speaking (to fulfill the speech course requirement)
- Communication/Journalism 464: Broadcast Programming
Students are strongly advised to enroll in two internships at local broadcast stations, cable facilities, and production companies. All students in the broadcasting concentrations also are strongly encourage to participate in Cardinal Television and/or Fisher Radio Network.
Journalism
The journalism concentration at St. John Fisher College focuses on the basic skills of traditional journalism, helping students develop ability to gather, organize and analyze information and then present it in the appropriate narrative form of breaking news, news enterprise or feature enterprise. Coursework is focused heavily on writing publication-quality stories appropriate for presentation in print or online venues. Students who have a career interest in journalism are advised to take:
- Communication/Journalism 302: Journalism II: Advanced News Writing and Reporting
- Communication/Journalism 304: Magazine Writing
- Communication/Journalism 305: Newspaper Copy Editing and Design Principles
- Communication/Journalism 308: Feature Enterprise Writing and Reporting
- Communication/Journalism 310: Sports Reporting
- Communication/Journalism 326: Media Literacy
- Communication/Journalism 314: Newspaper Practicum (may be taken twice for credit)
- Communication/Journalism 354: Interviewing (to fulfill the speech course requirement)
Students are strongly encouraged to work for the student-run newspaper, the Cardinal Courier, and to intern at a local newspaper or magazine.
Students should also consider taking additional courses in English, Economics and Political Science, as well as an internship in journalism.
New Media
Students who are interested in New Media may take:
- Communication/Journalism 231: Introduction to Media Production
- Communication/Journalism 260: Introduction to Digital Media
- Communication/Journalism 309: Desktop Publishing
- Communication/Journalism 334: Photography for the Media
- Communication/Journalism 367: An Introduction to the New Media
- Communication/Journalism 369: Web Design
- Communication/Journalism 376: Advanced Public Relations/IMC Writing
Many careers in New Media exist within another concentration: online journalism and online advertisin just to name a few. Therefore, students may wish to use the New Media courses to supplement another concentration.
Students interested in New Media should consider internships involving the web, including online journalism and online marketing. They should also considering working with the Cardinal Courier Online. Students may wish to consider the minor in Applied Information Technology (AIT).
Students majoring in AIT with a concentration in Communication/Journalism may also complete a major in Communication/Journalism with only four additional courses.
Public Relations
Studying public relations at St. John Fisher College goes beyond press releases and media kits. Understanding ethics, history and the creative process are essential to becoming a well-rounded practitioner capable of leading others in a rapidly-changing media environment. At Fisher, hands-on learning is just the start, figuring out the future is the end game.
Students who are interested in Public Relations are advised to take:
- Communication/Journalism 231: Introduction to Media Production
- Communication/Journalism 270: Introduction to Public Relations
- Communication/Journalism 372: Public Relations Case Studies
- Communication/Journalism 374: The Nonprofit Organization
- Communication/Journalism 375: Public Relations in Sports
- Communication/Journalism 376: Advanced Public Relations/IMC Writing
- Communication/Journalism 377: Advanced Media Relations
- Communication/Journalism 472: Advanced Public Relations Programs and Management
Students should consider internships at local non-profit agencies and Public Relations firms. Students should also become members of PRSSA (Public Relations Students Society of America) and consider work on the student-run PR firm, PRIMA Connections.
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