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Journalism A.A. Degree - CalGETC

This degree is designed to train students in writing, reporting, and critical thinking skills required for jobs in the news media or to transfer to a four-year institution\'s journalism program.

Total Units:

First Year

Semester 1

15 Units

Course	Units	Pre-Reqs^	Semesters Offered*	GE Area
JOUR 300 Newswriting and Reporting	3		F, S
JOUR 310 ¹ Mass Media and Society	3		F(O), S(O), Su	Cal-GETC Area 4
CalGETC Area 1A-English Composition	3	Recommend meeting with a counselor	F, S, Su	Cal-GETC Area 1A
CalGETC Area 1C-Oral Communication ²	3		F, S, Su	Cal-GETC Area 1C
CalGETC Area 2-Math & Quantitative Reasoning	3		F, S, Su	Cal-GETC Area 2

¹ Also listed as RTVF 300

² Suggestion-COMM 301 Intro to Public Speaking (3 units); Advisory: ENGWR 300; F, S, Su. Units needed to total 60 units for graduation. Refer to Course Number for the appropriate course level necessary for the degree.

Semester 2

15 Units

Course	Units	Pre-Reqs^	Semesters Offered*	GE Area
JOUR 410 College Media Production I	3	Eligibility for ENGL C1000; Advisory: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in one of the following: JOUR 300 or PHOTO 302	F, S
PHOTO 301 Beginning Photography or	3		F, .S	Cal-GETC Area 3A
PHOTO 302 Beginning Digital Photography	3		F, S	Cal-GETC Area 3A
CalGETC Area 1B-Critical Thinking & Composition	3		F, S, Su	Cal-GETC Area 1B
CalGETC Area 4-Social & Behavioral Sciences	3		F, S, Su	Cal-GETC Area 4
CalGETC Area 5-Physical Sciences	3		F, S, Su	Cal-GETC Area 5A

Year 2

Semester 3

16 Units

Course	Units	Pre-Reqs^	Semesters Offered*	GE Area
JOUR 320 Race and Gender in the Media	3		F	Cal-GETC Area 4
3 units from List A	3	See List A	See List A
CalGETC Area 5B-Biological Science	3		F, S, Su	Cal-GETC Area 5B
CalGETC Area 5C-Lab	1		F, S, Su	Cal-GETC Area 5C
Local Area 6-Ethnic Studies	3		F, S, Su	CRC Area L6
Elective ¹	3		F, S, Su

¹ Suggestion-PHOTO 310, PHOTO 320, POLS 310 or any course in List A. Units required are determined by the number of units needed to total 60 units for graduation. Refer to Course Number for the appropriate course level necessary for the degree.

Semester 4

15 Units

Course	Units	Pre-Reqs^	Semesters Offered*
JOUR 404 Editing and Production	3	Co-req: JOUR 420 or 421	Check Class Schedule for offering
3 units from List A	3	See List A	See List A
3 units from List A	3	See List A	See List A
3 units from List A	3	See List A	See List A
Elective ¹	3		F, S, Su

^You must have passed the prerequisite course(s) with a “C” or better; Corequisite must be taken during the same semester; Advisory means it is recommended but not required to enroll in the course.

*(O) = online available (P) = partially online

List A-a minimum of 9 units from the following:

Course	Units	Pre-Reqs^	Semesters Offered*
CISC 305 Introduction to the Internet	1	Advisory: CISC 302 or 310	Check Class Schedule for offering
CISC 306 Introduction to Web Page Creation	1	CISC 305 or intermediate level of Internet proficiency	Check Class Schedule for offering
JOUR 301 Advanced Newswriting and Reporting	3	JOUR 300; Advisory ENGL C1000	Check Class Schedule for offering
JOUR 320 Race and Gender in the Media	3		F
JOUR 330 ¹ Computer Familiarization	2		Check Class Schedule for offering
JOUR 340 ² Writing for Publication	3	ENGL C1000, ENGL C1000H, and JOUR 300	Check Class Schedule for offering
PHOTO 400 Digital Imaging	3		F, S

¹ Also listed as CISC 302.

² Also listed as EGWR 330.

Career Options/Outlook:

There are many different career opportunities in this field. For example, a journalist with advanced degrees collects and analyzes facts about newsworthy events by interview, investigation, or observation; reports and writes stories for newspapers, news magazines, radio, or television. Journalists receive assignments or evaluate leads or tips to develop story ideas, research a story’s background information to provide complete and accurate information, arrange interviews with people who can provide information about a story, and report news stories for publication or broadcast. Career opportunities require more than an associate degree.

A sample of reported job titles:

Journalist, Magazine editor, columnist, public information officer, broadcast news writer, newspaper reporter, editor, desktop publishing specialist, web writer/editor/producer, broadcast news producer, social media producer.

Projected job openings in California (2020-2030):

540

Projected growth in California (2020-2030):

9% growth

Median Salary in California with advanced degree (2021):

$49,850/yr

Source:

https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/27-3022.00

Transfer notes:

Please meet with a counselor for specific transfer course evaluation or transferring to a specific 4-year institution.

General Education (GE):

Please meet with a counselor for specific transfer course evaluation or transferring to a specific 4-year institution.

Honors option:

The CRC Honors Program is designed specifically for academically accomplished students and for students with the potential for high achievement. Students who complete 15 units or more in honors-designated courses will earn special recognition as an Honors Scholar, a distinction that may entitle the student to guaranteed transfer and scholarship opportunities at select transfer colleges and universities.

About this program map:

This program map represents one possible pathway to complete the program. Please see a counselor to create an education plan customized to meet your needs. This map is not a guarantee of course availability or financial aid applicability.

Zero Textbook Costs (ZTC):

The Zero Textbook Costs designation and logo are added to any course that provides free access to all required instructional materials. These are typically shared with students through Canvas. Courses that are designated as ZTC may still require students to purchase supplemental materials such as lab coats, a calculator, art supplies, etc. See full definitions and searching tips on the Zero Textbook Costs page of the college website.

Catalog Year: 2025-2026

Published May 17, 2025

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