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The Media School

Concentration in Public Relations (Bachelor of Arts in Journalism)

Students on Summer 2020, Fall 2020, or Spring 2021 requirements JORC09

Requirements

The major requires at least 39 credit hours (plus a second concentration of at least 24 credit hours), including the requirements listed below.
  1. Media School Core.
    1. Introduction to Media. One (1) course:
      • MSCH-C 101 Media
    2. Managing Media. One (1) course:
      • MSCH-C 208 Principles of Public Relations
    3. Thinking Media. One (1) course:
      • MSCH-C 210 Introduction to Games
      • MSCH-C 211 Screening Gender and Sexuality
      • MSCH-C 212 Screening Race and Ethnicity
      • MSCH-C 213 Introduction to Media Psychology
      • MSCH-C 214 Race, Prejudice, and the Media
      • MSCH-C 215 History of Videogames
      • MSCH-C 216 Social Scientific Perspectives of Gender and Media
      • MSCH-C 217 Image Cultures
      • MSCH-C 218 Sports, Media and Society
      • MSCH-C 219 Media in the Global Context
      • MSCH-C 241 Watching Film
      • MSCH-C 249 Media Technologies and Culture
    4. Making Media. One (1) course:
      • MSCH-C 225 Reporting, Writing, and Editing I
      • MSCH-H 225 Ernie Pyle Scholars Reporting, Writing, and Editing
  2. Public Relations Concentration.
    1. Required Courses.
      1. Visual Communication. One (1) course:
        • MSCH-C 226 Visual Communication
      2. Communications Law. One (1) course:
        • MSCH-H 300 Honors Media Law in the Digital Age
        • MSCH-J 300 Communications Law
      3. Media as Institution. One (1) course:
        • MSCH-H 410 Honors Media as Social Institutions
        • MSCH-J 410 The Media as Ethical and Social Institutions
      4. Applied Learning. One (1) course:
        • MSCH-R 429 Public Relations Campaigns
        • MSCH-R 480 Bateman Competition
    2. Electives. One (1) course and three (3) credit hours:
      • Any MSCH-A 300–399
      • Any MSCH-A 400–499
      • Any MSCH-J 300–399 except MSCH-J 300
      • Any MSCH-J 400–499 except MSCH-J 410
      • Any MSCH-R 300–399 except MSCH-R 348; MSCH-R 349
      • Any MSCH-R 400–499 except MSCH-R 429; MSCH-R 480
      • One of:
        • MSCH-R 429 Public Relations Campaigns
        • MSCH-R 480 Bateman Competition
    3. Statistics. One (1) course:
      • CJUS-K 300 Techniques of Data Analysis
      • ECON-E 370 Statistical Analysis for Business and Economics
      • LAMP-L 316 Junior Seminar: Analytical Problem Solving
      • PSY-K 300 Statistical Techniques
      • PSY-K 310 Statistical Techniques
      • SOC-S 371 Statistics in Sociology
      • STAT-S 211 Statistics for Journalists
      • STAT-S 300 Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods
      • STAT-S 303 Applied Statistical Methods for the Life Sciences
    4. Additional Requirements.
      • At least nine (9) credit hours in the concentration must be at the 300–499 level.
      • Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the concentration.
      • A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the concentration—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
  3. Specialization. Complete the Specialization in PR and Strategic Communication (see requirements below).
  4. Second Concentration. One (1) of the following:
    • College-approved Certificate or Minor
      • Complete a College of Arts and Sciences minor, certificate, or other credential transcripted by the College. If the credential is less than 24 credit hours, electives in MSCH-J or MSCH-R courses must be completed to reach 24 credit hours.
      • Students must follow standard policies for declaring these credentials. Completion of the B.A.J. second concentration will not result in automatic transcription of these credentials.
      • Credit hours earned from coursework outside the College that are applied to credentials within the B.A.J. second concentration will be included in the 100 College of Arts and Sciences Credit Hours requirement. These credits from outside the College do not count toward the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism major hours limit, however.
    • Additional Specializations
      • Complete at least one (1) B.A.J. Specialization (see full list below) plus electives to reach 24 credit hours. Students should consult with their Media School academic advisor about this option because there are limits to how many mass communication credit hours may be taken in the major.
      • The B.A.J. specializations are included on the transcript.
    • Outside Concentration
      • Complete one (1) of the options below. All options require the completion of an established minor or certificate.
        • Kelley School of Business. In addition to ECON-E 201 Introduction to Microeconomics with a C- or higher, complete either the Minor in Business, Minor in Financial Literacy, Minor in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, or Minor in Marketing.
        • School of Education. Complete courses required for high school teacher certification. Interested students should meet with the Director of the High School Journalism Institute for more information.
        • School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering. Students may apply an Informatics minor or the Certificate in Informatics towards the completion of the second concentration. To earn the Certificate in Informatics, students must complete all 27 credit hours. To use an Informatics minor, students must complete additional coursework to meet the 24 credit minimum for the second concentration. Consult with your Media School advisor to identify appropriate courses to meet the credit hour minimum. A minimum grade of C in all courses taken for the certificate is required.
        • Jacobs School of Music. Of the 24 Jacobs School of Music credits needed, at least 14 credit hours of MUS-K, M, T, or Z courses (excluding MUS-Z 110) are required. Applied music courses must be in private instruction in one instrument. No ensemble work may apply. Alternatively, students may complete the special minor offered through the Jacobs School of Music along with additional approved credit hours to reach the 24 required. For more information, see the Minor for Music Scoring for Visual Media in the "Opportunities" section of this Bulletin.
        • School of Public Health. Students interested in using one of the following four SPH minors to complete a B.A.J. second concentration may do so following the stipulations outlined below; however, the College of Arts and Sciences does not recognize the Minor in Kinesiology for inclusion on a student's transcript.
          • Minor in Kinesiology (plus additional SPH courses from the minor list to total 24 credit hours)
          • Minor in Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management (plus additional SPH courses from the minor list or the Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management major list to total 24 credit hours)
          • Minor in Sports Marketing and Management (plus additional SPH courses from the minor list or the Sport Marketing and Management major list to total 24 credit hours)
          • Minor in Event Planning (plus additional SPH courses from the minor list or the Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management major list to total 24 credit hours)
        • School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Students can complete any of the SPEA minors or certificates transcripted by the College (plus additional SPEA courses to total 24 credit hours).
  5. Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. Major GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    2. Major Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
    3. Major Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    4. Major Residency. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
    5. College Breadth. At least 58 credit hours must be completed in courses from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines outside of the major area.

