Courses
Multimedia Journalism Courses
JSC200 Media and Digital Literacy
[1–2, 3 cr.]
The course introduces students to digital and media literacy and the ability to critically access, analyze, evaluate and create media messages. It is designed for undergraduates from all majors, to teach them how to critically understand and use media for personal and communal empowerment and for civic engagement.
Prerequisite: ENG101 Academic English I, or concurrently.
JSC220 News Writing and Reporting
[1–2, 3 cr.]
This class covers the basic techniques in news writing and reporting, emphasizing news values, accuracy and concise presentation as well as proper sentence structure and story organization. It explores the structural and conceptual characteristics of journalism across the full spectrum of information platforms. The majority of course work is based on practical, hands-on writing assignments that help students to develop professional research, interviewing and reporting skills and teaches them how write/produce to deadline and story briefs.
Prerequisite(s): ENG102 Academic English II
JSC222 Desktop Publishing and Web Design
[1–2, 3 cr.]
This course involves theory and exercises in editing, transferring and merging of text, graphics and photographs. It involves the use of computer programs to create and design various types of publications and web platforms.
JSC224 Social Media
[1–2, 3 cr.]
The course focuses on how social media changed the relationship between media professionals and their audiences. It explores how the new technologies shape journalism, politics, business/marketing and civic engagement and teaches students how to analyze user generated content, conduct basic audience research and promote their work.
Prerequisite(s): ENG102
JSC226 Multimedia Journalism Basics
[1–2, 3 cr.]
This course introduces students to the basic principles of multimedia reporting and provides hands-on training in interactive media production tools. Students learn how to combine sound, images, text and video into digital story formats and to create basic interactive information designs.
Prerequisite(s): ENG102
JSC228 Arabic News Writing and Reporting
[1–2, 3 cr.]
This class covers the principles and practices of news gathering and writing for the Arabic-language media. It introduces students to different styles of writing for news agencies, newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and the web.
Prerequisite(s): Arabic LAC Course.
JSC232 Photojournalism
[1–2, 3 cr.]
This course teaches students to gather and process conventional photography and video/computer pictorial material for print media, the Internet and television. It includes practical laboratory and field exercises.
Prerequisite(s): JSC226
JSC236 Advanced Reporting Skills
[1–2, 3 cr.]
This class covers advanced techniques in news writing and reporting, expanding into feature and narrative journalism and specialized news genres. The majority of course work is based on practical work and assignments that help students to develop professional research, interviewing and reporting skills and teaches them how deliver on deadline.
Prerequisite(s): JSC220 News Writing and Reporting, and ENG202 Advanced Academic English
JSC312 Media and Society
[1–2, 3 cr.]
This course studies forms of mass media communications as elements/products of cultural, political, and economic processes. The approach is interdisciplinary, drawing on a variety of theories and methods of media studies and analysis.
Co-requisite(s): ENG202 Advanced Academic English
JSC314 The Social Life of Information
[3–0, 3 cr.]
This course explores the social, cultural and political dimension of information in the digital cultural environment. It provides practical and conceptual skills in open data management for government and non-government institutions, including museums, archives and cultural heritage sites. Drawing on a series of case studies and class projects students will learn how to engage with sensitive data and archival records containing precious details of individual and collective lives. The course is open to students of journalism, filmmaking, communication / PR, social sciences, humanities, business and the performing arts.
Prerequisite(s): JSC 312 Media and Society
JSC328 Advanced Arabic News Writing and Reporting
[1–2, 3 cr.]
This course focuses on the art and craft of writing and reporting for multimedia platforms. It is a convergence newsroom where students learn the techniques of news reporting and production, and conducting interviews, through frequent reporting exercises
Prerequisite(s): JSC 228 Arabic News Writing and Reporting
JSC330 Arab and International Media
[3–0, 3 cr.]
This course covers the development and particularities of some Arab and world news systems, highlighting important historic news junctures and covering the most important media events of the 20th century. Media systems are examined as reflections of their socio-cultural environment and as agents affecting society at the same time.
Prerequisite(s): JSC 312 Media and Society.
JSC331 Media Skills Lab
[3–0, 3 cr.]
The Skills Lab offers an open, flexible teaching module that provides specialized training in a variety of digital research, copy editing, and production skills. The core contents for the course change according to demand and necessity, but cover specialized technical and journalistic skills such as special topics writing (business, sports, medical and technical journalism), blog journalism, audio/video streaming, podcast and cross platform data formatting and content management.
Prerequisite(s): JSC 220 News Writing and Reporting
JSC332 Audiovisual Reporting
[1–2, 3 cr.]
This course teaches students how to construct and produce audio and video stories for television, mobile, tablet and desktop platforms using small, portable recording devices and appropriate computer and editing equipment. Emphasis is on the editorial decision making process and how to use social media and smarts apps for information gathering, reporting and promoting content across various digital platforms.
Prerequisite(s): JSC226
JSC419 Media Law and Ethics
[3–0, 3 cr.]
