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School of Communication & the Arts

Journalism

Journalism and Media Writing

The Journalism major at Lasell has a professional focus, rooted in Connected Learning, that seeks to educate students by promoting self-expression, academic exploration and critical thinking in academic, civic, and career-relevant areas.

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I love the small class sizes and the community that has been built at Lasell.

Emma Helstrom

Graphic Design, 2020

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COM209 - Journalism

In this course, students learn reporting and writing techniques necessary to produce a variety of types of articles and multi-media stories. Assignments may include politics, sports, fashion, and entertainment based interviews. There is discussion of roles of reporters, columnists, editorial writers, editors, photographers, graphic designers and digital content producers in the daily process of journalism as decisions are made in the news­room as to what stories to cover; what stories, photographs and video clips to publish or broadcast. Students have the opportunity to publish their work in the campus newspaper, The 1851 Chronicle or on the 1851 Chroncile website. Prerequisite: ENG 102.

COM213 - Writing for Public Relations

This course serves as a workshop in which students apply the fundamental skills of journalism to the different formats commonly used in writing copy for public relations and advertising, including press releases, public service announcements, profiles, brochures, and advertisements. In addition, students continue to sharpen their editing skills by revising their own work and by copyediting and critiquing the work of other students. Central to the objectives of this course is that students improve their ability to write clearly and concisely, avoiding common errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage. Prerequisite: ENG 102.

COM310 - Political Communication

This course focuses on the complex ideas associated with the role of the press in a democracy. The nature and climate of our political processes, particularly elections, have changed dramatically in the past two generations, due in part to the extensive use and influence of the media. Also, media techniques and strategies used by government and political figures continue to change with the emergence of new technologies and the dominance of global media companies. Students learn how to think critically and analytically about the political press and how journalists and politicians frame public policy issues. This course looks critically at whether or not the American press is truly representative of the civic values of democracy, truth, and responsible citizenship. Prerequisites: COM 101 or POLS 101 or SOC 101.

COM314 - Magazine & Feature Writing

This course is focused on the longer pieces of magazine writing, such as feature articles and interview profiles, and other forms of narrative, nonfiction journalistic writing. The course includes reading, analyzing, and modeling well-written newspaper and magazine articles that entertain as well as inform readers. Students have the opportunity to provide editorial support for and submit feature articles for publication to Polished, a Lasell College produced magazine and to The 1851 Chronicle, the student newspaper and website. Students also create, write for, and design their own magazine based on a topic of their choosing. Prerequisites: COM 101, COM 209.

COM316 - Publication Editing

This course is designed as a workshop in which students learn the fundamentals of editing for print and online publications. Students study and participate in various editing roles, including editorial director, articles editor, copy editor, proofreader and fact-checker. Students examine case studies of existing publications. In keeping with Lasell's Connected Learning approach, students propose work for Lasell's two student publications, The 1851 Chronicle and Polished, or other publications. The course focuses on learning to prepare cohesive editorial products with clear, compelling, professional content while avoiding common mistakes in usage, grammar, and style. Prerequisites: COM 105.

COM324 - Journalism II

This is an advanced, connected-learning focused course in which student journalists do the work of the field. Students with basic reporting and editing experience are challenged to demonstrate their news and feature writing skills to a new level of competence. This course requires student to cover a campus or community beat as they report on a student organization, department, team, or local politics, sports, fashion or culture. Projects will focus on new media platforms such as photo galleries and video and audio news content and producing news media packages for print. Students will be encouraged to submit their work to the 1851 Chronicle and the1851chronicle.org. Prerequisite: COM209

LS214 - Communication Law

This course provides students with a basic understanding of the law and governmental regulations that apply to communication practitioners. Course topics include the First Amendment, defamation and libel, invasion of privacy law, copyright, advertising regulation, obscenity, pornography, internet law, protecting “news sources” for journalists, FCC regulation of broadcasting, and the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Prerequisite: COM 101 or LS 101.