Journalism and New Media Studies

The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Journalism and New Media Studies program is designed to provide students with general, practical and marketable skills that will enable them to seek entry-level employment in various media outlets, including: newspapers, magazines, community journals, online websites, radio and television. The program includes development of a portfolio that will exhibit students` abilities to write both news and feature stories. News judgment is also integrated as a critical component of the program. An awareness of global and cultural differences also forms a key element of this degree for the successful graduate. The curriculum combines coursework in journalism with a General Education component.

Details

Offered At

Mesa

Field of Interest

Culture and Society

Degree Type

Associate in Applied Science (AAS)

Academic Plan

Journalism and New Media Studies (DEG)

Academic Plan Code

3120

Total credits required

61-67

Catalog Year

2024-2025

Effective Term

Fall 2024

Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

There are additional university transfer options within this pathway. Students should speak with the Program Director or an academic advisor to identify the best option to meet their academic and career goals.

What You'll Learn

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

Produce stories appropriate to their medium and venue, from conceptualization to publication, including research, confirmation of credible sources, writing, and editing.
Analyze and adapt to a professional context within the journalism industry in order to work effectively.
Describe the contemporary field of journalism, including media, markets and specializations.
Demonstrate written and verbal skills to communicate effectively with diverse populations and individuals.
Develop and maintain professional networks and relationships within the field of journalism.
Apply media law and ethics to journalistic situations.
Evaluate and employ the strengths of self and others to achieve common goals in group settings.
Incorporate new and emerging digital technologies ethically and efficiently to meet current trends.
Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.

Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this degree. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Communications Teachers, Postsecondary

$67,770 Show expanded career information for Communications Teachers, Postsecondary

Editors

$64,940 Show expanded career information for Editors

Writers and Authors

$53,620 Show expanded career information for Writers and Authors

There are additional career opportunities associated with this degree that do not have occupational data available for Arizona at this time. These occupations are listed below:

Broadcast News Analysts
Reporters and Correspondents

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.

Full-time
Part-time

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
MCO120	Media and Society	Prerequisites: Eligibility for ENG101 or ENG107 or permission of Instructor.	Critical course Gateway course	SB	3
JRN125	Photo Editing				3
ENG101 or ENG107	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in ENG091 or ESL097or WAC101) or (B or better in ALT100) or (ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in ENG091 or ESL097or WAC101) or (B or better in ALT100) or (ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+).	Critical course	FYC or FYC	3
MAT14+	College Mathematics	Satisfactory completion of a higher level mathematics course	OR Satisfactory completion of a higher level mathematics course	MA	3–6
BPC110 or CIS105	Computer Usage and Applications or Survey of Computer Information Systems			CS or CS	3
FYE101 or FYE103	Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success				1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
JRN201	News Writing	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101 or ENG107.		L	3
JRN205	Copyediting	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101 or permission of Instructor. JRN201 recommended for Journalism students.			3
MCO220	Cultural Diversity and the Media	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101 or ENG107.		C, L	3
ENG102 or ENG108	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in ENG101. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG107.		FYC or FYC	3
COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230	Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication	No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites		SB or SB or L or SB	3
CRE101	College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(ENG101 or ENG107) and (RDG095 or RDG100 or RDG100LL or RDG111 or RDG112 or RDG113)] or a grade of B or better in ALT100 or an appropriate district placement or permission of Instructor.	OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment	L	0–3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Area	Credits
HIS103 or HIS108 or HIS203 or PHI101 or PHI103 or PHI105	United States History to 1865 or United States History 1945 to the Present or African-American History to 1865 or Introduction to Philosophy or Introduction to Logic or Introduction to Ethics	No requisites or No requisites or No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites	H, HU, SB or H, HU, SB or C, H, HU, SB or HU or HU, L or HU	3
JRN225	Photojournalism			3
JRN215	News and Media Production	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in JRN201 or [(ENG101 or ENG107) and permission of Program Director or Instructor].	L	3
ENG235 or JRN212 or JRN234	Magazine Article Writing or Writing for Broadcasts or Feature Writing	No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101 and (JRN201 or permission of Instructor). or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101 or ENG107, or permission of Instructor.	None or L	3
SQ or SG	Natural Sciences Quantitative or Natural Sciences General		SQ or SG	4

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
JRN203	Writing for Online Media	Prerequisites: Eligibility for ENG101 or ENG107 or permission of Instructor.			3
ECN211 or ECN212 or POS110 or PSY101 or SOC101	Macroeconomic Principles or Microeconomic Principles or American National Government or Introduction to Psychology or Introduction to Sociology			SB or SB or SB or SB or SB	3
Electives	Electives				3
Electives	Electives				3
General Elective	General Elective		Select additional courses 100-level or higher to complete the minimum total program credits required for this degree. Consult with the Program Director or an Academic Advisor.		0–2

Program Electives

Any combination of the following courses must be taken for a total of 6 credits: JRN101, JRN240AC, JRN290, JRN298AA, JRN298AB, and JRN298AC.

