Journalism

"The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them."
-Ida B. Wells (1862-1931), an African-American journalist and activist who led an anti-lynching crusade in the 1890s

“A free press can be good or bad, but, most certainly, without freedom a press will never be anything but bad.”
- Albert Camus (1913-60), French journalist, author, and philosopher

"Journalism is an extraordinary and terrible privilege. Not by chance, if you are aware of it, does it consume you with a hundred feelings of inadequacy. […] Those who determine our destiny are not really better than ourselves; they are neither more intelligent nor stronger nor more enlightened than ourselves.”
- Oriana Fallaci (1929-2006), Italian journalist, author, political interviewer, and WWII anti-fascist resistance movement partisan

 

The notion of a free press is reflected in the First Amendment to the Constitution and sets this country apart from all others. "Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter," wrote Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), third president of the United States and principal author of the Declaration of Independence. Our right to know and need to know is preserved in journalism. As politicians, advocates, and commentators of all sorts beam their versions of wisdom towards the public, it is left to the journalist to look behind the moving curtain of lies, and serve his or her audience by inducing in them a skeptical frame of mind by holding fast to the truth.

Become a part of one of society's most important tradition by enrolling in journalism classes at Glendale Community College. You can learn to report and write the news, gain valuable experience that will apply in careers stretching from communications to PR, and hear from experts in the field. Our various journalism classes focus on newsgathering, reporting, newspaper design, photography, digital journalism, and teamwork. In our El Vaquero newspaper production classes, you can be the one to let your fellow students know about important news affecting their lives her on campus and in the surrounding communities. 

