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JOURNALISM, PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND ADVERTISING
David L. Womack, Chair
James L. Mara, Associate Chair
(215) 204-8436
The basic curriculum for Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising (referred to as JPRA) students is designed with the conviction that proficiency in the field requires a broad educational background coupled with rigorous professional training. The curriculum, therefore, emphasizes subject matter from other disciplines, particularly those in traditional liberal arts and sciences.
At the heart of the JPRA program is a strong academic advising system. While students must ultimately be responsible for their own academic programs, each student will first be assigned to the Academic Advising Center and later to a faculty adviser who represents the program of study the student is following.
Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising
The degree of Bachelor of Arts may be conferred upon a student majoring in Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising by recommendation of the faculty and upon satisfactory completion of a minimum of 126 semester hours of credit with a cumulative average of 2.0 overall and in the major. Students must meet:
Degree Requirements
Of the 126 semester hours required for graduation, at least 87 semester hours must be in courses outside Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising, Film and Media Arts, and Broadcasting, Telecommunications, and Mass Media and 65 of those credits must be in liberal arts and science courses. This limits to 25 the hours taken from Education, HPERD, Business, etc.
The remaining semester hours required outside the department may be taken in any department of the University except Business Education and the Center for Contemporary Studies. The department also does not count towards graduation credits earned through Sec. Ed. 0317, the Special Recruitment and Admissions Program (SRAP), Topical Studies, Military Science, or the Extern Program.
JPRA 0051 Mass Media Writing Style Lab, a two-credit course, may be required of some students as preparation for department writing courses. Other students may test out of it, based on standardized test scores.
Only eight semester hours will be accepted from activity courses of the College of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, except in special programs run in cooperation with the Department of Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising. No more than 15 hours total from HPERD may be applied to a degree program. No more than six hours total of courses in Psychoeducational Processes (PEP) may be taken, and no more than 30 hours may be taken in any single CAS department or other SCAT department without special written permission from the Department of Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising. These requirements are to ensure a broad-based liberal arts education for each major.
It is the student's responsibility to meet prerequisite requirements for an outside course according to the mandates of the department that offers the course.
A maximum of 12 semester hours of JPRA coursework may be transferred from a program accredited by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). (This includes classes in public relations and advertising.) Students transferring from all other institutions will be allowed a maximum of 9 s.h. of JPRA transfer credit, including JPRA C055 (Introduction to Mass Media) and JPRA 0150 (Writing for Mass Media). Credit for JPRA 0150 will be allowed only if the student passes the department-wide examinations required of all Temple journalism students. Under no circumstances will credit be allowed for duplicate courses.
The department does not award credit for academic or life experience. Students with extensive experience may present evidence and petition for a waiver of department course requirements.
Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising majors must receive a grade of C- or higher in all required department courses and must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the department as well as the 2.0 overall average required by the University to qualify for graduation. Students who fall below a 2.0 average for a semester, for all department courses or in their overall University courses, will be placed on probation or academic warning, the first step toward dismissal.
The department prepares students for both a career in communications and life as informed productive media consumers.
As preparation for a communications career, the department requirements provide a solid foundation for students who are likely to shift directions as they and the industry change during that career. The department believes that effective writing is central to communication and should be a present and common theme in the department curriculum.
Following these principles, the major allows students flexibility in selecting coursework in traditional specializations, such as advertising, newspaper, magazine, or broadcast journalism, public relations, or photography for the mass media (all of which are available in the department), and allows opportunities for in-depth study in concentrations of publishing, design, news gathering, management, or writing for the media. Professional advisers and faculty work with students to identify their strengths and interests. (An honors program paralleling University Honors is offered within the department; consult the department's honors director for details.)
Department Requirements
All majors must complete at least 36 but no more than 39 credit hours in Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising, Film and Media Arts, and Broadcasting, Telecommunications, and Mass Media courses. Requirements include:
Courses
Prerequisite to JPRA 0150: Pass department's writing/grammar entrance proficiency exam or pass (with a C or better) a two-credit-hour JPRA 0051 Writing Style Lab. Completion of JPRA C055 and 0150 with grades of C- or better is required before students enroll in any JPRA classes numbered 0200 or higher.
Capstone course (minimum: one course)
Minor in Science and Health Communications for the Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising Major
A minimum of 21 s.h. minor is available to Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising students who wish to add a sub-specialty in science, environmental, or health communication. News-Editorial, Magazine, and Public Relations students most easily can adapt their schedules to satisfy this minor. Courses taken to satisfy other University or department requirements may be used to satisfy requirements of this minor.
Required of all Minors
Minor in Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising
A 20 s.h. minor is available to undergraduate students. The minor is intended to broaden the educational experience of students majoring in other disciplines. A notation on the transcript will indicate successful completion of the minor.
The requirements for a minor in Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising are as follows:
The remaining courses to complete the minor may be selected from among any courses listed by the department subject to stated prerequisites. Transfer courses from other institutions are not accepted for credit for the minor in Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising, with the single exception of JRPA C055.
Students must receive the permission of their adviser before starting in this program and register for the minor in the School of Communications and Theater Advising Center, Third Floor, Annenberg Hall. Once the minor has been approved, students must follow the academic rules of the Department of Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising for all Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising courses. Minor credit is not given for Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising grades below C-. Students must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA in the minor. Students with Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising averages under 2.0 for more than two semesters will be dropped from the program. Students with averages under 2.0 may not begin the program.
London Program
The department participates in the School of Communications and Theater's Temple London (fall semester) and British Mass Media Seminar (summer) programs that offer special opportunities for study and research.
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Aram A. Aghazarian, Chair
(215) 204-1882
The Department of Speech Communication combines a liberal arts emphasis with a communication perspective designed to provide majors with strong analytic and performance skills for a wide variety of communication contexts and careers where advocacy is the goalÑfor example, law, business, public relations, public policy, government, etc. Performance skills are gained through theoretical and practical courses in public speaking, argumentation, debate, and speech writing, while analytic skills are gained through courses in the strategies and tactics of persuasion and campaigns and movements. Students are encouraged to apply theory and practice in career settings via independent study and internship experiences.
Speech Communication students are encouraged to enhance their career preparation by taking elective courses in other programs of the School, in the School of Business and Management, the College of Arts and Sciences, and throughout the University.
Requirements
Minor
Students wishing to minor in Speech Communication must complete the following requirements:
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