Journalism

DePauw University boasts a long and storied Journalism tradition built on the foundation of a strong commitment to the Liberal Arts, which we believe is the best preparation for aspiring professional journalists. Students majoring in English often combine their coursework with co-curricular activities in publishing and editing.

While DePauw does not have a Journalism Department or a stand-alone major in Journalism, the continuing successes of our alumni over 165 years prove that the preparation we provide in the field is highly effective. It consists of coursework, internships, student media experiences, and an extensive alumni network of professional journalists around the world.

DePauw is home to the Pulliam Center for Contemporary Media, which houses the three primary student media outlets:

The DePauw and thedepauw.com - Indiana’s oldest college newspaper and founding chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists in 1909

WGRE - the first 10-watt educational radio station licensed by the Federal Communication Commission

D3TV - an internet-distributed campus television station

Each of these award-winning outlets has a strong and ongoing commitment to Journalism, is open to any student at DePauw regardless of major, and provides students with real-world experiential learning opportunities under the direction of a faculty advisor. Students can also gain experience in publishing by editing and contributing to Midwestern Review and Eye on the World, two student-run publications housed in the English Department.

Journalism Coursework:

ENG 232: News Writing and Editing - An introduction to the art and craft of writing for newspapers, including story structure, research techniques, interviewing, note taking, ethics, libel and AP Style. Students will hone their writing and reporting skills by covering campus events, writing stories on deadline and following national and local media coverage.

ENG 321: Creative Writing II: Nonfiction Workshop
This course will focus on the art and craft of nonfiction with special attention to giving nonfiction the immediacy and liveliness of fiction. Forms explored may include profiles, travel writing, personal essays, reviews, memoir, nature writing or literary nonfiction. Prerequisite: ENG 149.

ENG 331: Advanced Reporting Workshop - An upper-level reporting class for students who have taken News Writing and Editing or have written for a student publication. Students will analyze and discuss long-form, investigative journalism and write a series of in-depth news features. The course will address how to incorporate literary techniques in news writing.

ENG 332: Advanced Reporting Topics - An upper-level reporting class for students who have taken News Writing and Editing or have written for a student publication. Students will study forms of journalistic writing and pursue longform stories. Offerings might include feature writing, profiles, investigative journalism, magazine feature writing, or reviews and criticism.

COMM 235: Electronic Journalism - Critical analysis of the role of electronic news gathering and dissemination in modern society, including ethics and responsibilities. Study and practice in preparation, reporting and disseminating of news emphasizing documentary production, news analysis and public affairs reporting.

COMM 236: Television Production and Televisual Literacy - An introduction to the basic concepts and processes of television production. Emphasis is placed on the creation and analysis of ideas communicated through the medium of television, including aesthetic, ethical and technical influences on message construction. Students learn studio and field production: basic scripting, lighting, audio, camera/picturization, editing, directing, etc. Televisual literacy is developed, and assignments apply the critical skills needed to interpret and analyze visual imagery and television programming.

COMM 335: Media Law - Inquiry into media law, including responsibility and free speech issues, libel, privacy, fair trial, copyright, obscenity, the FCC, shield laws, censorship, management and operating regulations, newsperson privileges, political communication and advertising regulation. An analysis of the political and economic forces affecting the development of media law.

COMM 291/COMM 401: Special Topics in Communication - Recent journalism topics have included “Multimedia Journalism,” “Digital Storytelling,” “Histories of the American Press,” “Covering the 2016 Campaigns,” and “Washington and The Grassroots in the Post-election.”

Additional relevant courses in English might include:

ENGL 149: Introduction to Creative Writing

ENGL 151, 171, 181, 191: Reading Literature Topics

ENGL 167: Introduction to Film

ENGL 255/FILM 321: Writing about Film

ENGL 267: Digital and Visual Narratives

ENGL 322: Creative Writing II: Non-Fiction Topics

ENGL 349: Form and Genre

INTERNSHIPS

DePauw offers a wide range of internship opportunities for students interested in Journalism. These internships can take many forms: summer, semester-long, or short three-week internships during our Winter and May Terms. Internships are procured by working with the staff of the Hubbard Center for Student Engagement, media advisors at the Pulliam Center for Contemporary Media, and the Media Fellows Program.

Our students have interned at a range of locations across a variety of media platforms, including:

Print and Online
The New York Times
The Los Angeles Times
The Oregonian
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Indianapolis Star
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

Television
The Today Show
CBS News
60 Minutes
Fox News
CNBC
C-SPAN
KPRC-2 (NBC Affiliate in Houston)

Digital
The Media Wire (Jerusalem)
D.C. Witness (Washington, D.C.)
The Daily Caller