Curriculum:

We offer emphases in news-editorial and advertising-public relations, in addition to a newly established focus on visual journalism. In the news-editorial emphasis, students are prepared to take entry-level positions on daily and weekly newspapers and magazines. In the advertising-public relations emphasis, students are prepared to take entry-level positions with media, agencies and related organizations. The visual journalism focus enables students to learn both press and commercial photographic skills before entering into the entry-level positions in the visual industry. Education on new communication technology and journalism diversity has been integrated into different courses across the emphases.

Many journalism students choose business administration, art, English, political science and other humanities and social sciences as their minors. Students must maintain a 2.5 minimum overall GPA pre-requisite to enroll in most journalism classes. We offer the Professional Journalism Internship as a three-credit elective class. Students also participate in collegiate competitions both in and outside of classes, including the National Students Advertising Competition, Public Relations Bateman Competition, and Hearst Journalism Awards to earn practical experience. Seven scholarships are offered to students in different emphases, while also encouraging students to apply for scholarships offered by private institutions. The department recognizes outstanding students by offering them membership in Kappa Tau Alpha, the journalism honor society.

Faculty, Staff and Research Activities:

The department has eight full-time faculty members, three adjunct positions, one program assistant, and several student assistants. Six of the eight full-time faculty are tenured, while the other two are assistant professors on the tenure track. The faculty background and expertise consist of a good balance between professionals and scholars. Five of the full-time faculty have doctoral degrees, while the other three have masters degrees in journalism and business administration with extensive experience in the industry prior to the employment. Many of the professors holding doctoral degrees also have professional experience.

Equipment and Facilities:

The department is located on the first floor of the Clow Social Science Center, which is in a central location in the midst of the campus. The department has three computer-laboratory classrooms equipped with 45 Macintosh computers used exclusively for journalism classes. In addition, the department has a multimedia production room, reading room, general office, conference room, workroom for student assistants and nine offices for its faculty, all located near each other.

Alumni:

We view our alumni as a source of strength. Since the first graduates in 1969, more than 1,600 students have successfully completed the program and have assumed positions of leadership in their respective areas of journalism, advertising and public relations. Sixteen graduates have been recognized as outstanding and distinguished alumni by the university alumni office. A number of the graduates remain in the Fox Valley, many of them are scattered around Wisconsin, neighboring states, and metropolitan areas including Milwaukee, Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.