Sequences
The advertising major prepares students for successful careers with advertisers, ad agencies, and the media. With courses in areas such as branding, media, consumer insight, creative concepts, art direction, and portfolio development, the curriculum focuses on the two areas advertisers and their agencies value most—strategic thinking and creativity. That is why CU graduates are sought after and hired not only by Colorado agencies but by such top national agencies as Wieden + Kennedy, BBDO, Leo Burnett, Ogilvy & Mather, R/GA, Cliff Freeman, and BBH.
Students intern year-round at Crispin Porter + Bogusky in Boulder. Both faculty and adjuncts bring extensive experience and important advertising contacts to campus. Recent guests have included Lee Clow, chairman and chief creative director of TBWA\Worldwide; Alex Bogusky, co-chairman of Crispin Porter + Bogusky; and the award-winning copywriter and alum who created the Las Vegas ad, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” Advertising students in the school’s creative track have consistently taken home more awards than those at any university in the One Show College Competition. The One Show, sponsored by New York City’s One Club, is the premier international creative competition with divisions for both students and professionals.
A total of 120 credit hours with a minimum of 28 hours in journalism and 80 nonjournalism hours are required for graduation. Sixty-five of the 80 nonjournalism hours must be in arts and sciences course work. Forty of the 120 credit hours must be upper-division. Within the 80 credit hours of nonjournalism course work, 12 credit hours must be upper-division hours concentrated in a single area of study. The last 30 hours toward the degree must be taken after admission to the school.
Journalism Core Requirements (12 hours)
| JOUR 1001 Contemporary Mass Media | 3 |
| JOUR 2403 Principles of Advertising | 3 |
| JOUR 4651 Mass Communication Law (junior standing prerequisite) | 3 |
| One upper-division conceptual course | 3 |
Advertising Requirements (16 hours)
| JOUR 3403 Branding and Positioning (JOUR 2403 prerequisite) | 3 |
| JOUR 3453 Introduction to Creative Concepts (JOUR 2403 prerequisite) | 3 |
| JOUR 3463 Advertising Media (JOUR 3403 and 3453 prerequisites) or JOUR 3503 Intermediate Creative (JOUR 3403 and 3453 prerequisites) | 3 |
| JOUR 4403 Campaigns (JOUR 3463 or 3503 prerequisites) | 4 |
| JOUR 4931 Internship (JOUR 3453 or 3463 prerequisite) | 3 |
Journalism Electives (maximum of 12 hours)
| Additional Requirements (10 hours) |
| ECON 1000 Introduction to Economics or ECON 2010 Principles of Microeconomics | 4 |
| BCOR 2400 Fundamentals of Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 3250 Buyer Behavior | 3 |
The broadcast news sequence prepares students for careers as news producers, reporters, photographers, editors, and writers for radio and television news organizations and cable TV systems. The curriculum covers several aspects of broadcast journalism, including broadcast news writing, videography and editing, television reporting, and producing and mass communication law. Students produce and anchor live newscasts twice a week and have won regional Emmys for their work. Many students intern at major market network affiliates. Students regularly win nationally competitive internships, and some have recently interned at ABC, CBS, CNBC, CNN, Fox Sports, MTV, NBC, MSNBC, PBS, and for Inside Edition and Bloomberg.
A total of 120 credit hours with a minimum of 28 hours in journalism and 80 nonjournalism hours are required for graduation. Sixty-five of the 80 nonjournalism hours must be in arts and sciences course work. Forty of the 120 credit hours must be upper-division. Within the 80 credit hours of nonjournalism course work, 12 credit hours must be upper-division hours concentrated in a single area of study. The last 30 hours toward the degree must be taken after admission to the school.
