Journalism, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism/Journalism and Mass Communication, Master of Arts

Requirements for Full Admission to the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication

All incoming freshmen or transfer students are classified as Pre-Journalism majors until the following requirements are met:

• Successfully pass the Gaylord College Entrance Exams;
• Successfully complete JMC 1013 (Introduction to Media) with a grade of C or better;
• Successful completion of at least 21 hours of courses acceptable for General Education credit; and
• Achieve a minimum combined retention grade point average of 2.75 on all work attempted, as well as a 2.75 on all major work.

Once admitted as a major in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication you may choose a major in one of the following: Advertising, Creative Media Production, Journalism, Professional Writing, or Public Relations.

If you have any questions or advising concerns, please contact: Student Services Center, Gaylord Hall, Room 2533, (405) 325-5684.

• A maximum of 50 hours of Journalism and Mass Communication may be counted in the 124 hours required for graduation. No student will be awarded a BA in Journalism degree without completing at least 80 semester credit hours outside the College. At least 65 of these hours must be in liberal arts and sciences courses.
• A grade of C or better is required in all Journalism and Mass Communication courses.

Major Requirements

JMC Skills Streams

Broadcast

Online

Print

Required Minor

All Gaylord College students pursuing a baccalaureate major are also required to complete an academic minor of their choice in accordance to JMC policies.

Graduate Requirements¹

Thesis Option

Project Option

General Education and College Requirements

Courses graded S/U or P/NP will not apply.

Courses for fulfillment of General Education and College of Journalism requirements must be from the approved General Education course list.

University-Wide General Education Requirements

(minimum 40 hours)

Additional Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication Requirements

Free Electives

Electives to bring total applicable hours to the minimum total required for the degree including 48 upper-division hours.

Information Concerning General Rules, Regulations and Minimum Requirements

Total Hours: A Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree requires 124 hours, 48 of which must be upper-division (3000-4000 level courses). Transfer work will be counted as lower-division or upper-division credit depending on the level at which it was offered at the institution where the work was taken. All two-year college work is considered to be lower-division.
Hours by Exam, Correspondence Study and/or Extension: A maximum of 31 semester hours (or 1/4 of the total hours required for a preprofessional program of study) may be completed by a combination of exam, correspondence study and/or extension credit.
Attendance: Students who do not attend a JMC class or lab on the first day of classes may be dropped from the class or lab.
Transfer Work: Students may transfer in a maximum of 12 credit hours of journalism and mass communication coursework prior to full admission to the Gaylord College. Once fully admitted to the college, students may petition the faculty to have an additional three (3) credit hours from an outside ACEJMC institution applied to their University of Oklahoma degree. A maximum of fifteen (15) credit hours of JMC transfer coursework may be applied to a degree.
Individual Studies (e.g., courses titled “Independent Study”): A maximum of 12 total semester hours may be counted toward graduation.
Repeat of Failed Coursework: A student earning a grade of “F” in an upper-division course at OU may not repeat the course for credit at another institution without the prior written permission of the department that offered the course at OU.
Senior Institution Hours: A minimum of 60 semester hours applied toward graduation must be earned at senior (4-year) institutions.
Residency:

• A minimum of 30 semester hours acceptable toward graduation must be earned in residence at OU, including at least 15 of the last 30 hours applied toward the degree.
• At least 15 semester hours of upper-division major work must be completed in residence at OU.
• OU correspondence courses are not considered resident credit.
• Credits earned via examination are neither resident nor nonresident credit.

Special Degrees: Students may qualify for an Honors degree (cum Laude, Magna cum Laude, or Summa cum Laude) by completing specific requirements of the Honors College. A degree will be earned with Distinction if the student completes at least 60 semester hours at OU with at least a 3.60 combined retention GPA and OU retention GPA. A degree will be earned with Special Distinction if the student completes at least 60 semester hours at OU with at least a 3.80 combined retention GPA and OU retention GPA.
Application for Graduation: Students must apply for graduation during the term in which they complete their degree requirements in order to graduate in that term. Application forms are available in the Student Services Center, 2533 Gaylord Hall. The deadline for completion of all coursework to graduate in a particular term is the last day of classes in that term.

Requirements for full Admission to the College of Journalism and Mass Communication

All incoming freshmen or transfer students are classified as Pre-Journalism majors until the following requirements are met:

• Successfully pass the Gaylord College Entrance Exams;
• Successfully complete JMC 1013 (Introduction to Media) with a grade of C or better;
• Successful completion of at least 21 hours of courses acceptable for General Education credit; and
• Achieve a minimum combined retention grade point average of 2.75 on all work attempted, as well as a 2.75 on all major work.

Once admitted as a major in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication you may choose a major in one of the following: Advertising, Creative Media Production, Journalism, Professional Writing, or Public Relations.

If you have any questions or advising concerns, please contact: Student Services Center, Gaylord Hall, Room 2533, (405) 325-5684.

Suggested Semester Plan of Study

• Apply for Admission to the Accelerated BA/MA program. Student must be a current undergraduate student at Gaylord College, have a minimum GPA of 3.5 overall, and must have completed 60 credits to be eligible to apply. Student may only apply for the area of the program in which they currently major. For more information, please visit www.ou.edu/gaylord.
• Student must have completed 97 credit hours to be admitted to the program.
• Students are eligible for graduate status upon graduation with the BA in Journalism.

Thesis Option

Project Option

• Bachelor’s degrees require a minimum of 48 hours of upper-division (3000-4000) coursework.
• This plan of study should not be used in lieu of academic advisement.