DEPT	NUMBER	COURSE TITLE	UNITS	COURSE DESCRIPTION
JOURNALISM	49	JOURNALISM INDEPENDENT STUDY	1.0 to 3.0 Units	JOURN 49 provides independent exploration to familiarize students with research techniques, career options, and special academic interests in journalism. Emphasis shall be on individual research projects, library research, and/or preparation of research papers. There is no prescribed course content. Students develop and complete a research project approved by the sponsoring instructor and division chairperson. Note: Registration is open to any student at GCC who is currently registered for six or more units and who is admitted to Independent Study by the instructor and division chair. A student is limited to one Independent Study per semester and no more than 12 units credit toward the AA Degree or Certificate, and no more than six units per division. The units received may be acceptable for college transfer subject to the approval of the individual college. This course may be taken 3 times; a maximum of 9 units may be earned. Laboratory 3-9 hours. Prerequisite: JOURN 103 and JOURN 104. Corequisite: Concurrent registration in 6 or more units. Transfer Credit: CSU
JOURNALISM	50	JOURNALISM INTERNSHIP	1.0 to 3.0 Units	JOURN 50 is a discipline-specific course, which allows students to earn from 1-3 units for structured, supervised work on-campus or off-campus in the field of journalism under the supervision of a faculty advisor. It is designed to provide students with hands-on, discipline-linked work experience that will extend their knowledge and understanding of career demands in Journalism. Note: This course is Pass/No Pass only. Note: This course may be taken four times; a maximum of 12 units may be earned. Students must arrange an approved internship prior to enrolling in this class. Laboratory 3-9 hours. Prerequisite or Corequisite: Enrollment in appropriate discipline-specific theory or lab course at GCC. Recommended Preparation: ENGL 101 or ESL 141. Transfer Credit: CSU
JOURNALISM	102	REPORTING THE NEWS	3.5 Units	JOURN 102 is an introductory course in the gathering and writing of news, features, and editorials. Students learn to write clearly and concisely via laboratory drills in journalism fundamentals. Topics of study include: news sources, acceptable pitch forms for stories, style and method of various mainstream media outlets, rudimentary copyediting, and law and ethics of media and communication. Students use newspapers and other media at the local community level as well as the national and international metropolitan levels as learning tools. Lecture 3 hours/Laboratory 1.5 hour. Recommended Preparation: ENGL C1000 or ESL 151, or equivalent. Course Typically Offered: Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall. Transfer Credit: CSU, UC. (C-ID JOUR 110)
JOURNALISM	103	STUDENT PUBLICATIONS STAFF	3.0 Units	JOURN 103 is a course in writing news, feature, and editorial copy, copy reading and editing, headline writing, newspaper layout and make-up, and the mechanics of newspaper production. Students study laws and ethics of the press and there is an overall emphasis on the function and responsibility of the newspaper. Students learn different formats, including digital, online, multimedia and broadcast journalism. This course produces the campus newspaper, El Vaquero, which publishes in both print and online format. Lecture 2 hours/Laboratory 3 hours. Recommended Preparation: JOURN 102 and ENGL C1000 or ESL 151, or equivalent. Course Typically Offered: Fall/Spring. Transfer Credit: CSU. (C-ID JOUR 130)
JOURNALISM	104	STUDENT PUBLICATIONS EDITOR	3.0 Units	JOURN 104 is an intermediate course in writing news, feature, and opinion articles; copy reading and editing; headline writing; newspaper layout and make-up; and the mechanics of newspaper production. There is an increased emphasis on in-depth reporting for print as well as digital and broadcast media. There is further study of law and ethics of the press with an overall emphasis on the function and responsibility of the newspaper, internet and social media. There is also a greater emphasis on interpretative reporting. This course produces the campus newspaper and potentially a magazine, El Vaquero and GCC Insider, respectively, as well as the newspaper site for the paper, which include broadcast and social media platforms such as X, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. Students in this class assume responsibility for editing and managing El Vaquero, the print and online editions. Lecture 2 hours/Laboratory 3 hours. Prerequisite: JOURN 103 or equivalent. Course Typically Offered: Fall/Spring. Transfer Credit: CSU. (C-ID JOUR 131)
JOURNALISM	106	INTRODUCTION TO BROADCAST JOURNALISM	3.5 Units	JOURN 106 covers the process of gathering, writing, editing, and presenting the news on radio and television. Students learn writing for broadcast, news judgment, visual considerations versus sound, interviewing techniques, ethics, scripting, and news organizations' infrastructure. Lecture 3 hours/Laboratory 1.5 hour. Prerequisite: None. Course Typically Offered: Fall. Transfer Credit: CSU
JOURNALISM	107	MAGAZINE WRITING	3.0 Units	JOURN 107 focuses on feature writing for magazines and newspapers, as well as digital publications. Students learn how to find feature ideas and develop them into articles for student or professional publications, highlighting the creative, story-telling side of journalism. We also discuss the freelance market for feature writers. Lecture 3 hours. Recommended Preparation: ENGL C1000 or ESL 151, or equivalent. Course Typically Offered: Spring. Transfer Credit: CSU
JOURNALISM	110	PHOTOJOURNALISM	3.0 Units	JOURN 110 provides instruction in techniques for producing photos for news and feature articles. Students learn effective ways to take photos to accompany articles and broadcast pieces, as well as to use conventional and digital photos to tell a story of their own. Lecture 2 hours/Laboratory 3 hours. Recommended Preparation: PHOTO 100 and PHOTO 101 and ENGL C1000 or ESL 151. Course Typically Offered: Every Other Year. Transfer Credit: CSU. (C-ID JOUR 160)
JOURNALISM	210	ADVANCED NEWS WRITING	3.5 Units	JOURN 210 emphasizes public affairs reporting, with an emphasis on journalistic law and ethics. Students will cover public meetings both on and off campus, potentially including trials, school board meetings, and city council meetings. They will also contribute an investigative piece to the college newspaper, El Vaquero. The emphasis is on print journalism, but students will also be introduced to broadcasting, the Internet and digital reporting, and podcasting/radio reporting. Lecture 3 hours/Laboratory 1.5 hour. Prerequisite: JOURN 102 or equivalent. Transfer Credit: CSU. (C-ID JOUR 210)
JOURNALISM	250	VISUAL COMMUNICATION	3.5 Units	JOURN 250 surveys the most significant techniques and examples of visual communication employed in mass media, including newspapers, magazines, television, the Internet, and advertising. The course is designed to lead students to an understanding of the possibilities of visual communication in mass media. Students develop their critical thinking skills by learning the language and theory of visual media. The course introduces students to practitioners and scholars as examples about how the media uses images and how students might incorporate visual images into their own work across media disciplines. Lecture 3 hours/Laboratory 1.5 hour. Recommended Preparation: ENGL C1000 or ESL 151, or equivalent. Course Typically Offered: Fall/Spring. Transfer Credit: CSU. (C-ID JOUR 170)