Courses

JOUR 112 Graphic Design I: Visual Literacy

An introduction to manipulating two-dimensional visual elements and relationships through both material and digital means. The course explores concepts and methods that are the basis of design. The goal is to learn how visual relationships function as a vehicle that informs, persuades, or compels, and to develop a critical awareness of design's pervasive role in shaping values and emotions. Course fee required. Cross Listing: ART 112; AC; Offered every Fall and Winter; T. Stedman

JOUR 119 Digital Photojournalism I

Includes fundamentals of composition, proper exposure, and image editing processes. Readings and discussions concerning journalistic ethics in the age of digital image manipulation. Students may provide a suitable digital camera, or the college will have cameras for rental. PhotoShop software will be used to edit photos, but this is not primarily a course to learn PhotoShop. Weekly photo assignments and group critiques of class work. This course focuses on both technical competence and conceptual creativity. AC; Students may not receive credit for both JOUR 119 and ART 119; Staff

JOUR 123 The Centrality of Media

Media occupy an essential place in contemporary societies. Over the past two centuries they have become central to our economic, political, intellectual, cultural and personal lives, influencing virtually every type of social practice, processes of identity formation, and our common-sense understandings of the world. They are currently undergoing profound transformation in both technologies and corporate/institutional forms. This course seeks to provide tools for understanding media institutions and industries and becoming more empowered, self-aware and critical creators and consumers of media products. Students will employ a range of disciplinary lenses, including cultural studies, political economy, history, sociology, anthropology and critical theory. SA; Staff

JOUR 166 Public Speaking for Journalists

An introductory course to help develop the student's skills, knowledge, confidence and understanding of the public speaking process in the field of journalism. Topics include the principles of reasoning, audience analysis, collection of materials, outlining, and delivery. Emphasis is on the similarities and differences between research, preparation and delivery in public speaking, and reporting, editing and publishing in journalism. Staff

JOUR 212 Graphic Design II: Theory and Practice

Building on understandings developed in Art 112, students will practice manipulating visual elements and relationships inherent to graphic design using both material and digital methods. Emphasis is placed on solving visual problems by applying principles of formal hierarchy, information clarity, and typographic communication. Practice is framed by discussions and readings concerning the influence of design in contemporary culture. Course fee required. Prerequisite(s): ART 112, previous design experience, or by permission of the instructor; Cross Listing: ART 212; Offered odd years Spring; T. Stedman

JOUR 217 Race, Gender and the Media

This course explores how minorities and women have been depicted in the mass media, particularly in the 4th Estate's news coverage, and focuses on the longstanding use of stereotypes that perpetuate inequality, racism and sexism in society. The course will also examine the history of employment--or lack there of--of minorities and women in the media, particularly with regards to positions of power, and analyze and compare these representations to society's demographics. It will investigate gender and race anomalies to these stereotypes from female muckrakers such as Nelly Bly and Ida Tarbell to Black newspapers and Latino press. Finally, it will examine contemporary problems for minorities and women in the mass media, including alienation, fragmentation, and criticism based on racial and ethnic background, age, sex, social and economic class and sexual orientation. Staff

JOUR 220 Typography: Designing with Type

Although technology has provided the tools to enable everyone to manipulate letters and words, we are not critically aware of how to successfully organize and shape typographic form. Organizing letters onto a page (or screen) is an elemental task of design. This course will help students build the skills and understandings necessary for work in typographic design. Studio assignments, readings, and discussions will expose students to foundational problems and methods. Prerequisite(s): ART 110 or ART 112 or ART 115 or JOUR 118 or permission of the instructor; Cross Listing: ART 220; T. Stedman

JOUR 222 Media and Politics

This course introduces students to the role of the media - newspapers, television, magazines, Internet - and its effects on public opinion and public policy. Students will gain a working knowledge of how the media work and how they influence - and are influenced by - the political world, particularly during elections. The course explores theoretical foundations of political communication, including framing, agenda setting, agenda building and branding, and gives students a strong practical knowledge of how to scrutinize media messages to discern what is reliable, credible news and what is not. Cross Listing: PS 222; Staff

JOUR 223 Digital Ethnography Workshop: The Politics of Fighting "Fake News"

In this class, students will gain hands-on experience conducting digital research into ongoing efforts to combat fake news. Possible research topics include digital communities, health misinformation, Wikipedia, media literacy curricula, and technological solutions. Our concern is not only with the efficacy of these projects in combating misinformation. Instead, we look at how varied methods and pedagogies for determining facts structures our politics in subtle yet powerful ways. To help build our critical analysis of fake news, we draw on anthropological and critical media literacy readings on facticity and conspiracy theories, race and gender, religion and secularism, and the public sphere. Prerequisite(s): ANSO 102 or ANSO 103 or JOUR 123; Cross Listing: ANSO 223; IC; SA; J. Rubin

JOUR 234 Digital Video Production

This course introduces students to the conceptual foundations and technical skills needed to produce and understand three primary approaches to film: documentary, narrative, and experimental/video art. Students will learn the aesthetics and mechanics of shooting digital video, pre-production, recording high quality audio, field and studio production, along with basic non-linear editing. Coursework includes short assignments, discussions, critiques, screenings, and a final collaborative project. Prerequisite(s): sophomore standing or higher; Cross Listing: FILM 234; Staff

JOUR 248 Teaching Assistant (1/2 or 1)

Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor; May be graded S/U at instructor's discretion; Staff

JOUR 270 The Mind of the Journalist: Newswriting and Reporting

This course introduces print journalism through an exploration of its mindset and fundamental forms. Writing- and reporting-intensive, it involves regular assignments for publication about local issues and events, with readings and class discussion. Focusing on Galesburg as a microcosm of reporting anywhere, students form the Knox News Team, meet with city officials and business leaders, and cover stories ranging from recycling to law enforcement to the arts. Articles are regularly printed in local daily and weekly newspapers and on-line venues. Topics include: story research; interviewing and developing sources; covering standard news beats; style and structure of news stories; fact-checking; meeting deadlines; journalism and the law. Cross Listing: ENG 270; Staff

