Visual Journalism and Photography

Our Mission Statement is to prepare students for a changing media environment by focusing on content, ethics and technology.

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With a tradition of highly successful graduates, state-of-the-art facilities, and award-winning faculty, WKU’s Visual Journalism and Photography program is regarded as one of the nation’s finest. The program is an integral component of the School of Media & Communication and has been a significant contributor to the high quality of the university’s student publications. In the William Randolph Hearst Journalism Awards competition, often referred to as the Pulitzer Prizes of collegiate journalism, WKU’s Visual Journalism and Photography program leads the nation in both the Photojournalism and Multimedia Intercollegiate competitions. This success is achieved through the practice of producing content-driven stories within the classroom, then reinforced through internships, workshops, freelance opportunities, and overseas educational programs.

The major offers two concentrations: Photojournalism and Documentary (45 hours) and Photography (36 hours). The Photojournalism and Documentary concentration prepares students to enter the visual journalism profession with classes in still photography, documentary video, design, studio lighting, visual business practices, and journalism writing. The Photography concentration is designed for those wanting to obtain skills in still photography, studio lighting, video, and design, applying these to applications outside of the traditional journalism profession, such as commercial, portraiture, advertising, and promotional photography.

Major in Visual Journalism & Photography

Specific objectives are to:

To prepare students for professional careers in journalism and media information;
To instill in students a high degree of professionalism, which consists principally of practical competence and ethical understanding;
To enhance the student’s understanding of the role of the press in a democratic society.

Admission Requirements

Prospective majors may take no more than 15 hours in the major before admission. Students must meet the following requirements before they can be admitted:

Completion of a minimum of 24 hours of course work applicable to a baccalaureate degree;
A minimum overall grade point average of 2.5;
Completion of ENG 100 with a grade of ‘C’ or better and 9 additional hours in the Colonnade Program,
Completion of the following courses with a grade of ‘C’ or better: SOM 101, SOM 102, PJ 131, and PJ 331.

Students not meeting the above admission requirements will not be admitted to the Photojournalism major and cannot register for any additional courses in the major.

Curriculum

The major in photojournalism (reference number 750) requires 45 semester hours and leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree. No course with a grade of “D” or below may be counted toward the major or fulfill prerequisite requirements. One-half of the hours in the major must be at the 300- or 400-level. Students must take a minimum of 72 semester hours in courses outside of the School of Media, including the Colonnade Program. In addition to meeting institutional requirements for graduation, the photojournalism major must have a minor or second major outside of the School of Media and the Film studies that is approved by the major faculty advisor. Students may not select a minor in film studies, or those offered within the School, unless taken as a second minor. One-half of the hours must be at the 300- or 400-level.

Required Courses

View course requirements here.

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The School of Media & Communication at WKU is ACEJMC accredited for majors in Broadcasting, Journalism and Photojournalism.

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