Journalism Core Requirements (12 hours)
| JOUR 1001 Contemporary Mass Media | 3 |
| JOUR 2601 Principles of Journalism | 3 |
| JOUR 4651 Mass Communication Law (junior standing prerequisite) | 3 |
| One upper-division conceptual course | 3 |
Broadcast News Requirements (12 hours)
| JOUR 3604 Radio and Television News (JOUR 2601 prerequisite) | 3 |
| JOUR 3644 Principles of Production (JOUR 2601 prerequisite) | 3 |
| JOUR 4354 TV Reporting (JOUR 3604, JOUR 3644 prerequisites) | 3 |
| JOUR 4624 |
| NewsTeam |
| (JOUR 4354 prerequisite) | 3 |
Electives and Internships (4–16 hours)
| JOUR 4931 Internship (JOUR 3604, JOUR 3644 prerequisites) | 1-3 |
The broadcast production sequence prepares students for production careers in radio, television, cable, private industry, and independent firms, including positions in programming, advertising, promotion, and management. The curriculum includes broadcast news writing, broadcast production principles, mass communication law, and advanced television production. Students direct and handle production duties for a live newscast twice a week and broadcast a weekly sports magazine. Many intern at Denver network affiliates and production facilities, including those of local professional sports teams. Students cover many collegiate sporting events on campus, where they produce, direct, and host programs, for which they have won numerous local and regional Emmy awards. Students intern at national news and entertainment organizations including Warren Miller Entertainment in Boulder, High Noon Entertainment in Denver, ESPN, Fox Sports, MTV, Sony Pictures Television, and Entertainment Tonight.
A total of 120 credit hours with a minimum of 28 hours in journalism and 80 nonjournalism hours are required for graduation. Sixty-five of the 80 nonjournalism hours must be in arts and sciences course work. Forty of the 120 credit hours must be upper-division. Within the 80 credit hours of nonjournalism course work, 12 credit hours must be upper-division hours concentrated in a single area of study. The last 30 hours toward the degree must be taken after admission to the school.
Journalism Core Requirements (12 hours)
| JOUR 1001-3 Contemporary Mass Media | 3 |
| JOUR 2601-3 Principles of Journalism | 3 |
| JOUR 4651-3 Mass Communication Law (junior standing) | 3 |
| One upper-division conceptual course | 3 |
Broadcast Production Requirements (12 hours)
| JOUR 3604 Radio and Television News (JOUR 2601, junior standing prerequisites) | 3 |
| JOUR 3644 Principles of Production (JOUR 2601, junior standing prerequisites) | 3 |
| JOUR 3674 TV Production 2 (JOUR 3644 prerequisite) | 3 |
| Plus an additional upper-division conceptual course | 3 |
Journalism Electives and Internships (4–16 hours)
| JOUR 4931 Internship (JOUR 3644 prerequisite) | 1-3 |
The media studies major prepares students for careers as analysts, evaluators, and producers of media messages and policies in government and private industry and for graduate education in the social sciences, humanities, and law. The curriculum covers courses in media, history, law, policy, institutions, industries, and culture. Students may gain practical experience by taking media practice courses and at campus media such as KVCU-AM, the CU Sports Magazine weekly television broadcast, as well as through internships. In recent years, media studies majors have interned at the Discovery Channel, Bravo, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Financial Times, Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, Kenney Marketing and Advertising, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Aspen Magazine, Boulder County AIDS Project, and KCNC-TV Community Affairs.
A total of 120 credit hours with a minimum of 30 hours in journalism and 80 nonjournalism hours are required for graduation. Sixty-five of the 80 nonjournalism hours must be in arts and sciences course work. Forty of the 120 credit hours must be upper-division. Within the 80 credit hours of nonjournalism course work, 12 credit hours must be upper-division hours concentrated in a single area of study. The last 30 hours toward the degree must be taken after admission to the school.
