Journalism | Academic Requirements | Student Learning Outcomes | Minor in Journalism | Courses | Faculty

The Journalism B.A. Program: Student Learning Outcomes

(2006-07)

Outcome 1: Understanding and exercise of journalistic rights and responsibilities

1. The graduate understands and practices the rights of free speech and freedom of the press.
2. The graduate understands and exercises the corresponding responsibilities, including that of the press to inform, as well as accuracy, fairness, and objectivity in reporting.
3. The graduate understands and is able to apply the concepts of privacy, libel, copyright, and plagiarism.
4. The graduate understands the various journalistic careers and the job market.

Outcome 2: Understanding of media, information, and their relation to society

1. The graduate understands and can use basic mass-media vocabulary.
2. The graduate recognizes the characteristics and purposes of the different types of media.
3. The graduate understands and can apply the differences between fact and opinion.
4. The graduate understands basic rhetorical terminology, tropes, and functions, and can write persuasively.
5. The graduate has an appreciation of the roles of media in society, as well as how the media is funded, and its implications for consumers and citizens

Outcome 3: Obtaining and evaluating information

1. The graduate can understand and use basic research techniques.
2. The graduate can locate, evaluate, and synthesize information from a variety of sources.
3. The graduate has developed and uses interviewing, note-taking, and attribution skills.
4. The graduate can evaluate the reliability, relevance, and newsworthiness of information.

Outcome 4: Writing and editing

1. The graduate writes competent news, feature, and sports stories.
2. The graduate writes competent editorials, commentaries, and columns.
3. The graduate recognizes and writes headlines and captions.
4. The graduate recognizes and appropriately uses direct and indirect quotation.
5. The graduate recognizes the importance of audience and adapts the written form to the audience and purpose.
6. The graduate writes and understands opinion pieces.
7. The graduate demonstrates the ability to revise and improve written work of the above forms.
8. The graduate demonstrates the ability to develop well-reasoned arguments and organize supporting details.
9. The graduate identifies, analyzes, and evaluates arguments in his/her own or others’ work.

Outcome 5: Publication Design

1. The graduate understands the roles and relationships of graphics, photography, art, and design in producing an effective publication.
2. The graduate knows and understands the basic elements and principles of print, web, and broadcast design and layout.
3. The graduate has learned basic camera operation, and darkroom and photographic composition skills.

Outcome 6: Publication Production

1. The graduate demonstrates appropriate personal computer skills and technology knowledge.
2. The graduate uses management and organizational skills to work as part of a team in the production of The Purchase College Dispatch and/or other publications of the board of study, including online and television.
3. The graduate both gives and receives constructive criticism and praise, is open to new ideas, and respects others’ opinions.
4. The student successfully follows schedules and meets deadlines.

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