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.

Expand All
  • 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

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Two students sit at a table with laptops smiling.

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Meet emphasis faculty

Media studies News, broadcast, documentary, media studies, visual communication, documentary film, reporting, faculty, journalism, graduate students
Kari Barber
Kari Barber
Associate Professor of Electronic Media She, her
(775) 784-1791
karibarber@unr.edu
RSJ 103D
2419 News, broadcast, documentary, media studies, visual communication, documentary film, reporting, faculty, journalism, graduate students
Media studies Media studies, graduate students, journalism, faculty
Benjamin Birkinbine
Benjamin Birkinbine
Graduate Director and Associate Professor of Media Studies He, him, his
(775) 784-4155
bbirkinbine@unr.edu
RSJ 209
2419 Media studies, graduate students, journalism, faculty
Media studies News, broadcast, documentary, media studies, visual communication, documentary film, reporting, Reynolds Media Lab, journalism, faculty
Nico Colombant
Nico Colombant
Lecturer of Digital Media and Cross-Cultural Reporting
(775) 784-4101
ncolombant@unr.edu
RSJ 103B
2419 News, broadcast, documentary, media studies, visual communication, documentary film, reporting, Reynolds Media Lab, journalism, faculty
Media studies Journalism, faculty, advertising, public relations, media studies, visual communication, graduate students, Center for Advanced Media Studies
Laura Crosswell
Laura Crosswell
Director of the Center for Advanced Media Studies and Associate Professor of Health Communication
(775) 784-4191
lcrosswell@unr.edu
RSJ 103C
2419 Journalism, faculty, advertising, public relations, media studies, visual communication, graduate students, Center for Advanced Media Studies
Media studies Journalism, faculty, media studies
Patrick File
Patrick File
Associate Professor of Media Law He, him
(775) 784-4894
pfile@unr.edu
RSJ 208
2419 Journalism, faculty, media studies
Media studies Journalism, faculty, advertising & public relations, Spanish language media
Ezequiel Korin
Ezequiel Korin
Assistant Professor of Spanish-Language Media He, him
(775) 784-6946
ekorin@unr.edu
RSJ 203
2419 Journalism, faculty, advertising & public relations, Spanish language media
Media studies Media studies, digital surveillance, investigative research
Dave Maass
Dave Maass
Visiting Reynolds Professor of Media Technology
dm@eff.org
2419 Media studies, digital surveillance, investigative research
Media studies Journalism, faculty, news, broadcast, documentary, Spanish language news, media studies, podcasting, reporting
Paromita Pain
Paromita Pain
Assistant Professor of Global Media She, her
(775) 682-9403
ppain@unr.edu
RSJ 215C
2419 Journalism, faculty, news, broadcast, documentary, Spanish language news, media studies, podcasting, reporting
Media studies Journalism, faculty, media studies, advertising, public relations
Sheila Peuchaud
Sheila Peuchaud
Assistant Professor of Strategic Communication She, her
(775) 784-4183
speuchaud@unr.edu
RSJ 215F
2419 Journalism, faculty, media studies, advertising, public relations
Media studies Journalism, faculty, advertising, documentary, media studies, visual communication, race and media
Myrton Running Wolf
Myrton Running Wolf
Assistant Professor of Race and Media Photo credit: Pamela Peters
(775) 784-4187
mrunningwolf@unr.edu
RSJ 215B
2419 Journalism, faculty, advertising, documentary, media studies, visual communication, race and media
Media studies Journalism, faculty, advertising, public relations, media studies, Center for Advanced Media Studies
Gi W. Yun
Gi W. Yun
Vail M. Pittman Associate Dean and Professor
(775) 784-4192
gyun@unr.edu
RSJ 303D
2419 Journalism, faculty, advertising, public relations, media studies, Center for Advanced Media Studies