Chairperson: Shannon Overbay
Associate Professors: S. English (Emerita), R. Lyons, S.J., M. McCormick, C. McMahon
Assistant Professors: J. Collett
Senior Lecturer: J. Kafentzis
Lecturer: K. Hill
The department offers three majors and four minors:
Bachelor of Arts, Broadcast and Electronic Media Studies major
Bachelor of Arts, Journalism major
Bachelor of Arts, Public Relations major
Minor in Broadcast and Electronic Media Studies
Minor in Journalism
Minor in Public Relations
Minor in Visual Literacy
Gonzaga’s Integrated Media Department weaves the related disciplines of Journalism, Broadcast and Electronic Media Studies and Public Relations into an environment where students can learn and hone their writing, interviewing, strategic communications and technological skills while specializing in a path that becomes a bridge to a career or to further scholarship in graduate school.
The Integrated Media Department offers majors and minors in Broadcast and Electronic Media Studies, Journalism, Public Relations, and Visual Literacy.
The Integrated Media programs strive to guide students toward academic excellence and tangible career goals. The curriculum reflects the Jesuit, Catholic character and liberal arts tradition of Gonzaga.
Students have many opportunities to develop and experiment with storytelling and strategic communication techniques using multiple platforms and methods, learning through the lens of social justice and Ignatian pedagogy.
The coursework in Integrated Media programs balances development of the skills and use of technology required of professionals with philosophical grounding in ethical and proficient communications.
In addition to coursework in traditional classroom settings, students engage in hands-on work in computer labs equipped with software applications that allow students to experience a contemporary news and video-editing environment.
Students further polish the tools of skillful and responsible communication through internships in professional environments, for which academic credit is available.
Campus media outlets that include GUTV and KAGU-FM, Gonzaga’s television and radio stations, and The Gonzaga Bulletin (gonzagabulletin.com), the student newspaper, offer opportunities for students to hone media skills learned in the classroom. In addition, stories created for these media entities become substantial portfolio pieces for applications to graduate schools and for internships and employment.
Experiential learning in the broadcast, journalism and public relations arenas are hallmarks of the department.
Integrated Media Department foundation course work:
Majors within the Integrated Media Department are required to complete the following Integrated Media foundation course work:
INMD 101 Media Literacy 3 credits
INMD 360 Media Law 3 credits
Minors within the Integrated Media Department are required to complete the Integrated Media foundation course work:
INMD 101 Media Literacy 3 credits
*Note: No upper-division courses except INMD 360 may be applied to two separate majors and/or minors within the Integrated Media Department without approval of the Department Chair.
Lower Division
A practicum dealing with the technical aspects of television production along with creative generation of live, original programs. Students learn the basics of how television signals are created and transported, and then acquire proficiency in all crew areas concerned with live productions. In addition, this course provides a much greater sense of media literacy as it applies to mainstream messages in the visual media. Lab fee. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
INMD 101 Minimum Grade: D
Equivalent:
SOSJ 260 - OK if taken since Fall 2015
See BRCO 203 for course description.
Concurrent:
BRCO 203
Equivalent:
SOSJ 260L - OK if taken since Fall 2015
A practicum dealing with the technical aspects of radio management, programming, and production. Emphasis will be placed on the mastering of all operational procedures. Lab fee. Fall and Spring.
Concurrent:
BRCO 204L
See BRCO 204 for course description.
Concurrent:
BRCO 204
Upper Division
An application of the technical and aesthetic aspects of electronic news gathering and production. The class provides experience as camera operators, videotape editors, writers, and performers. Students are required to achieve a basic level of competency with digital cameras, and become proficient in non-linear editing techniques. Lab fee. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 203 Minimum Grade: D
and BRCO 204 Minimum Grade: D
See BRCO 303 for course description.
Concurrent:
BRCO 303
Students develop creative writing skills for telling stories with the languages of aural and visual media. Traditional media of radio and television are the foundations, but new forms of Internet communications will be studied.
Prerequisite:
INMD 101 Minimum Grade: D
A study of the fundamental elements of image communication and examination of contemporary image expression as found in film, television, and print. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
INMD 101 Minimum Grade: D
Planning, reporting, and practice in gathering information and covering news for radio and television. May include depth reporting and documentaries. Fall.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 303 Minimum Grade: D
Topic to be determined by faculty.
