Multimedia Photojournalism Major
Academic Year 2015-2016: Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Summer 2016
The Multimedia Photojournalism major prepares students to work as visual journalists in a competitive new media environment. Students
learn photojournalism and video storytelling, with a special emphasis on audio, documentary and interactive media. The program is
grounded in the foundations of journalism and photography while recognizing the need for students to be innovators, crossing platforms to
tell stories. Students have opportunities to pick from a wide range of electives, including courses in blogging, coding, documentary and
interactive media. Columbia College Chicago is uniquely and ideally suited to offer this degree with its diverse range of media art specialities
in media management, photography, television, journalism, cinema and radio. The program culiminates with a capstone experience in which
students work in a digital newsroom to produce portfolio work ranging from photographic essays to short-form documentary.
The Multimedia Photojournalism major requires 44 credits in Multimedia Photojournalism to complete this major. In each course
necessary to fulfill the Multimedia Photojournalism requirements, students must earn a minimum grade of "C." Students must also complete
the Liberal Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum (42 credits) and a balance of College-Wide Electives to total at least 120 credits for the
Bachelor of Arts degree.
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Required Multimedia Photojournalism Courses
53-1011
Introduction to Journalism (4 credits)
53-1015
Reporting and Writing I
23-1111
Foundations of Photography I
23-1112
Foundations of Photography II
53-2015
Media Ethics and Law
23-2201
Digital Imaging I
23-3500
Introduction to Photojournalism
• 23-3505
OR
• 53-2230
Multimedia Photo Essay
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23-3520
23-3780
53-4840
53-4877
Documentary Methods
Special Subjects: Small Lights on Location (1 credit)
Digital Storytelling II
Multimedia Newsroom (6 credits)
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6 credits of Required Electives – choose any two courses
41-1128
Radio Production I: Intro (4 credits)
41-2015
Radio Storytelling
53-2116
Blogging: Beyond the Basics
53-2220
Visual Communication
23-3202
Digital Imaging II
23-3275
Website Publishing
28-3416
Digital Media Strategies
24-3801
Documentary Projects
Digital Storytelling
Recommended collegewide electives that support the major
• 22-1105
Introduction to Visual Culture
• 41-1107
Voice and Articulation I
• 23-1115
Black and White Photography
• 40-1302
TV Production and Editing I
• 36-1420
Scripting for Web and Mobile
• 53-1520
Smartphone/photo (1 credit)
• 53-1521
Smartphone/video (1 credit)
• 54-1600
Introduction to Advertising
• 54-1700
Introduction to Public Relations
• 24-1801
Introduction to Documentary
• 24-1810
Topics in Documentary
• 41-2107
Writing for Radio
• 41-2308
Voiceover I
• 28-2610
Internet and Mobile Business
• 23-2650
History of Photography I
• 23-2655
History of Photography II
• 28-2712
Self Management and Freelancing
• 41-2730
Radio Interviewing
• 40-2803
Culture, Race and Media
• 22-3355
Branding Identity
• 53-4523
Social Media Storytelling (1 credit)
• 53-4615
International Reporting
Note: All courses are 3 credits unless otherwise noted
Multimedia Photojournalism Major – Planning Grid
Three- to four-year course sequence for Freshmen and Transfer students with fewer than 30 credits
Please note: This grid is an example of how students may organize their schedules. Students must earn at least 120 credits to graduate. In general, the breakdown is
44 Multimedia Photojournalism credits, 42 LAS Core credits and 34 College-Wide electives, which may include additional journalism courses or internships.
Semester 1
Prereq.
53-1011 Introduction to Journalism
23-1111 Foundations of Photography I
LAS Core Curriculum/Electives
Total Credits =
Semester 2
Credits
4
3
8
15
Prereq.
53-1011
[23-1111]
Semester 3
Prereq.
53-2015 Media Ethics & Law
23-2201 Digital Imaging I
LAS Core Curriculum/Electives
Total Credits =
53-2230 Digital Storytelling or
23-3505 Multimedia Photo Essay
23-3520 Documentary Methods
LAS Core Curriculum/Electives
Total Credits =
Prereq.
Credits
3
Prereq.
23-3500 Introduction to Photojournalism
Required Elective (see list on cover page)
LAS Core Curriculum/Electives
Total Credits =
53-4877 Multimedia Newsroom*
Required Elective (see list on cover page)
LAS Core Curriculum/Electives
Total Credits =
Notes:
Total Credits This Year =
30
Credits
3
3
9
15
Notes:
Total Credits This Year =
30
Semester 6
3
[53-2230 or
23-3505]
9
15
23-3780 Special Subjects: Small Lights on
Location
53-4840 Digital Storytelling II
LAS Core Curriculum/Electives
Total Credits =
Semester 7
Prereq.
Credits
3
3
9
15
Semester 4
Credits
3
3
9
15
Semester 5
Prereq.
53-1015 Reporting & Writing I
23-1112 Foundations of Photography II
LAS Core Curriculum/Electives
Total Credits =
Credits
Notes:
1
[Students who have completed 60 credit hours
are eligible for an internship]
3
11
15
Total Credits This Year =
30
Semester 8
Credits
6
3
6-12
15
Prereq.
53-4877 Multimedia Newsroom*
LAS Core Curriculum/Electives
Total Credits =
Credits
Notes:
6
* 53-4877 Multimedia Newsroom taken once in
9-15 either Semester 7 or Semester 8
15
Total Credits This Year =
30
Multimedia Photojournalism Major – Planning Grid
Five-semester course sequence for Transfer students with more than 30 credits
Please note: This grid is an example of how students may organize their schedules. Students must earn at least 120 credits to graduate. In general, the breakdown is
44 Multimedia Photojournalism credits, 42 LAS Core credits and 34 College-Wide electives, which may include additional journalism courses or internships.
Semester 1
Prereq.
53-1011 Introduction to Journalism
23-1111 Foundations of Photography I
53-2015 Media Ethics & Law
Total Credits in Major =
Semester 2
Credits
4
3
3
10
Prereq.
53-1011
[23-1111]
Total Credits in Major =
Semester 3
Prereq.
23-2201 Digital Imaging I
3
23-3520 Documentary Methods
Total Credits in Major =
3
9
Prereq.
53-2230 Digital Storytelling or
23-3505 Multimedia Photo Essay
23-3780 Special Subjects: Small Lights on
Location
Required Elective (see list on cover page)
Total Credits in Major =
Semester 5
[53-2230 or
23-3505]
53-4840 Digital Storytelling II
Required Elective (see list on cover page)
Total Credits in Major =
Credits
Notes:
3
[Students who have completed 60 credit hours
3
are eligible for an internship]
6
Semester 4
Credits
3
23-3500 Introduction to Photojournalism
Prereq.
53-1015 Reporting & Writing I
23-1112 Foundations of Photography II
Credits
3
Notes:
1
3
7
Semester 6
Credits
3
3
6
Prereq.
53-4877 Multimedia Newsroom
Total Credits in Major =
Credits
6
6
Notes: Full-time status is 12 credits or more per semester. Transfer students may need to take courses in addition to the recommended courses here in order to achieve full-time status.
Students who take between 13–16 credits are billed the same tuition fees as students who take 12 credits.
Students who do foundational work in photography and journalism before transferring to Columbia College Chicago could finish the degree in two semesters.
In the Field (53-1665J) could be substituted for Reporting and Writing I during the J-term.