Journalism Transfer Major AA - Academic Plan
Total Credits = 60
This degree is designed for students wanting to complete the first 2 years of a bachelor's degree at ACC and transfer to a university to complete a BA in Journalism or Mass Communication. Students gain reporting and news writing expertise.
Careers often require a BA degree or higher.
The program provides a journalism foundation in the reporting and media principles underlying journalism, along with instruction mass media, photojournalism, and public relations. Career paths for Journalism majors include working as a reporter, editor, public relations specialist, or within a marketing department. A full-time student can complete this Associate of Arts (AA) degree in two years. This degree prepares students to transfer to a four-year university to complete the second half of a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Journalism or Mass Communication. To be successful, a student should have strong writing skills, ability to think creatively, and an interest in working with a team.
Program Outcomes
- Understand, identify, and practice the role and principles of a free press in a democratic society.
- Use news judgment to select, produce and publish journalistic content.
- Employ standard reporting and newsgathering techniques to produce a wide variety of journalistic content.
- Understand, articulate, and practice the journalistic and technical skills required to create and publish journalistic content across multiple media platforms.
Prerequisites, Corequisites, and Recommendations
Where requirements are listed as course categories (e.g. Electives, Arts/Humanities) rather than as specific courses, please note that depending upon course choice, prerequisites may be required.
*Grade C or better required
| Required Course | Prerequisite, Corequisite, or Recommendation |
|---|---|
| ENG 1021 - English Composition I: GT-CO1 OR ENG 1022 - English Composition II: GT-CO2 |
Prerequisite: College Readiness in English Prerequisites: ENG 1021 - English Composition I: GT-CO1 or ENG 1031 - Technical Writing I: GT-CO1 |
Recommended Course Sequence (Full-Time)
~Recommended Arts/Humanities Course(s)~
~Recommended Natural/Physical Science Course(s)~
~Recommended Elective(s)~
- OR any other Guaranteed Transfer course
~Recommended Natural/Physical Science Course(s)~
~Recommended Social/Behavioral Science Course(s)~
- OR any other Social / Behavioral Science GT-SS1-SS3
~Recommended Elective(s)~
- OR any other Guaranteed Transfer course
~Recommended Arts/Humanities Course(s)~
~Recommended History Course(s)~
OR any other History class
~Recommended Elective(s)~
- OR any other Guaranteed Transfer course
~Recommended Social/Behavioral Science Course(s)~
Recommended Course Sequence (Part-Time)
~Recommended Arts/Humanities Course(s)~
- OR any other Arts / Humanities GT-AH1-AH4
~Recommended Social/Behavioral Science Course(s)~
- OR any other Social / Behavioral Science GT-SS1-SS3
~Recommended History Course(s)~
OR any other History class
~Recommended Social/Behavioral Science Course(s)~
- OR any other Social / Behavior Science GT-SS1-SS3
~Recommended Natural/Physical Science Course(s)~
- OR any other Natural / Physical Science GT-SC1
~Recommended Elective(s)~
- OR any other Guaranteed Transfer course
~Recommended Elective(s)~
- OR any other Guaranteed Transfer course
~Recommended Natural/Physical Science Course(s)~
- OR any other Natural / Physical Science GT-SC2 course
~Recommended Arts/Humanities Course(s)~
- OR any other Arts / Humanities GT-AH1-AH4 course
~Recommended Elective(s)~
- OR any other Guaranteed Transfer course
Notes
- *This course requires college level readiness as measured by Accuplacer, ACT, or SAT scores; approved high school course work that is less than five years old; or successful completion of appropriate college-readiness course.
- Course availability subject to change.
- Elective note: ENG 2031 - Literary Magazine & ENG 2030 - Creative Nonfiction are not Guaranteed Transfer courses. ENG 2030 Creative Nonfiction also has a pre-requisite of ENG 2021 - Creative Writing I.
- Elective options: Any Guaranteed Transfer course OR Any course in the following prefixes except Special Topics (JOU 2075) and Independent Study (JOU 2085): ANT, ART, BIO (1000 OR above), CHE, ECO, HIS, HUM, LIT, MUS, PED, PHY (1000 OR above), POS, PSY, SOC.
- It is recommended to take ART 1401 - Digital Photography before JOU 1021 - Photojournalism and/or JOU 2025 - New Media.
- Recommended courses are listed above for certain electives; consult with the Academic Advising Office (advising [at] arapahoe [dot] edu or 303.797.5664).
- Refer to 2024/2025 catalog for specific requirements and important information about this degree.