Course content focuses on emerging issues and topics that relate to broadcasting practice and philosophy.
Prerequisite:
INMD 101 Minimum Grade: D
The Core Integration Seminar (CIS) engages the Year Four Question: “Imagining the possible: What is our role in the world?” by offering students a culminating seminar experience in which students integrate the principles of Jesuit education, prior components of the Core, and their disciplinary expertise. Each section of the course will focus on a problem or issue raised by the contemporary world that encourages integration, collaboration, and problem solving. The topic for each section of the course will be proposed and developed by each faculty member in a way that clearly connects to the Jesuit Mission, to multiple disciplinary perspectives, and to our students’ future role in the world.
Organization, preparation, production of audio for a variety of media. Study of recording, mixing and editing of audio elements.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 204 Minimum Grade: D
Concurrent:
BRCO 450L
See BRCO 450 for course description.
Concurrent:
BRCO 450
Organization, preparation, and production of programs for telecast. Students generate a variety of live-streamed shows, a talk show, and a comedy show, and are responsible for all aspects of each production. Lab fee. Spring.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 303 Minimum Grade: D
and BRCO 370 Minimum Grade: D
See BRCO 469 for course description.
Concurrent:
BRCO 469
Students will be exposed to media leadership and management situations which deal with day-to-day decision-making, staffing, departmental structures, human resources, accountability, research and strategic planning. Spring.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 303 Minimum Grade: D
or JOUR 310 Minimum Grade: D
or PRLS 310 Minimum Grade: D
Course topic to be determined by the instructor.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 469 Minimum Grade: D
Examines the application of this powerful medium toward improving the human condition. Students study examples of this concept in today’s media, then use their own analytical and production skills to improve the condition locally. Spring.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 469 Minimum Grade: D
Provides advanced experience in scripting, producing, directing, and editing televised field events. Examples include baseball games and theatre productions. Lab fee.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 203 Minimum Grade: D
Concurrent:
BRCO 482L
See BRCO 482 for course description.
Concurrent:
BRCO 482
Students are introduced to state-of-the-art digital editing and learn how the technology is utilized in the industry.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 303 Minimum Grade: D
Allows students considering a career in live television to specialize in roles of anchor, reporter, producer or director. Lab fee.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 469 Minimum Grade: D
Concurrent:
BRCO 484L
See BRCO 484 for course description.
Concurrent:
BRCO 484
Students take on more challenging leadership roles in GUTV broadcasts and post-production by assuming the roles of executive producers and directors, and project coordinators.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 469 Minimum Grade: D
Students work with the latest audio production technologies to examine the current state of the radio industry and to participate in creation of radio programming on KAGU-FM.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 204 Minimum Grade: D
Concurrent:
BRCO 486L
See BRCO 486 for course description.
Concurrent:
BRCO 486
Topic to be determined by instructor.
Topic to be determined by instructor.
Topic to be determined by instructor.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 303 Minimum Grade: D
Pre-professional experience in the environment of a commercial or public radio or television facility. Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Prerequisite:
BRCO 303 Minimum Grade: D
or BRCO 370 Minimum Grade: D
Comprehensive evaluation of capstone project. Spring.
Lower Division
An introduction to journalistic-style writing across media platforms, including broadcast journalism and public relations writing. Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Equivalent:
SOSJ 160 - OK if taken since Fall 2015
Topic to be determined by faculty.
Emphasis on the style of journalism that fosters community engagement. Research, reporting and interviewing techniques that focus on news coverage of public organizations and groups that participate in framing public policy. A variety of writing styles will be utilized. Fall.
Prerequisite:
JOUR 110 Minimum Grade: D
or SOSJ 160 Minimum Grade: D
Equivalent:
SOSJ 262 - OK if taken since Fall 2015
With direction from student newspaper advisers/instructors and editors, students write stories and news reports for The Gonzaga Bulletin and gonzagabulletin.com. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
JOUR 210 Minimum Grade: D
or SOSJ 262 Minimum Grade: D
With direction from advisers/instructors, students edit news stories for The Gonzaga Bulletin and gonzagabulletin.com. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
JOUR 110 Minimum Grade: D
or SOSJ 160 Minimum Grade: D
An introduction to the technical, ethical, and creative principles of journalism-based photography and video. Topics include basic camera functions, digital image-editing tools, and the intersection of photojournalism, digital-video, and short documentary filmmaking. Special attention will be given to the professional and ethical considerations of the practice and the unique differences that separate photojournalism from other forms of image capturing. Lab fee. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
INMD 101 Minimum Grade: D
Equivalent:
SOSJ 261 - OK if taken since Fall 2015
Emphasis on design principles and editing skills for print and online journalistic platforms. Attention also to news values and philosophies. Spring.