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Credits
JRN101	Grammar and Style for Journalists	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG091 or eligibility for ENG101 as indicated by appropriate English placement.	1
JRN240AC	Journalism Internship	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in JRN210.	3
JRN290	Publications Portfolio		1
JRN298AA	Special Projects	Prerequisites: Permission of Program Director or Instructor.	1
JRN298AB	Special Projects	Prerequisites: Permission of Program Director or Instructor.	2
JRN298AC	Special Projects	Prerequisites: Permission of Program Director or Instructor.	3

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
MCO120	Media and Society	Prerequisites: Eligibility for ENG101 or ENG107 or permission of Instructor.	Critical course Gateway course	SB	3
ENG101 or ENG107	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in ENG091 or ESL097or WAC101) or (B or better in ALT100) or (ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in ENG091 or ESL097or WAC101) or (B or better in ALT100) or (ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+).	Critical course	FYC or FYC	3
FYE101 or FYE103	Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success				1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
JRN201	News Writing	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101 or ENG107.		L	3
MAT14+	College Mathematics	Satisfactory completion of a higher level mathematics course” s	OR Satisfactory completion of a higher level mathematics course	MA	3–6
CRE101	College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(ENG101 or ENG107) and (RDG095 or RDG100 or RDG100LL or RDG111 or RDG112 or RDG113)] or a grade of B or better in ALT100 or an appropriate district placement or permission of Instructor.	OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment	L	0–3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
JRN205	Copyediting	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101 or permission of Instructor. JRN201 recommended for Journalism students.			3
ENG102 or ENG108	First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL	Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in ENG101. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG107.		FYC or FYC	3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
JRN125	Photo Editing				3
JRN215	News and Media Production	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in JRN201 or [(ENG101 or ENG107) and permission of Program Director or Instructor].		L	3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
MCO220	Cultural Diversity and the Media	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101 or ENG107.		C, L	3
JRN225	Photojournalism				3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
COM100 or COM110 or COM225 or COM230	Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication	No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites		SB or SB or L or SB	3
JRN203	Writing for Online Media	Prerequisites: Eligibility for ENG101 or ENG107 or permission of Instructor.			3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
BPC110 or CIS105	Computer Usage and Applications or Survey of Computer Information Systems			CS or CS	3
ENG235 or JRN212 or JRN234	Magazine Article Writing or Writing for Broadcasts or Feature Writing	No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101 and (JRN201 or permission of Instructor). or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101 or ENG107, or permission of Instructor.		None or L	3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
HIS103 or HIS108 or HIS203 or PHI101 or PHI103 or PHI105	United States History to 1865 or United States History 1945 to the Present or African-American History to 1865 or Introduction to Philosophy or Introduction to Logic or Introduction to Ethics	No requisites or No requisites or No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites		H, HU, SB or H, HU, SB or C, H, HU, SB or HU or HU, L or HU	3
Electives	Electives				3

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
Electives	Electives				3
ECN211 or ECN212 or POS110 or PSY101 or SOC101	Macroeconomic Principles or Microeconomic Principles or American National Government or Introduction to Psychology or Introduction to Sociology			SB or SB or SB or SB or SB	3

Term 10

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 10
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
SQ or SG	Natural Sciences Quantitative or Natural Sciences General			SQ or SG	4
General Elective	General Elective		Select additional courses 100-level or higher to complete the minimum total program credits required for this degree. Consult with the Program Director or an Academic Advisor.		0–2

Program Electives

Any combination of the following courses must be taken for a total of 6 credits: JRN101, JRN240AC, JRN290, JRN298AA, JRN298AB, and JRN298AC.

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Credits
JRN101	Grammar and Style for Journalists	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG091 or eligibility for ENG101 as indicated by appropriate English placement.	1
JRN240AC	Journalism Internship	Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in JRN210.	3
JRN290	Publications Portfolio		1
JRN298AA	Special Projects	Prerequisites: Permission of Program Director or Instructor.	1
JRN298AB	Special Projects	Prerequisites: Permission of Program Director or Instructor.	2
JRN298AC	Special Projects	Prerequisites: Permission of Program Director or Instructor.	3

Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

C = Cultural Diversity in the US
CS = Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application
FYC = First Year Composition
H = Historical Awareness
HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design

L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
MA = Mathematics
SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
SG = Natural Sciences General
SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative

Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm13?id=189329).

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.