Undergraduate Minor In Journalism
The Journalism minor at UC Berkeley debuted in 2016 as a summer-only program. In response to increasing student demand, the minor was expanded in 2021 to include the fall and spring semesters, making the program year-round. The summer curriculum, which offers students the option of completing the minor in a single summer, remains unchanged.
The addition of selected courses to the fall and spring semesters now gives students three options: complete the minor in summer-only, in fall and spring only, or by combining them. (See a schedule of class offerings below)
"Why Minor in Journalism If I Don't Plan To Be a Journalist?"
Whatever your field, success in the digital age demands skill in communicating across a variety of media platforms. Berkeley’s minor in journalism will prepare you for a future in which communication skills will be a vital part of any endeavor.
This is a hands-on curriculum that gives students real world experience. Instruction focuses on core techniques of reporting and writing, video, still photography, audio, social media, data, and the creation of online multimedia packages that will enable you to attract and engage an audience in your work. Each year students from every campus departmental major enroll in the journalism minor, including students from engineering, chemistry, microbiology, cognitive science, economics, psychology, Media Studies and more.
For UC Berkeley Students
Journalism Minor
The Minor in Journalism consists of five courses: two required and three electives. Once the required courses are completed any three electives will satisfy the minor. Courses providing credit for the minor are now available year-round. Students may enroll during the fall and spring semesters, during summer sessions, or blending both. Summer sessions will continue to provide students with an option to finish all five courses in a single summer. All students declaring the minor must do so in writing to the Director of Undergraduate Programs at the Graduate School of Journalism.
For non-UC Berkeley Students
Journalism Certificate
The Certificate in Journalism consists of five courses: two required and three electives. Once the required courses are completed any three electives will satisfy the certificate. Summer Sessions provides students with the option to finish all five courses toward the certificate in a single summer if they choose, or multiple summers. (Non UCB students are not eligible for regular term classes.) All students declaring the certificate must do so in writing to the Director of Undergraduate Programs at the Graduate School of Journalism.
Required Courses
REQUIRED CORE COURSE
J100 Foundations of Newsgathering
This is an intensive introduction to the principles, practices, and fundamentals of what it means to be a journalist. Students will learn classic forms of reporting and news writing – including learning how to conduct interviews, gather information, and write quickly, concisely and accurately in a style that engages mass audiences. Students will meet professional practitioners and newsmakers, and will examine ethical issues that may arise in reporting, verifying and publishing information.
REQUIRED CORE COURSE
J110 Foundations of Multimedia
Competence in the use of new media tools is essential for any communicator in the 21st century. This intensive introductory course teaches foundational skills for understanding multimedia and creating multimedia news packages. The course consists of lectures, guest-speakers, seminar-style discussions and lots of hands-on instruction: in video, photojournalism, audio, data and other elements that go into the creation of effective visual multimedia stories. No equipment is required; student smartphones will be their primary newsgathering tool.
Elective Courses
ELECTIVE COURSE
J111 Social Media
Social media has entered a new age of relevance, making it of critical interest to journalists and communicators of all kinds. This course will help students better understand and use social media by focusing on how social networks, conversational media, and associated digital media tools and platforms can be used to develop new sources, converse with end users, identify new ideas and emerging trends, aggregate and curate the work of others, and promote their own work.
ELECTIVE COURSE
J112 Intro to Podcasting
During the last decade, led by expert journalists reporting for audio news productions such as Code Switch, Serial, and This American Life, podcasts have exploded in popularity, amassing huge national audiences and emerging as a captivating and influential new form of journalism. Journ 112 is designed to give students a look at reasons behind the success of podcasts, help them develop or sharpen their skills at developing podcasts, and train them to pitch podcast ideas to established producers. Enroll now. .
ELECTIVE COURSE
J115 Advanced Multimedia
This advanced course provides hands-on instruction in digital storytelling techniques, lessons on capturing multimedia, and how to build websites. Curriculum begins with considering how to choose which media forms-video, audio, photo, graphics or text-are best for a particular story or story segments. This is followed by lessons on capturing video, photo, and audio, and in working with live subjects. Equipment for this class will consist primarily of student- owned smartphones.
ELECTIVE COURSE
J120 Investigative Reporting
Investigative reporters awaken the public to corruption and injustice -- sometimes at the highest levels of business, government and religious institutions. Their findings expose racial injustice, corruption, even threats to national security. This course will explore investigative reporting techniques, examining case studies from a range of journalists -- from early pioneers such as Ida B. Wells, Upton Sinclair, and Nelly Bly, to Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, as well as contemporaries who have adopted modern digital practices to advance their reporting onto new and emerging platforms.
ELECTIVE COURSE
J122 The Future of Visual Storytelling
360 degree video, Virtual Reality, drones and mobile. The future of video journalism is here and presents journalists with powerful new options in crafting stories. This course explores digital narratives as they are designed, produced, and consumed in various electronic and \"virtual\" formats. The course will lay the foundation for understanding new trans-media environments and explore best practices for creating non-fiction narratives on emerging platforms.
ELECTIVE COURSE
J124 Data Journalism
Data analysis skills are now part of the standard repertoire for many journalists. But like all evidence, data needs context and interpretation. In this class, we\'ll use brainpower and software to interrogate data, question its veracity and collection methods, and perform analyses to understand the ways it describes our world, and ways that it does not. In addition to working with data, this course will also cover storytelling methods for communicating the essence of a dataset for the general public. We will use storytelling techniques, including visualizations, interactive graphics, and narrative techniques to tell engaging stories in a variety of media.