Prerequisite:
JOUR 110 Minimum Grade: D
or SOSJ 160 Minimum Grade: D
Topic to be determined by faculty.
Upper Division
Reporting municipal, county, state, and federal affairs. Open meeting, shield and disclosure laws, law enforcement and the judicial process. Spring.
Prerequisite:
JOUR 210 Minimum Grade: D
or SOSJ 262 Minimum Grade: D
or PRLS 310 Minimum Grade: D
The historical development of the press and journalistic practices in America. The focus is the development of journalistic values such as objectivity, accuracy, balance and legal and ethical issues such as free speech and access to public records. Spring.
Prerequisite:
INMD 101 Minimum Grade: D
Students integrate reporting and research with audio, video, photos and text to produce and design multimedia packages in a journalistic context. Students may utilize blogging, podcasting, social media and emerging media techniques. Some focus on analysis of the optimal platforms for presenting journalistic content. Spring.
Prerequisite:
JOUR 110 Minimum Grade: D
or SOSJ 160 Minimum Grade: D
Equivalent:
SOSJ 367 - OK if taken since Fall 2017
The course explores documentary film as both a popular art form and as an instrument for constructing social knowledge. From early cinematic experiments to contemporary award winners, students will critically review the evolution of non-fiction filmmaking while analyzing the techniques that documentary filmmakers use to craft their documentaries. The larger ethical and societal impacts of documentary film will also be explored. Spring.
Prerequisite:
INMD 101 Minimum Grade: D
Equivalent:
FILM 451 - OK if taken since Fall 2023
Topic to be determined by faculty.
Course content focuses on emerging issues and topics that relate to journalistic practice and philosophy.
Prerequisite:
INMD 101 Minimum Grade: D
The course focuses on writing longer forms of journalism. Content includes a look at the traditions of literary journalism in America, memoir-style nonfiction and using fiction techniques in nonfiction stories. Writing topics are individualized. Fall.
Prerequisite:
JOUR 110 Minimum Grade: D
or ENGL 301 Minimum Grade: D
or ENGL 302 Minimum Grade: D
or ENGL 303 Minimum Grade: D
or ENGL 306 Minimum Grade: D
or SOSJ 160 Minimum Grade: D
The Core Integration Seminar (CIS) engages the Year Four Question: “Imagining the possible: What is our role in the world?” by offering students a culminating seminar experience in which students integrate the principles of Jesuit education, prior components of the Core, and their disciplinary expertise. Each section of the course will focus on a problem or issue raised by the contemporary world that encourages integration, collaboration, and problem solving. The topic for each section of the course will be proposed and developed by each faculty member in a way that clearly connects to the Jesuit Mission, to multiple disciplinary perspectives, and to our students’ future role in the world.
Examines the organizational, cultural, technological, and ideological nature of news. Attention is given to theories of the press, the construction of news, news as a form of knowledge, and the broader social implications of news organizations and practices. Spring.
Prerequisite:
INMD 360 Minimum Grade: D
Documentary filmmaking provides an environment in which students experiment with the combination of digital film aesthetics and documentary storytelling to produce an original short non-fiction work. The course includes examination of ethical issues in documentaries, the use of animation and interactivity in film and the role of documentary work in different cultures. Lab fee. Spring.
Equivalent:
FILM 460 - OK if taken since Fall 2023
Journalistic ethical issues ranging from fairness, balance and conflicts of interest to sensationalism will be discussed in depth. Overview of theories of leading historical and contemporary philosophers through the lens of relevance to contemporary media. Emphasis on use of ethical decision-making models.
Prerequisite:
INMD 101 Minimum Grade: D
Tutorial or a project proposed to faculty. Fall and Spring.
