Journalism Studies, A.A.

This program has been deactivated and students will no longer be admitted to the major.  Currently enrolled students will complete the degree in accordance with the approved teach-out plan.

The Journalism Studies program is designed for students to begin their education in many different fields related to public communication. The vast majority of graduates transfer to four-year programs, either at Morrisville in Journalism & Communication for Online Media (JCOM), or other institutions in programs of communication, journalism, advertising, broadcasting, public relations or other related fields.

This program places a strong emphasis on improving a student’s skills as a writer. It is writing that is the cornerstone for success in any public communication field, and students will find their own styles as writers within a system that allows for use of complex concepts and ideas in terms an audience will understand.

At the same time, the associate of arts degree program in Journalism Studies allows students to explore many fields related to public communication. Production labs are designed to give hands-on experience in journalism, broadcasting, Web content production, desktop publishing, and digital still and video photography.

Opportunities to transfer to a bachelor degree program for preparation to enter careers as reporters, photographers, copywriters and editorial staff. Other careers include advertising, public relations, industrial publications, newspapers, commercial radio and television broadcast content production, Internet content production, and Internet broadcasting, technical writing, and graphic communications.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to gather a basic news story, write that story in appropriate Associated Press style on deadline, and when appropriate, collaborate with other members of a news team to prepare the story for publication or broadcast. 
• Demonstrate an understanding of, and identify examples of agenda-setting, gate-keeping, and message framing as tools in their use of mass media communication.
• Demonstrate the ability to analyze issues of public importance, identifying existing opinions or points of view and producing their own analysis and opinions in appropriate journalistic forms.
• Demonstrate the ability to identify credible news sources across mass media based on a thorough knowledge of accepted journalistic standards.

SUNY General Education Requirements:  All SUNY Morrisville AA degree programs require completion of at least 30 credits of SUNY GE, a minimum of seven (out of ten) knowledge and skills areas (including the four required knowledge and skills areas as indicated below), and completion of the two core competencies. The specific courses required within each knowledge and skills area/core competency for this degree program are outlined below.

Knowledge and Skills Areas:

Core Competencies:

Curriculum Requirements

A minimum of 64 credits is required for degree completion.

Sample Course Sequence