The information on this page pertains to program requirements for students who matriculated in the 2024-2025 academic year. View requirements for previous catalog years here.
The journalism/law 3+3 program allows students to complete virtually all journalism and mass communication (SJMC) requirements in the first three years, including requirements for a specific undergraduate SJMC major. If admitted to the Drake University Law School, the student may then count 21 to 24 Law School credit hours taken in the fourth year as the area of concentration required of all journalism majors. The fourth year also constitutes the student's first year in Drake Law School.
Forty-four credits must be completed in an SJMC major. All SJMC students complete the following required classes:
| Course | Credits |
| 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 - Financial Fundamentals for Communication Professionals | 1 |
| JMC 054 - Reporting and Writing Principles | 3 |
| JMC 055 - Digital Media Strategies | 3 |
|
JMC 058 - Foundations of Visual Communication, or JMC 059 - Visual Communication Methods |
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. 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. | 21 |
| Electives - Satisfied by first-year Law School courses | 21-24 |
| School of Journalism and Mass Communication Major Courses | 44 |
| TOTAL | 120 |
Once a student has successfully completed Law School courses necessary to fulfill the required 120 hours of course work for the bachelor's degree, the bachelor's degree will be awarded. A student may withdraw from the journalism/3+3 law program at any time and complete his/her undergraduate study for the bachelor's degree.
The information in this catalog does not constitute a contract between the university and the student. The university reserves the right to make changes in curricula, admission policies and processes, tuition and financial aid, academic standards and guidelines, student services and any other regulations or policies set forth in this catalog without giving prior notice.