In-depth pursuit of a topic proposed to faculty. Fall and Spring.
Professional work experience in journalism. Possibilities include print and online journalistic organizations and magazines. Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Prerequisite:
JOUR 210 Minimum Grade: D
or SOSJ 262 Minimum Grade: D
Students demonstrate command of journalistic practices and philosophies in a comprehensive project and essay exam. Spring.
Lower Division
Theories and principles underlying public relations practice. The history and development of the field, responsibilities and duties, ethics, law, and social responsibility, and survey of practice and techniques. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
INMD 101 Minimum Grade: D
Upper Division
Theory and models for communication in an array of forms common to PR including utilization of emerging technologies and an emphasis on understanding the target audience. Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Prerequisite:
PRLS 260 Minimum Grade: D
and (JOUR 110 Minimum Grade: D
or SOSJ 160 Minimum Grade: D)
A focus on the variety of public address forms common to the public relations profession, including writing speeches for executives and public figures, and coaching for public and media appearances. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
PRLS 310 Minimum Grade: D
The course content examines the roles of public relations practitioners and journalists through the lens of athletics organizations and sports in society. Students will engage in sporting events coverage that focuses on an array of writing styles, social media strategies, media relationships with sports organizations and athletes, and an in-depth understanding of all sports competitions, primarily those at the collegiate and professional levels. Fall.
Prerequisite:
INMD 101 Minimum Grade: D
and JOUR 110 Minimum Grade: D
Strategic roles and theory-based planning concepts, integrated marketing communication, and analysis of case studies that review communication theory and professional practice. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
PRLS 260 Minimum Grade: D
Course content focuses on emerging issues and topics that relate to public relations practice and philosophy.
Prerequisite:
INMD 101 Minimum Grade: D
The Core Integration Seminar (CIS) engages the Year Four Question: “Imagining the possible: What is our role in the world?” by offering students a culminating seminar experience in which students integrate the principles of Jesuit education, prior components of the Core, and their disciplinary expertise. Each section of the course will focus on a problem or issue raised by the contemporary world that encourages integration, collaboration, and problem solving. The topic for each section of the course will be proposed and developed by each faculty member in a way that clearly connects to the Jesuit Mission, to multiple disciplinary perspectives, and to our students’ future role in the world.
A study of the changing nature of the organizational public relations role, including contemporary theoretical models and expanding roles in communication, leadership, and organizational culture. Emphasis on consulting practices, leadership theory, strategies and corporate ethics. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
PRLS 310 Minimum Grade: D
or PRLS 360 Minimum Grade: D
Applied work for an actual client based on theories of organizational communication, including a campaign plan. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
PRLS 310 Minimum Grade: D
Pre-professional work experience in public relations with a PR agency, non-profit or organization. 120-140 hours required with onsite supervision by a public relations practitioner. Instructor supports securing an internship, and all internships are to be pre-approved by the instructor. Includes attendance at regular class sessions. Registration requires a minimum cumulative 3.0 G.P.A. Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Prerequisite:
PRLS 310 Minimum Grade: D
and PRLS 360 Minimum Grade: D
This course involves the completion of a public relations reflection project that integrates and applies prior course work and field work into academic research of contemporary issues in the public relations profession. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
PRLS 310 Minimum Grade: D
and PRLS 360 Minimum Grade: D
Concurrent:
PRLS 499
Individualized study of an issue related to the public relations profession. Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Prerequisite:
PRLS 310 Minimum Grade: D
Pre-professional work experience in public relations with a PR agency, non-profit or organization. All internships are to be approved by the instructor prior to start date. Virtual internships are allowed with instructor permission. Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Prerequisite:
PRLS 310 Minimum Grade: D
Individual thesis review sessions with PRLS 480 instructor. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
PRLS 310 Minimum Grade: D
and PRLS 360 Minimum Grade: D
Concurrent:
PRLS 480
Second Language Competency
Competency in a second language (classical or modern) at the intermediate level (courses numbered 201) is required for students continuing in the study of a language. Students beginning study in a language they have not previously studied can fulfill the requirement by completing one year at the beginning level (courses numbered 101-102). Non-native speakers of English who have completed the required English core credits at Gonzaga may petition the Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences for a waiver of this requirement.
Additional information on this requirement can be found at
Language Requirement Information