BA in Political Science and Journalism

Units required for Major: 51
Total units required for BA: 120

Program Description

The Sacramento State Journalism program provides both a general academic experience and professional preparation. Sacramento's program emphasizes writing, editing, writing for interactive media, and other courses necessary to prepare students for success in media-related jobs; it also includes courses that critically examine media as an institution.

Journalism majors are the core of students who write for The State Hornet a weekly newspaper with a website updated daily at www.statehornet.com.

A student at Sacramento State may major either in Journalism or in Government-Journalism. A minor in Journalism is valuable to the student entering a career field in which journalism plays a role.

The Journalism graduate who wants to work for a newspaper should expect to serve an apprenticeship with a small newspaper before moving up to a metropolitan daily. Journalism graduates also work as magazine editors and writers, as publications employees in government agencies and associations, in broadcast journalism, and in public affairs.

Minimum Grade Requirement

Majors must complete each required lower and upper division Journalism course with a grade of "C-" or better.

Program Requirements

Required Lower Division Courses (9 Units)
POLS 1Essentials Of Government 1,23
JOUR 30News Writing3
JOUR/COMS 55Media Communication and Society3
or JOUR 50 Media Literacy and Critical Thinking
Required Upper Division Courses (33 Units)
Political Science
POLS 170Public Policy Development3
POLS 180California State and Local Government 23
Select one of the following:3
The American Presidency
Political Parties in America
United States Congress
Interest Groups
Politics, Opinion, and Participation
Campaigns and Elections
Introduction to Urban Politics
Select one of the following:3
Constitutional Law
Constitutional Rights and Liberties
Select one of the following:3
International Politics
International Organization
American Foreign Policy
Journalism
JOUR 130ANews Reporting I3
JOUR 130BNews Reporting II3
JOUR/POLS 134War, Peace and the Mass Media 23
JOUR 135Public Affairs Reporting 23
JOUR/COMS 153Journalism Law and Ethics3
Internship
Select one of the following:3
POLS 195 series
Internship In Journalism
Electives (9 Units)
Select 6 units of upper division courses in Political Science 36
Select one upper division course in Journalism3
Total Units51

Note: Political Science and Journalism majors should have both an advisor in the Political Science Department and a Journalism Advisor in the Communication Studies Department.

The University's association with the Washington Center makes it possible for California State University, Sacramento students to undertake an internship in Washington, D.C. There are many opportunities for Government-Journalism majors to do an internship to meet their unique interests through this program.

General Education Requirements1

Area A: Basic Subjects (9 Units)
A1 - Oral Communication3
A2 - Written Communication3
A3 - Critical Thinking3
Area B: Physical Universe and Its Life Forms (13 Units)
B1 - Physical Science3
B2 - Life Forms3
B3 - Lab (Note: Lab experience to be taken with one of the following: B1, B2 or B5)1
B4 - Math Concepts3
B5 - Additional Course (Any B to reach 12 units) - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements.3
Area C: Arts and Humanities (12 Units)
C1 - Arts3
C2 - Humanities3
C1/C2 - Area C Course3
C1/C2 - Area C Course - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements.3
Area D: The Individual and Society (6 Units)
Area D Course 20
Area D Course3
Area D Course3
Area D Course - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements. 20
Area E: Understanding Personal Development (3 Units)
Area E Course3
Total Units43

Graduation Requirements1

Graduation Requirements (required by CSU) (3 Units)
American Institutions: U.S. History3
American Institutions: U.S. Constitution & CA Government 20
Writing Intensive (WI) 20
Graduation Requirements (required by Sacramento State) (12 Units)
English Composition II3
Race and Ethnicity in American Society (RE)3
Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement 36