Journalism Core Requirements (12 hours)
| JOUR 1001 Contemporary Mass Media | 3 |
| JOUR 2403 Principles of Advertising or 2601 Principles of Journalism | 3 |
| JOUR 4651 Media Communication Law | 3 |
| One upper-division conceptual course | 3 |
Media Studies Core Requirements (6 hours)
| JOUR 4301 Media Ethics | 3 |
| JOUR 4321 Media Institutions and Economics | 3 |
Media Theory Requirements (6–9 hours)
| JOUR 2403 Principles of Advertising | 3 |
| JOUR 3771 Mass Media History | 3 |
| JOUR 4201 International Mass Communication | 3 |
| JOUR 4331 Women and Popular Culture | 3 |
| JOUR 4453 Advertising and Society | 3 |
| JOUR 4711 Mass Communication and Culture | 3 |
| JOUR 4874 The Meaning of IT (Information Technology) | 3 |
| JOUR 4871 Special Topics (conceptual only) | 3 |
Media Practice (0–3 hours)
| Students are strongly encouraged to take ONE of the following: |
| JOUR 3102 Press Photography | 3 |
| JOUR 3453-3 Advertising Copy and Layout (JOUR 2403 prerequisite and instructor permission) | 3 |
| JOUR 3473 Advertising Research (JOUR 2403 prerequisite and instructor permission) | 3 |
| JOUR 3614 Radio Programming and Production | 3 |
| JOUR 4102 Advanced Photography (JOUR 3102 prerequisite) | 3 |
| JOUR 4272 Public Relations | 3 |
| JOUR 4282 Public Relations Programs (JOUR 4272 prerequisite) | 3 |
| JOUR 4562 Electronic Journalism | 3 |
| JOUR 4802 Editorial and Opinion Writing (instructor permission prerequisite) | 3 |
| JOUR 4802 Magazine Writing (instructor permission prerequisite) | 3 |
| JOUR 4831 Publication Design and Production | 3 |
| JOUR 4872 Digital Newsroom | 3 |
| JOUR 4873 Motion Design (instructor permission prerequisite) | 3 |
| JOUR 4873 Experience Design Workshop (instructor permission prerequisite) | 3 |
Journalism Electives and Internships (1–13 hours)
| Any JOUR course, including those listed above under Media Theory and Media Practice will fulfill the elective category. Media Studies majors who wish to gain practical experience are also strongly encouraged to do an internship (JOUR 4931, 1–3 hours) and/or to work for a semester or more for one of the campus media: |
| Campus Press |
| (JOUR 3902, 1–3 hours; (instructor permission prerequisite); KVCU radio; |
| Sports Mag |
| ; or |
| Cultural Currents |
| . For internships offered through news-editorial, broadcast, or advertising, students will need to take additional prerequisites (see major sheet for each sequence’s requirements). |
The news-editorial major prepares students for careers as reporters, editors, and photographers for newspapers, websites, news services, magazines, trade and technical publications, company publications, the government, and public relations firms. Beyond required courses in the principles of journalism, reporting, editing, and media law, students may choose electives ranging from photography and magazine writing to the digital newsroom and legislative reporting. Photo students have repeatedly placed nationally in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program. News-editorial students regularly obtain internships through national programs including the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund, the Politics & Journalism Semester in Washington, D.C., the Scripps Howard Foundation, and the Chips Quinn Scholars minority internship program. Others recently interned at The Associate Press, USA TODAY, Huffington Post, Smithsonian Magazine, MLB.com, People magazine, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, and Sports Illustrated. Students intern year-round at Boulder outdoor recreation and healthy lifestyle magazines including SKI, Skiing, Freeskier, Backpacker, VeloNews, Climbing, and Women’s Adventure.
A total of 120 credit hours with a minimum of 28 hours in journalism and 80 nonjournalism hours are required for graduation. Sixty-five of the 80 nonjournalism hours must be in arts and sciences course work. Forty of the 120 credit hours must be upper-division. Within the 80 credit hours of nonjournalism course work, 12 credit hours must be upper-division hours concentrated in a single area of study. The last 30 hours toward the degree must be taken after admission to the school.
Journalism Core Requirements (12 hours)
| JOUR 1001 Contemporary Mass Media | 3 |
| JOUR 2601 Principles of Journalism | 3 |
| JOUR 4651 Mass Communication Law (junior standing) | 3 |
| One upper-division conceptual course | 3 |
News-Editorial Requirements (12 hours)
| JOUR 3001 Public Affairs Reporting (JOUR 2601 prerequisite) | 3 |
| JOUR 3552 News Editing (JOUR 3001 prerequisite) | 3 |
| JOUR 4002 Reporting 2 (JOUR 3001 prerequisite) | 3 |
| JOUR 4502 Reporting 3 (JOUR 3552, JOUR 4002 prerequisites) | 3 |
Journalism Electives and Internships (4–16 hours)
| JOUR 4931 Internship (JOUR 3001, JOUR 3552 prerequisites) | 1-3 |