ELECTIVE COURSE
J134 International Journalism
In a globalizing world local stories often become international ones. From politics to financial markets to terrorism and climate change, a more closely connected world means critical issues do not stay put. Events in Russia, China, Iran and Venezuela regularly occupy headlines in the U.S. Learn the specialized techniques international journalists use to cover wars, political change, and social turmoil. Learn how to develop reliable sources, overcome language barriers, and perform their job safely of keeping readers around the world informed of critical issues emerging in foreign lands.
Upcoming Schedule of Courses
Use the list of courses shown below to help you plan your schedule and course sequence.
CORE COURSES
Spring 2023
- J110 Multimedia Design & Practice
ELECTIVE COURSES
Spring 2023
- J136 Media Ethics
CORE COURSES
Summer 2023
- J100 Foundations of News Reporting
- J110 Multimedia Design & Practice
ELECTIVE COURSES
Summer 2023
- J111 Social Media
- J112 Intro Podcasting
- J115 Advanced Multimedia
- J120 Investigative Reporting
- J122 The Future of Visual Storytelling
- J124 Data Journalism
- J134 International Journalism
CORE COURSES
Fall 2023
- J100 Foundations of News Reporting
ELECTIVE COURSES
Fall 2023
- To be determined
How To Enroll
FOR UC BERKELEY STUDENTS
Journalism Minor
1 - Choose your journalism courses and enroll for summer courses through CalCentral. Enrollment opens February.
2 - At the start of Session D, fill out the Completion of Minor form.
◦ Email the form to journalismminor@berkeley.edu.
3 - Or print out the Completion of Minor Confirmation form and
◦ bring to the Office of Undergraduate Programs at the Graduate School of Journalism.
◦ You will receive a Completion of Minor document signed by the Dean of the Graduate School of Journalism and the Journalism Minor Program Director.
FOR NON-UC BERKELEY STUDENTS
Journalism Certificate
1 - Choose your journalism courses and enroll. Enrollment opens February.
2 - At the start of Session D, fill out the Completion of Certificate Confirmation form.
◦ Bring the form to the Office of Undergraduate Programs at the Graduate School of Journalism.
◦ Or Email the form to journalismminor@berkeley.edu.
◦ You will receive a Certificate of Completion signed by the Dean the Graduate School of Journalism and the Journalism Minor Program Director.
UC Berkeley Students who do not choose to complete the minor
but wish to take individual summer journalism courses may enroll through Cal Central without notifying the School of Journalism. Please note that enrollment in electives require permission of the instructor.
Non-UC Berkeley students who do not choose to complete the certificate but wish to take individual summer journalism courses may enroll through the visiting Student Portal without notifying the School of Journalism. Please note that enrollment in electives require permission of the instructor.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The summer program in Journalism is an intensive academic program designed to help students of all majors improve their skills as communicators in digital media. The curriculum focuses on hands-on reporting, writing, photography, video, audio, social media and multimedia work.
The minor in Journalism prepares students to succeed in a world where skilled communications is vital. Students will learn how to craft engaging narratives and create visibility and build audiences for their professional work, whether they are in the sciences, business, humanities, the arts, or other fields.
Courses are open to all UC Berkeley students as well as visitors, including all University of California system students, out of state students currently enrolled in a college or junior college, college graduates, as well as international visitors from around the world.
A minor degree is available to matriculating UC Berkeley students upon successful completion of five journalism courses.
The academic requirements for the certificate are identical to the requirements for the journalism minor, but the certificate is available to non-Berkeley students only. Like the minor, the certificate represents a standard of achievement that is recognized by employers.
There are no prerequisite courses for enrollment in summer journalism.
Both the minor and the certificate require the successful completion two core courses in Session A and three electives in Session D, for a total of 15 units of credit.
Yes. Students may complete the minor or certificate in one summer or multiple summers.
No, but students are expected to bring an iPhone or Android phone with working audio, video, and photography capability.
This is a writing-based curriculum that also demands plenty of class participation. All students must demonstrate reasonable fluency in written and spoken English.
Students must receive a "C" or better in each of five courses in order to qualify for the minor or certificate.
No.
That decision is up to the student's home college or university.
No. Students intending the minor or certificate cannot opt out of the required courses.
Enrollment opens in early February for Berkeley students and 2 weeks later for visitors, but you may begin shopping for courses now.
Important Dates
ENROLLMENT OPENS FOR SUMMER MINOR
February 01: UC Berkeley Students and All UC Students
February 15: Visitors and International Students
SUMMER CLASSES BEGIN
May 22: Session A
July 03: Session D
SUMMER SESSION ENDS
June 30: Session A
August 11: Session D
FALL SEMESTER BEGINS
August 23
What Students Are Saying...
Thank you for a summer to remember and for this opportunity! I'm glad I was able to take advantage of this program before my senior year at Cal.
As a political science major, I have found that the journalism courses have taught me how to concisely articulate information on politics when people ask me questions.
Gives international students more time to learn new skills and digest them, as well as get used to the American media system.
Contact Us
Got Questions?
Got questions on what courses to take, what professors to seek out, or how to succeed in the summer journalism minor?
Write us at:
journalismminor@berkeley.edu
Visit Us
Summer Journalism Minor Program
Room B1 - North Gate Hall
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720
David Thigpen
davidthigpen@berkeley.edu
Daniel Marquez
dmarquez@berkeley.edu