Majoring in journalism at USI consists of developing your skills across a variety of media types including reporting and writing, copyediting, and visual elements such as photography and graphic design. You’ll become familiar with professional values and ethical standards in courses where convergence, media law and diversity are emphasized. Small classes will allow you to directly engage with faculty. Outside of class but conveniently on campus, you’ll have opportunities to contribute to the award-winning campus newspaper, The Shield, the award-winning radio station, 95.7 The Edge, and USI’s TV station, SETV. Hands-on experiences don’t end on campus. You’ll also find many local paid internships available to you—giving you the chance to build a professional portfolio long before you graduate.
JUMP programs are geared toward outstanding undergraduate students who plan to continue their education by enrolling in a related USI master’s degree program. Approved JUMP programs offer students an alternative pathway to degree completion by providing the opportunity to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in approximately five years.
JUMP programs are geared toward outstanding undergraduate students who plan to continue their education by enrolling in a related USI master’s degree program. Approved JUMP programs offer students an alternative pathway to degree completion by providing the opportunity to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in approximately five years.
This innovative pathway accelerates the time it takes to complete the graduate degree by allowing students in a JUMP program to complete 12 hours of graduate-level coursework during the final semesters of their undergraduate program. After completing the 12 hours of graduate coursework, special credit will be awarded at the undergraduate level and will apply toward the undergraduate program requirements. Students pay undergraduate tuition and fees for undergraduate coursework and pay graduate tuition and fees for graduate coursework (including the 12 credit hours completed while still an undergraduate).
UG = Undergraduate, GR = Graduate
| Fall | Spring | Summer | |
| UG, Year 3 | Complete JUMP application; Apply to Graduate Studies (conditional admission) |
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| UG, Year 4 |
15 hours UG credit |
3 hours UG credit 6 hours GR credit |
6 hours GR credit |
Upon successful completion of all UG requirements and 12 hours of GR credit, the BA/BS degree will be awarded and full admission to Graduate Studies (Master of Arts in Communication degree) will be granted.
| GR, Year 1 | 9 hours GR credit | 9 hours GR credit | 6 hours GR credit |
40 hours; C or better required in all major courses; 2.25 major GPA required
The Journalism major requires 40 credit hours. The Master of Arts in Communications degree requires 36 credit hours. Students in the JUMP option complete 28 hours of undergraduate-level JRN coursework and 36 hours of graduate-level COMM coursework. After completing 12 hours of COMM electives, special credit will be awarded at the undergraduate level and will apply toward the undergraduate program requirements.
At least 22 hours in the major must be at the 300- to 400-level; at least 12 hours must be at the 400-level.
To be eligible for the Journalism JUMP option with the Master of Arts in Communication, students must:
Additional credit hours could indicate a second major, minor, or certificate. A minimum of 120 credit hours is required to graduate.
To apply to the University of Southern Indiana (USI) for undergraduate enrollment:
Once USI has processed your application, transcript(s) and scores (if needed), a decision will be made by Undergraduate Admissions and you will receive a notification.
Upon acceptance to USI, you'll receive detailed information about next steps, including orientation, registration and housing.
The USI Journalism program will prepare you for a variety of journalism related careers working in various platforms such as news, magazines, radio, TV, online media, public relations, marketing, or social media. You may use journalism as a pre-law major or a pathway to information science or informatics. Once you graduate, you’ll succeed in any field where writing and a command of language are needed.
*income information provided by O*NET Online. Occupation opportunities vary by region and experience.
The University of Southern Indiana is committed to making college accessible to those wishing to further their education by providing numerous scholarships, grants, and financial aid options to assist students in managing tuition expenses.
