Media studies

Address big questions about why media professionals do what they do on local, regional, national and global levels.

In-class experience

Explore the significance of media communication in society and how media systems work.
Learn to conduct media studies research.
Apply theories and concepts to understand media consumption.

A group of students work around a computer.

Internships/practicums

What you'll learn

How to analyze media and consumers
How to conduct primary and secondary research
How media affect individuals and society

Where you'll intern

Media research / policy firms
Government agencies
Nonprofits

Possible careers after graduation

Graduate school
Media consulting firms
Government and public policy institutions

What you'll study

Students must complete 39 units of journalism courses for the major and 120 units overall to graduate. Find details below about completing your journalism courses with a media studies emphasis. View all required courses on our bachelor's degree of journalism page.

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Journalism core (21 credits)
1. Complete all required core courses. (21 credits)
  - JOUR 103 – Introduction to Media and Society
  - JOUR 107 – Media Writing
  - JOUR 108 – Media Design
  - JOUR 208 – Media Production
  - JOUR 305 - Media Ethics
  - JOUR 401 - First Amendment and Society
  - JOUR 499 - Professional Internship or JOUR 416 – Practicum (3)
Media studies emphasis (12 credits)
1. Choose two courses from the following list. (6 credits)
  - JOUR 360 - Media and Politics
  - JOUR 413 - Media History
  - JOUR 481 - Race, Gender and Media
2. Choose two courses from the following list. (6 credits)
  - JOUR 304 - Social Media and Society
  - JOUR 306 - Latinas/os Through the Eyes of the Media
  - JOUR 311 - Health and Wellness Communication
  - JOUR 320 - Social Journalism
  - JOUR 360 - Media and Politics
  - JOUR 404 - Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Surveillance Society
  - JOUR 455 - Human Centered Design and Innovation
  - JOUR 482 - International and Cross-Cultural Reporting (CO11)
  - JOUR 490A - Media Economics
  - JOUR 490 - Special Topics - new courses offered each semester
Journalism electives (6 credits)
1. Complete six credits of upper-division journalism courses from any emphasis. Students are encouraged to take additional credits in their chosen emphasis but are also free to select courses from other emphases.
Recommended minors / double majors
- Political science
- Sociology
- Anthropology
- World languages
- Communication studies
- English
- History
- Media and film studies (minor)
- Gender, race and identity
- Geography