Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Faculty and Courses

Purpose and Philosophy

The faculty of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication offer a strong professional program that values applied scholarship. Faculty members combine excellent professional experiences with outstanding records as productive scholars.

The primary mission of the school is to

 1. prepare students for careers in journalism and related fields;

 2. examine mass communication through research and teaching, thereby preparing informed life-long consumers of the mass media; and

 3. develop new approaches to practicing journalism in a university setting, providing ample opportunities for students and faculty to serve audiences beyond the classroom.

To that end, the school offers classroom instruction in a blend of conceptual courses (such as media law, media ethics, media history and media management) and professional skills courses (such as print and broadcast writing, editing, reporting, and production techniques). The school also offers on-campus media work experiences, including the campus newspaper The State Press; The Blaze radio station; “Newswatch,” a weekly student-produced cable television news magazine; “ASU Web Devil”; and “Channel 2,” the student-run campus cable station. Off-campus work experience opportunities include internships at newspapers, magazines, and television and radio stations. Other off-campus options include: public relations, visual journalism, sales and promotions, and media analysis and criticism.

Admission

Preprofessional Admission

Students admitted to ASU must meet additional requirements to be admitted to the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication with preprofessional status. Preprofessional admission to the school does not guarantee admission to the upper-division professional program. Preprofessional students must possess a minimum 2.50 GPA with at least 12 semester hours earned before they are permitted to enroll in school courses at the 200 level. All preprofessional students who intend to take courses beyond the 100 level must pass an English proficiency examination administered by the school.

Professional Program Admission

Admission to the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication professional program, which enrolls students in their junior and senior years, is competitive and based on available resources. Once a student is granted admission, the upper-division professional program may require two years to complete.

A separate application procedure is required for entry to the upper-division professional program. To be eligible to apply for admission to the professional program, students must

 1. be admitted to ASU as a classified student;

 2, have completed at least 56 semester hours by the close of the semester in which the application is submitted;

 3. have completed lower-division courses or their equivalents, as specified below;

 4. have completed, with a passing score, the English proficiency examination administered by the school; and

 5. have at least a 2.50 cumulative and major GPA.

Preprofessional status students must complete the following courses:

Total 6

To be considered for admission to the school’s upper-division professional program, students must obtain an application form from the school office in STAUF A231, or online at cronkite.asu.edu. Precise application procedures and submission deadlines are outlined on the form. Completion of the minimum requirements for eligibility does not guarantee admission to the upper-division professional program. The admissions committee considers a variety of criteria, including major and cumulative GPA, media experience, writing ability, and commitment to the field. Students may apply twice.

Advising

Students should follow the sequence of courses outlined on school curriculum check sheets, their online degree audit, and the advice of the school’s academic advisors. Students who enroll as preprofessional or who seek and ultimately gain professional status should meet regularly with their Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication academic advisor. Conscientious, careful planning and early advising are crucial to students who desire to progress through the program in a timely fashion.

Degrees

The school offers a program leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. Students select one of five concentrations: journalism, media analysis and criticism, media management, media production, or strategic media and public relations.

The school offers a program leading to the graduate degree Master of Mass Communication.

Transfer Students

Transfer students must be formally admitted to ASU to be considered for admission to the professional program in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Students completing their first two years of course work at a community college or four-year institution other than ASU should consult the school’s academic advisors at least one full semester before they hope to be considered for admission to the school’s professional program. Transfer student admission to ASU does not guarantee admission to the upper-division professional program.

Program Requirements

Because the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, its students are required to take a minimum of 80 semester hours in courses outside the major of Journalism and Mass Communication, with no fewer than 65 semester hours in liberal arts and sciences. This requirement ensures that students receive a broad academic background.

At least 18 semester hours of major courses required by the school, including one writing course, must be taken at ASU. A student must receive a grade of “C” (2.00) or higher in all courses taken in the major and in the required related area.

BA Requirements

All students are required to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English (a spoken language or American Sign Language). Proficiency is defined as completing the second semester intermediate level, or higher, of a language other than English with a grade of “C” (2.00) or higher.

The undergraduate major in Journalism and Mass Communication consists of a minimum of 30 semester hours in Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication courses.

Required core courses (12 of the 30 to 39 hours are required of all students in all five concentrations):

Total 12

Students complete the required core courses of the major (12 semester hours), plus the required courses of one concentration area (15 semester hours), and elective courses (from three to 12 hours) from other areas in the major.

These courses are in addition to other degree requirements. See University Graduation Requirements.

Related Area

Each student is required to complete a 12-semester-hour related area to complement the courses taken in the major and concentration areas.

General Studies Requirements

Students must satisfy the university General Studies requirement found in General Studies. Students are advised to review carefully the appropriate school curriculum check sheet to ensure that courses taken move the student toward graduation with the least amount of delay and difficulty. Note that all three General Studies awareness areas are required.

General education requirements for the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication follow.

Students are required to take one course in each of the following areas: communication (applied speech), computer science, economics, English composition (beyond the freshman level), English literature, history, mathematics (numeracy requirement), two natural science lab courses, philosophy, political science (either POS 110 or 310), and psychology.

Minor in Mass Communication

The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication offers a minor in Mass Communication consisting of the required course MCO 120 Media and Society and 12 additional semester hours (nine of which must be upper-division hours) of Tempe campus resident credit taken from a list of approved courses. The following courses are included:

BIS Concentration

A concentration in mass communication is available under the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) degree, a program intended for the student who has academic interests that might not be satisfied with existing majors. Building on two academic concentrations (or one double concentration) and an interdisciplinary core, students in the BIS program take active roles in creating their educational plans and defining their career goals. For more information, see School of Interdisciplinary Studies.

School of Extended Education

The university-wide School of Extended Education provides an interactive link between ASU and the diverse

communities it serves. The college assesses lifelong learning requirements and works in partnership with campuses, other colleges, and the community to serve learners, using a network of locations, programs, schedules, and technologies.

For more information, see School of Interdisciplinary Studies, or access the Web site at www.asu.edu/xed.

Graduate Program

cronkite.asu.edu

480/965-5011

STAUF A231