JOUR 300 – Visual Storytelling
Developed a visual vocabulary and personal aesthetic as she expanded her skills in the use of the digital toolbox-including presentation design, and the use of graphics, typography, color, photography (still and video) and audio. Kelly put her learning into practice through production of visual projects for diverse audiences served by print, online and broadcast media.
JOUR 302 – Infomania: Information Management
Learned not only how to gather information but how to evaluate, analyze and synthesize it. In doing so, she experimented with a wide range of research tools, sources and techniques to improve her writing and critical-thinking skills.
JOUR 304 – Media Writing
Emphasized journalistic writing and the role it plays in coherent and engaging stories. This course expanded on JOUR 300 and JOUR 302, helping Kelly sharpen her writing and interviewing skills for the Web, for print and for broadcast; and sharpen her judgment in choosing information, sources and story forms.
JOUR 320 – Intro to Strategic Communications
Developed an understanding of how organizations develop effective, research-based communication plans to accomplish their objectives. It examines the role of communications in strategic planning and explores career opportunities in professions such as advertising, public relations and sales. Provides insight into how communicators use critical and creative thinking to gather, organize, evaluate and deliver information in a culturally diverse environment.
JOUR 420 – Stratcom II – Principles of Advertising and PR
Deepened exposure to and understanding of two major disciplines within the broader area of strategic communication: advertising and public relations. Approximately half the course will be devoted to coverage of the principles of advertising; the other half will be devoted to coverage of the principles of public relations. Content will include defining the two professions, exploring their status within the broader area of strategic communication and analyzing current and projected professional activities. Students will gain an understanding of the principles of these evolving, separate but related major professions within strategic communication.
JOUR 460 – Research Methods
Students conduct, analyze and apply research to develop strategy and guide decisions related to communication campaigns. In addition to studying qualitative and quantitative research methods as well as basic statistics, students develop critical thinking skills by defining research problems and producing insightful solutions.
JOUR 500 – Topics in Journalism: Digital Marketing
Through lectures and in-depth projects, we worked through the basics of display ad dimensions, Google Ad Words, promoted posts on all social media outlets and website coding. Examples of this work can be found here.
JOUR 534 – Diversity in Media
A study of mass media images and portrayals of race, class, and gender in society. The course examines media representations of African-Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans, as well as media images of masculinity and femininity. The course also explores media images of groups traditionally under-represented in the media, including gays and lesbians, the elderly, the poor, and the disabled. Students study media portrayals in journalism, entertainment, public relations and advertising. The course encourages students to think critically about media images and analyze the role mass media play in reinforcing cultural stereotypes.
JOUR 560 – Messsage Development
Students exercise both critical and creative thinking to develop the multi-media writing skills expected of strategic communicators. Students begin addressing clients’ needs by applying research on product or service benefits, brand identity, competition and audience motivations. The research informs the writing of a strategic message planner or creative brief, which students employ to write and produce messages in many forms. Examples of messages created in JOUR 560 include print, video and radio advertising; social media messages; sales letters and other business writing; and such public relations writing as news releases. Combining strategy, design, and writing and production skills, students begin to build a professional portfolio throughout this class.
JOUR 608 – Ethics and Professional Practice
This course surveys techniques of moral analysis, argument, and decision-making for use by practitioners in both news and persuasive journalism. It employs classical ethical theory, moral reasoning models, and critical-thinking skills to resolve ethical choices through case studies involving reporters, editors, broadcasters, and practitioners in advertising, marketing, and public relations.
JOUR 611 – Sales Strategies
Students learn how to identify consumer, client, news source or employer needs and how to use their product, service or other skills to solve that need in today’s evolving media world. This requires delivering the solution in a way the audience understands best, which is fundamental to every strategic message or interaction with a news source. Even though students work in a media sales context, the purpose of the course is not to turn out professional media sales people, but to enhance strategic communication abilities.
JOUR 616 – Financial Basics for Communicators
An overview of how business and markets operate; balance sheets, income statements and statements of cash flows; how to create and interpret budgets, particularly for non-profit organizations; key documents and regulations of business; how to use various tools of analysis, and how to make personal finance decisions. Each student follows one public company for the semester and explores various aspects of its operations.
JOUR 618 – First Amendment and Society
An examination of the history and philosophy of freedom of speech and press and the limitations imposed upon those rights by statute, common law, and court decisions resolving conflicts with other constitutional rights. Critical-thinking skills and case analysis focus on the roles, rights, and responsibilities of the news and persuasive media in a free society. This course is open to all students at the University of Kansas. It emphasizes the importance of freedom of expression in a free society. Students study key media law court decisions and explore free speech issues more broadly to embrace the philosophical thinking that led to the development of the First Amendment.
JOUR 640 – Strategic Campaigns
Students produce a campaign to solve a strategic communications problem for an established organization. Students work with an actual client to develop a campaign from the initial research to the final recommendation. By applying the knowledge, experience and skills gained in previous courses, students confirm their readiness to enter the profession.
*All descriptions were originally posted at http://journalism.ku.edu/courses.
Kelly Davis 