Courses

An overview of the array of media platforms from which society garners its information. Coursework hones an understanding of the theories, history, technologies, and social impact of media. The course also provides a frame of reference for analysis of the use of evolving media technologies, both in creating and consuming content, with a goal of enabling students to critically evaluate the media and their messages. Required first course for all Integrated Media majors and minors. Fall and Spring.

The First-Year Seminar (FYS) introduces new Gonzaga students to the University, the Core Curriculum, and Gonzaga’s Jesuit mission and heritage. While the seminars will be taught by faculty with expertise in particular disciplines, topics will be addressed in a way that illustrates approaches and methods of different academic disciplines. The seminar format of the course highlights the participatory character of university life, emphasizing that learning is an active, collegial process.

A study of major facets of communications law, including libel, privacy and copyright, and their effects on print, digital and online media. Fall and Spring.

Course content focuses on emerging issues and topics that relate to media and media practices.

The Visual Literacy Capstone reflects on and synthesizes the multitude of visual production techniques addressed throughout the Visual Literacy minor. Students will utilize lessons learned throughout the minor as they turn their focus to the discussion and presentation of their own creative work. As students unpack and summate these lessons, they will create digital portfolios, write artist statements, and explore different ways of professionally sharing and drawing attention to their work. Lab fee. Spring.

An introduction to journalistic-style writing across media platforms, including broadcast journalism and public relations writing. Fall, Spring, and Summer.

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.

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.

With direction from advisers/instructors, students edit news stories for The Gonzaga Bulletin and gonzagabulletin.com. Fall and Spring.

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.

Emphasis on design principles and editing skills for print and online journalistic platforms. Attention also to news values and philosophies. Spring.

Topic to be determined by faculty.

Reporting municipal, county, state, and federal affairs. Open meeting, shield and disclosure laws, law enforcement and the judicial process. Spring.

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.

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.

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.

Topic to be determined by faculty.

Course content focuses on emerging issues and topics that relate to journalistic practice and philosophy.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Students demonstrate command of journalistic practices and philosophies in a comprehensive project and essay exam. Spring.