Major Area Courses
  • Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:

    • Any course at the 100–499 level with the MSCH prefix—as well as any other subject areas that are deemed functionally equivalent
    • Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
    • Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception
    • Any course, consistent with the policies herein, that is part of a concentration, track, and/or specialization being pursued as part of this academic program
Exclusions

The following courses cannot be applied toward major requirements or the College Breadth requirement:

  • None
  • This program of study cannot be combined with the following:

    • Bachelor of Arts in Media (MEDIABA)
    • Bachelor of Fine Arts in Cinematic Arts (CINEARTBFA)
    • Bachelor of Science in Game Design (GAMEDSGNBS)
    • Certificate in Journalism (JOURUGACR1)
    • Certificate in New Media and Interactive Storytelling (NMISTACRT1)
    • Minor in Black Cinema and Media Studies (BLKCNMDMIN)
    • Minor in Cinema and Media Studies (CNMDASTMIN)
    • Minor in Film Production (FILMPRDMIN)
    • Minor in Game Design (GAMEDSNMIN)
    • Minor in Global Media (GLVMDIAMIN)
    • Minor in Media and Creative Advertising (MDCRADMIN)
    • Minor in Media and Diversity (MDIADIVMIN)
    • Minor in Media Law and Ethics (MDLWETMIN)
    • Minor in Media Persuasion (MDIAPRSMIN)
    • Minor in Media, Sex and Gender (MDGNDRMIN)
    • [Name unavailable] (NMISTACRT)
    • [Name unavailable] (PBLCRELMIN)
    • [Name unavailable] (FAMEDIAMIN)
    • [Name unavailable] (SPORTMDMIN)

    Exceptions to and substitutions for major requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.