Bellingham Visual Journalism ConferenceB.A. in Journalism
Getting Started
If
you are a freshman or are transferring with no courses in
journalism, view the student course outline and start with
Journalism 190 (Intro to Mass Media) and Journalism 207 (Newswriting).
For transfer students, college courses numbered 100
and 200 may be used to satisfy an equivalent lower-division course
in the Journalism major or minor, up to a maximum of 15 credits upon approval
of the department. A maximum of four credits in staff courses
taken elsewhere may be accepted as substitutes for WWU staff courses
subject to earning a 3.0 grade or better in a newspaper staff
course at Western. In that event, majors and minors must take
at least two staff courses at Western. An unofficial transcript
from your community college or previous university is required.
Recommended Supporting Courses
Journalists
need a solid grounding in public affairs -- particularly the
structure and functioning of local, state and national political and
economic institutions -- and in the major issues of the day.
Historical perspective is important as well.
Journalists also must be conversant with the sciences
and the arts. Courses that broaden horizons or deepen insights
are recommended.
Basic photography is recommended.
Declaring as a Pre-Major
We
have prepared the following guidelines for pre-major status to help
you move toward becoming a major. We urge you to move on to major
status as soon as you can so you can graduate on schedule. The key
to moving along quickly is to follow the guidelines for being a
pre-major and major and to attend advising sessions.
1. Students must have completed at least one quarter
at WWU to declare as a pre-major, but
may be advised during their first quarter. Transfer students with an AA degree may declare as pre-majors in their first quarter at WWU. When you
meet with an adviser or the department manager, be sure you
sign in with your e-mail address so we can contact you. Notices
regarding our department are sent via e-mail.
2. You must have at least a 2.50 GPA at WWU to declare as
a pre-major.
Bring your unofficial WWU transcript to the advising session to verify that your GPA meets the minimum requirement. If you are transfering to WWU you must have at least a 2.5 GPA from the school you are transfering from.
3. If a course is waived by an adviser, the adviser's written
note
waiving the class must be attached to your transcript and
kept in
the department file. No courses will be waived without a
transcript
showing proof of the course and the grade.
4. Standing as a pre-major does not guarantee a seat in any
class at
any time.
Declaring as a Major
Decisions on who to accept as a major rests
solely with the Journalism Department faculty. Major status
is required before students can take 400-level classes. A
student who is not accepted into the major by the time he
or she needs 400-level classes will be directed to find a
suitable major in another field.
Requirements
Any student wishing to enroll as a major must fulfill the
following:
1. Have at least 30 college credits with a cumulative 2.50 grade point average at WWU (or school you are transfering from).
2. Pass J207 with a B- grade or higher. (Transfers must have at least a B- in any course we accept as an equivalent to J207 and provide the department with an unofficial transcript.)
3. Pass one publication staff course (The Western Front, Klipsun) with a B- grade or higher.
4. Submit a letter of application.
5. The faculty will also judge applicants based on excellence regarding ethical principles and practices in the field.
Procedure
Students who meet the
above standards will be admitted as space allows and subject
to the faculty's acceptance.
The deadline
for pre-major and major declarations will be announced each
quarter of the academic year. Students who miss the deadline must wait until the following
quarter.
When declaring
the major, students will choose the news-editorial sequence, the
public relations sequence or the visual journalism sequence.
The faculty will review major applications and meet
to determine which students to admit. Students not admitted
may appeal the decision with evidence and supporting testimony
of excellence regarding values, principles and practices
in the field as judged by the faculty. Typical evidence
would
be clippings, supporting letters from faculty or intern
supervisors
and a letter from the student arguing her or his case. Faculty
may reconsider student applications to promote diversity
or with evidence of extenuating circumstances.
Declared majors
may request change from one sequence to another by giving written
notice to the department. Acceptance of the change will be based on
space availability.
Probation and Removal
While a major,
students must maintain a 2.50 GPA,
both overall and in journalism and required courses. A student whose GPA drops below 2.50 overall and/or in the major for
two consecutive quarters shall be considered to be on probation. If
the student completes a third quarter with a GPA below 2.50, she or
he will be removed from the major. Such students may be re-admitted to
the major using normal procedures for admission. Struggling students
should discuss the situation with their academic advisers early,
before the problem grows too large to manage. Students are
responsible for monitoring their own GPAs.