Journalism
Associate of Arts Course of Study
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Recommended basic skills standards are
From the early days of our nation, the Founding Fathers realized the importance of a free press. Through the Civil Rights Movement and our present Information Age, journalism has played a vital role in our nation’s well-being. Journalists witness and record our lives. Journalism also makes a great partner for those pursuing other careers. It is learning how to write and then developing an expertise in a cognate area, such as business, science, law, the performing arts, literature, and the social and behavioral sciences.
Many of our authors, including Ernest Hemingway, Tom Clancy, Erma Bombeck, Edna Buchanan, Dave Barry, Mary Brody, Katherine Anne Porter and Stephen King, began their careers as reporters. Photojournalists, as well as reporters, have served as historians by recording messages and providing images for future generations.
Journalism studies at PPCC focus on the study of mass media, reporting and magazine writing. Students will learn to interview, research and write features, newspaper and magazine articles, headlines, news releases, and advertisements. Courses in digital photography are also available for PPCC journalism students. If interest is sufficient, students can develop their design skills by working on the online school newspaper, The Pikes Peak News. Along with specific journalism courses, journalism students are encouraged to gain a general education background and start a portfolio of their work. After completing the journalism program at PPCC, students transferring to four-year colleges have a variety of career writing and mass communication options to pursue.
Students enrolled in the PPCC journalism program can earn an associate of arts degree. The majority of our journalism courses are guaranteed transfer to any state four-year college or university. We recommend that you consult with your faculty advisor to choose the journalism courses that fit the emphasis you are interested in, i.e. news/editorial, advertising/public relations, multimedia.
Courses marked with an asterisk [*] are not currently offered at PPCC.
Written Communication
Six (6) credit hours
GT-CO1: ENG 121 |
English Composition I: CO1 |
3 |
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GT-CO2: ENG 122 |
English Composition II: CO2 |
3 |
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GT-CO2: ENG 122 |
English Composition II: CO2 |
(3) |
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and |
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GT-CO3: ENG 201 |
English Composition III: CO3 |
(3) |
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Oral Communication
Three (3) credit hours
Public Speaking |
3 |
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or |
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Interpersonal Communication |
(3) |
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or |
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Intercultural Communication |
(3) |
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Mathematics
Three (3) credit hours minimum (credit hours over three [3] will be applied to the electives category). Full list of requirements.
Suggested Courses
Mathematics for the Liberal Arts: MA1 |
4 |
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Introduction to Statistics: MA1 |
3 |
Art and Humanities / Social and Behavioral Sciences
Eighteen (18) credit hours. Full list of requirements.
Two guaranteed transfer Arts & Humanities courses from two different areas (AH1, AH2, AH3 or AH4)
Two guaranteed transfer Social & Behavioral Sciences courses from two different areas (SS1, SS2, or SS3)
One guaranteed transfer course from History (HI1)
One additional course from Arts & Humanities or Social and Behavioral Sciences (AH1, AH2, AH3, AH4, HI1, SS1, SS2, or SS3)
Suggested Courses
GT-AH1
Art History Ancient to Medieval: AH1 |
3 |
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Art History Renaissance to 1900: AH1 |
3 |
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Music Appreciation: AH1 |
3 |
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Music History Medieval thru Classical Period: AH1 |
3 |
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Music History Early Romantic Period to the Present: AH1 |
3 |
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Introduction to Theatre Arts: AH1 |
3 |
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GT-AH2
Early Civilizations: AH2 |
3 |
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Medieval to Modern: AH2 |
3 |
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The Modern World: AH2 |
3 |
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Introduction to Literature: AH2 |
3 |
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World Literature to 1600: AH2 |
3 |
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World Literature after 1600: AH2 |
3 |
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British Literature to 1770: AH2 |
3 |
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British Literature Since 1770: AH2 |
3 |
GT-AH3
Introduction to Philosophy: AH3 |
3 |
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Ethics: AH3 |
3 |
GT-SS1
Principles of Macroeconomics: SS1 |
3 |
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Principles of Microeconomics: SS1 |
3 |
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Introduction to Political Science: SS1 |
3 |
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American Government: SS1 |
3 |
GT-SS2
World Regional Geography: SS2 |
3 |
GT-SS3
Introduction to Mass Media: SS3 |
3 |
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Introduction to Sociology I: SS3 |
3 |
GT-HI1
Western Civilization: Antiquity-1650: HI1 |
3 |
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Western Civilization: 1650-Present: HI1 |
3 |
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U.S. History to Reconstruction: HI1 |
3 |
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U.S. History since the Civil War: HI1 |
3 |
Natural and Physical Sciences
Seven (7) credit hours. Two (2) guaranteed transfer courses including at least one (1) lab course (SC1, SC2*). Additional credit hours over seven (7) will be applied to the electives category. Full list of requirements.
Electives
Twenty-three (23) credit hours selected from the AA approved course list.
Suggested Courses
Film Photography I |
3 |
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Digital Photography I |
3 |
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Introduction to Mass Media: SS3 |
3 |
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Fundamentals of Reporting |
3 |
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Publications Production & Design |
3 |
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Feature and Magazine Writing |
3 |
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Internship |
3 |
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Total Credit Hours |
60 |
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