Mission

The mission of the baccalaureate School of Journalism is to help students learn to read, think, and communicate clearly, critically, and creatively. Our degree blends liberal education in the arts and sciences and professional training in the skills of journalism and public relations. The skills of journalism and public relations include researching, analyzing, organizing and presenting factual, balanced information to defined publics. We emphasize a coherent blend of visual and verbal and audio information designed to enhance public understanding of meaningful issues. The values embodied in our curriculum emphasize presenting truth in meaningful context. We believe in exchange of comment and criticism, which are fundamental to the health of our democracy. We believe the public deserves full access to accurate information about the world in which we live. We strive to help society understand its history goals and values. We place importance on creating a balanced picture of the diverse groups in society and the world.

We believe that both breadth and depth of learning must characterize the undergraduate experience. To this end, the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree emphasizes:

• development of basic skills in writing, critical thinking, independent learning, mathematics, foreign language, computers, and new information technologies;
• exposure to a broad range of coursework in the disciplines of the liberal arts and science, both in the School of Liberal Arts and the School of Science and within Journalism;
• study of human culture outside the United States and of selected minority cultures within the United States;
• training in statistical analysis and quantitative and qualitative research; training in the professional skills of public communication and including reporting, writing, editing, visual communication, new communications technology, and collaborative group work;
• study of the institutions, processes, and effects of mass media in society;
• study in depth of a field or discipline in the arts and sciences, other than journalism and mass communications;
• preparation for a lifetime of learning.