Program Overview

This online journalism and communications degree is focused on honing communication skills, but also provides a comprehensive and balanced approach that encourages you to tailor your education to your career goals. Drake’s customizable curriculum includes core online journalism courses in addition to public relations, advertising, social media, multimedia, and digital courses. You will graduate with in-demand expertise that will allow you to fast-track your career in a wide variety of fields, such as marketing, PR, advertising, journalism, and even non-profit or public policy.

Degree Requirements

• Meet all requirements of the Drake Curriculum
• Maintain a 2.0 grade point average during the first 30 credit hours
• Maintain a 2.25 grade point average at Drake after the 30th credit hour
• Maintain a 2.25 grade point average in SJMC course work after the 30th credit hour

Students should work with their advisers to ensure selection of courses best-suited to their educational and career objectives.  Please see sections of the catalog for additional information.

Digital Communication Major Requirements

Required courses for the Communication major are as follows:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
School of Journalism and Mass Communication Core Courses
JMC 030	MASS MEDIA IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY	3
JMC 031	MULTIMEDIA LAB	1
JMC 040	PRE-PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP	1
JMC 041	FINANCE FUNDAMENTALS FOR COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONALS	1
JMC 054	REPORTING AND WRITING PRINCIPLES	3
JMC 055	DIGITAL MEDIA STRATEGIES	3
JMC 104	COMMUNICATION LAW AND ETHICS	3
Area of Concentration
All SJMC majors must complete a 21-credit block of courses not offered within the SJMC. 1		21
Digital Communication Major Courses
JMC 059	VISUAL COMMUNICATION METHODS	3
Writing and Creation Elective:
Select two of the following:		6
JMC 070	MEDIA EDITING
JMC 161	ADVANCED MAGAZINE STAFF WRTG
JMC 107	PERSUASIVE WRITING
Multimedia Elective:
Select one of the following:		3
JMC 087	ADV REPORTING PRINT & AUDIO
JMC 105	WEB CONTENT AND DEVELOPMENT
JMC 137	APPLIED COMMUNICATION RESEARCH	3
JMC 144	CASES IN ETHICAL PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICE	3
JMC 159	ONLINE COMMUNICATION CAPSTONE	3
Strategy and Execution Elective:
Select one of the following:		3
JMC 149	STRATEGIC COMM PLANNING
JMC 151	ADVANCED STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION
Two JMC Electives		5
JMC Total Credit Hours		44
Total Hours		120

¹

This block must be approved by the student's adviser and dean. At least 12 of these credits must be in courses numbered 100 or higher. Courses taken to satisfy requirements in other areas may also count toward this requirement.