Advisement

The Bachelor of Arts degree requires 120 units: 48 units of Journalism courses in addition to 72 units in non-Journalism subjects or disciplines to reach the minimum 120 units.

The 48 Journalism units includes JOUR 104, a 1-unit credit/no credit course available every fall semester. It is a required course for Freshmen during their very first semester at CSUN and is optional for everyone else.

If you do not take JOUR 104, you will need to take another class to make up the 1 unit to reach 120 units by your graduation time.

General Education (GE) courses are typically not Journalism courses; therefore, GE course names that do not start with “JOUR” contribute to the 72 non-Journalism units. However, completing all of your GE courses will not equal 72 units. The remaining units needed to reach 72 will come from non-Journalism electives.

Refer to Journalism Major Sheet Breakdown. Copies are available in Manzanita Hall Room 210. Refer to the CSUN Catalog.

We welcome all students. Most students should request a change of major into Journalism or declare a minor in Journalism through the CSUN portal. Check out the following link for an easy step-by-step guide: https://www.csun.edu/current-students/change-major-minor

As you are submitting your request, you will notice three distinct major options:

• Journalism
• Journalism - Broadcast 
• Journalism - Public Relations

Click here and learn more about what each distinct option offers before you choose the major option best sutied for your career objective.

Once you have submitted your request, the Journalism Department will review it and notify you by email of the decision

The Spanish-language Journalism (SLJ) minor program welcomes all students. There are many benefits to completing this minor, particularly for students in Journalism. Some SLJ minor courses also count in the Journalism major.

If you would like to learn more, please email the adviser, Dr. José Luis Benavides at jose.benavides@csun.edu.

Your major academic adviser is assigned based on the number of units you have aleady completed and, in some cases, based on major option. If you are an entering first-time freshman, you are required to meet with an academic adviser in the Student Resource Center / EOP Satellite (SRC / EOP).

In many cases, First-Time Freshmen will meet with the SRC / EOP advisers twice: 1)  in their first semester and 2) to plan out courses for their second semester at CSUN.

Students are transitioned to the Journalism Department in their third semester for academic advisement needs. During this time – and until students reach 60 units – they will be advised by the Department's staff academic adviser.

When students reach 60 units (Junior year) and until they graduate, students are strongly urged to connect with an assigned faculty adviser in the Journalism Department every fall and spring to complete academic advisement.

Our Journalism staff academic adviser is available for all academic advisement needs throughout the year, except observed holidays and when the adviser is on an approved absence. To schedule an appointment, students can email jour99@csun.edu. Students should always include their CSUN ID number on all emails to the department, particularly when requesting an appointment.

Faculty advisers are available during the department’s advisement season every fall and spring, typically six weeks before your next semester’s registration appointment. During academic advisement season, faculty academic advisors can be reached via email. Students can call the Journalism Department office at 818-677-3135 for a list of faculty advisers and contact information. 

It is always a good idea to prepare for your academic advisement meeting. The best tool to utilize is your very own Degree Progress Report. See How to Guide  for a useful step-by-step guide and learn to download your DPR today.

DPRs provide a full picture of progress toward a student’s Journalism degree.

As you review your DPR, do the following:

1) Notice in-progress courses designated by an “IP” designation next to the course.

2) Make a list of courses you would like to take the following semester.

3) Jot down questions for your academic adviser in preparation for your meeting.

Most Journalism students need a certain number of these types of units, especially if they don’t have a minor. A non-Journalism CSUN elective can be any course of your choosing outside of Journalism. These non-Journalism electives may be lower-division courses in many cases.

Consult with your academic adviser for more information.

Journalism majors are not required to have a minor. In cases where a student needs to complete many non-Journalism electives, adding a minor can be a good way to complete these outside units. Consult with your adviser about details regarding how a minor can help in some cases and if you are qualified to add a minor. 

Journalism internships are not required for completion of the degree. However they are highly recommended to help give you an edge in your career. If approved and successfully completed, the course – Journalism 494AEE/BEE Internship – contributes three units toward the 12 units of upper-division major elective units required in your major. Contact the Journalism Department for more information. 

Students apply for graduation generally when they reach 90 units. If you have completed 75 units and are in progress with 15 more units, CSUN will send you an email to encourage you to apply for graduation. The email includes detailed information about steps to take. 

Three key steps to take prior to applying for graduation:

1. Download your Degree Progress Report, review it and draft a feasible/workable graduating plan that best fits you. 
2. Schedule an academic advisement appointment in the Journalism Department. 
3. Apply for graduation online through your portal and pay the application fees. Click here for a useful step-by-step guide when applying for graduation online.