JOUR 272 Digital News: Information Gathering & Reporting for Print, Audio, Video, and the Web

This course teaches students to develop information-gathering skills needed for contemporary professional journalism. Students learn to report through interviewing and accessing public records. The class uses readings, lectures, discussions and writing labs to help students learn how to build stories and report them over multiple new media platforms, including emerging technology (blogging, photo/audio slide shows, digital presentations, video and tweeting). Instruction will include an emphasis on journalistic ethics and best practices. Staff

JOUR 273 Reading/Writing Art Criticism

The course is an introduction to the history, theory and analytical skills of writing art criticism. Course topics include both historical and metacritical approaches to the study of art criticism. It includes a chronological survey of prominent art critics and critical trends from the late 18th century to the present. A primary component of the course is a theoretical and applied study of the major analytical elements and interpretive methods of critical writing. As a means to engage students in their own active forms of critical writing, the course will provide an overview of journalistic and new digital modes of arts criticism and will feature guest presentations by practicing critics. Prerequisite(s): An Art History course at the 100 or 200 level or a Journalism course at the 100 level, or permission of the instructor; Cross Listing: ART 273; G. Gilbert

JOUR 275 Media Law and Ethics

This course provides a foundation in the fundamental principles of mass media law and the ethical and legal issues relating to journalism today. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to understand the media case studies. They should be able to articulate relevant ethical and legal issues that govern the appropriate conduct - or lack thereof - of journalists in these case studies. Finally, they should be able to anticipate how media laws and ethics may evolve in the future amid the rapid changes of technology. Staff

JOUR 295 Special Topics (1/2 or 1)

Courses offered occasionally to students in special areas of Journalism not covered in the usual curriculum. In the past these courses have included Interactive Journalism, Web-based Journalism, and Arts Criticism. Staff

JOUR 345 Multimedia Journalism and Oral History

This course uses oral history and multimedia journalism to examine and record the history of various eras at Knox College and in Galesburg during the 1930s - 1980s. Students will learn how to locate and interview subjects - from alumni to former area residents - and then collectively compile and edit the historical interviews in the context of other interviews and historical documents from local and regional archives. The final multimedia project will be published online. Prerequisite(s): JOUR 270 or JOUR 272 or permission of the instructor.; Staff

JOUR 348 Teaching Assistant (1/2 or 1)

Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor; May be graded S/U at instructor's discretion; Staff

JOUR 349 Internship in Journalism (1/2 or 1)

Internships in journalism are designed to give students practical, applied experience in an aspect of journalism related to their career interests. These internships are student-initiated and, in most cases, the internship site is identified by the student rather than the supervising faculty member. Part of the internship experience requires the student to produce written work that is evaluated by the Knox faculty member. Prerequisite(s): junior standing or permission of the instructor; Staff

JOUR 370 Feature Writing and Narrative Journalism

Students study the feature article, its distinguished history--including the birth of the Muckrakers at Knox College--and its alternative forms, including the underground press and "new journalism" beginning in the 1960s, narrative journalism, and online story-telling today. Students also produce professional quality feature stories, some in narrative journalism form, drawing on a broad range of communication skills, including critical thinking, reporting, research, writing and edition. Prerequisite(s): JOUR 270 or permission of the instructor; Cross Listing: ENG 370; Staff

JOUR 371 In-Depth Reporting

Passionate, fact-based investigative news stories can have a profound impact on society, as the history of McClure's Magazine and the Muckrakers demonstrates. In this course, students work in teams on locally based topics of national significance to produce a substantial investigative story of publishable quality. Students confer with subject-area mentors who provide guidance in research and understanding the technical, scientific or other specialized issues involved. The course involves substantial background research and interviewing, in addition to writing a major investigative feature story. Prerequisite(s): JOUR 270 or permission of the instructor; Cross Listing: ENG 371; Staff

JOUR 374 Topics in Investigative Journalism

Topics vary from term to term as does the media platform in which the story or stories are told. Cross Listing: ENG 394; Staff

JOUR 395 Special Topics (1/2 or 1)

Courses offered occasionally to students in special areas of Journalism not covered in the usual curriculum. Staff

JOUR 397

A hands-on, practical experience interning at a local, regional or national radio or TV broadcast sttatiion for a minimum of 160 houte. Students should be exposed to and assist in the reporting, writing, editing, and presenting of the news on air.

JOUR 398

A hands-on, practical experience interning at a local, regional or national routlet for digital new media for a minimum of 160 hours. Students should be exposed to and assist in the reporting, writing, editing, and presenting of the news in the various new media platforms.

JOUR 399 A-C Capstone Practicum

Students will obtain an internship at a professional newspaper, broadcast station, or new media outlet, or at the campus newspaper, TKS. This practicum course is aimed at advanced journalism students who, in their senior year, are ready to put the prior 3-4 years of theoretical and practical journalism training into practice in a real-world setting. Placement in a professional setting is desired, but TKS will offer a rigorous internship closely advised by the instructor for students unable to obtain the former. Students will work 160 hours editing, reporting, writing, design and/or layout for 1 credit. The work proposals must be approved by the instructor. At the end of the the work period, student will write a reflection paper. This practicum may repeated as: 399A Broadcast Practicum, 399B New Media Practicum, and 399C Newspaper Practicum. Prerequisite(s): Senior standing; JOUR 270 and both upper-level narrative courses; Staff

JOUR 400 Advanced Studies (1/2 or 1)

See College Honors Program. Staff