This course introduces students to principles and debates in media ethics and law by reviewing case studies from print, broadcasting, film, and digital online media. Students will consider ethical challenges and legal decisions, and reflect on how to put these into practice in their professional lives. The course provides some cross-cultural perspective, and puts Lebanese examples in context with international standards.
Prerequisite(s): JSC312 Media and Society
JSC431 Investigative Journalism
[1–2, 3 cr.]
This course is an overview of the principles, skills and tools of investigative reporting for audiovisual, print and online media. Students learn the history of investigative reporting and its role in society, culture and politics, study various investigative techniques, become familiar with key online and offline sources and ultimately produce a multi-platform investigative story. They review and critique major investigative pieces.
Prerequisite(s): JSC220; JSC226; ENG202
JSC432 Multimedia Feature
[1–2, 3 cr.]
This course teaches students how to combine video, animated graphics and real-time data into innovative new story forms for the web, social media and other digital platforms. Genres covered in this class include audio slideshows, interactive maps, location-sensitive multimedia narrative and other.
Prerequisite(s): JSC220; JSC226
JSC434 Data Journalism
[1–2, 3 cr.]
This course focuses on how to find stories in data and shape them in compelling ways. It introduces students to the basic principles of data mining, information design, data retrieval using search engines and analytical software to map emerging issues and measure the impact of topics across multiple domains.
Prerequisite(s): JSC 226 Multimedia Journalism Basics, JSC 236 Advanced Reporting Skills
JSC436 Journalism Workshop
[3–0, 3 cr.]
This class is an intensive production course in multimedia journalism, in a laboratory setting. It involves the production of an online, interactive version of the LAU Tribune, a participatory media project in collaboration with the university and local community. Students learn hands-on about the different phases of online user-driven journalism production from newsroom management to reporting, writing, editing multimedia content, blogs and interactive maps and graphics.
Prerequisite(s): JSC236; ENG202
JSC451 Media Research Methods
[1–2, 3 cr.]
This course introduces students to the major research methodologies, communication theories, and topics of study, within media research, including the web. Theories, models, and methods are applied toward the development of a research paper. Students examine qualitative and quantitative methods of research when studying the media.
Prerequisite(s): JSC 312 Media and Society
JSC480 Global Media Literacy
[3–0, 3 cr.]
This course explores how distinctive global media shape views of politics, culture and society within nations, across regions and internationally. It analyzes information, values and underlying messages conveyed via various forms of media and prepares students for the afternoon course (JSC481/JSC781). Note: this course is part of a study abroad program. Students need to apply through the Office of International Services to enroll.
Co-requisite: JSC481/ JSC781.
JSC481 Global Change, Cooperation and News
[3–0, 3 cr.]
This course explores global problems of contemporary importance and their news framing. The class will be broken into cooperative teams that will apply analytic frameworks, research tools and concepts derived from the morning course (JSC480/JSC780) to examine a global event, issue or problem as it is represented regionally. Note: this course is part of a study abroad program. Students need to apply through the Office of International Services to enroll.
Co-requisite: JSC480/JSC780.
JSC488 Topics in Media Studies
[3–0, 3 cr.]
This course presents diverse theoretical, and methodological, perspectives on selected topics in the field of media studies. The course may offer an in-depth analysis of the relevant topics related to one medium, or explore one relevant issue across several media. This class may be repeated if topics differ.
Prerequisite(s): JSC 312 Media and Society. Senior Standing, OR the consent of instructor.
JSC498 Internship
[1–0, 1 cr.]
The Internship course provides students with the opportunity to gain professional experience in an off-campus setting.
Prerequisite(s): Senior Standing.
JSC499 Capstone Project
[3–0, 3 cr.]
This capstone project focuses on creating an in-depth journalism project that is developed for and disseminated in one or more of a variety of media formats and genres depending on the career interests and skills of the student, including long-form journalism, multimedia, broadcast feature, data-driven and investigative reporting, and other forms. Students are expected to engage in extensive research and critical analysis and use advanced tools and methods for creating professional-grade journalistic content. Students pitch, research, report, write, produce and revise their work with the guidance of a journalism instructor and carry out a project from start to finish, implementing skills of self-editing, marketing, and entrepreneurship and addressing budgetary, copyright, legal and ethical implications of their final work.
Prerequisite(s): Senior standing, JSC236 Advanced Reporting Skills, JSC312 Media and Society
JSC780 Global Media Literacy
[3–0, 3 cr.]
This course explores how distinctive global media shape views of politics, culture and society within nations, across regions and internationally. It analyzes information, values and underlying messages conveyed via various forms of media and prepares students for the afternoon course (JSC481/JSC781). Note: this course is part of a study abroad program. Students need to apply through the Office of International Services to enroll.
Co-requisite: JSC481/JSC781.
JSC781 Global Change, Cooperation and News
[3–0, 3 cr.]
This course explores global problems of contemporary importance and their news framing. The class will be broken into cooperative teams that will apply analytic frameworks, research tools and concepts derived from the morning course (JSC480/JSC780) to examine a global event, issue or problem as it is represented regionally. Note: this course is part of a study abroad program. Students need to apply through the Office of International Services to enroll.
Co-requisite: JSC480/JSC780.