Course Description

Exploration of complicated issues related to ethics and diversity, which inevitably arise in the news media but defy clear-cut answers. The course considers social responsibility and presents a contemporary framework for transparency and community with a focus on diversity as a guiding journalistic principle.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Evaluation of graduate students differs significantly from that of undergraduate students. Not only will graduate students be assigned more readings and additional projects, they will also be graded with higher expectations than undergraduate students. Specifically, graduate students will be assigned an additional research or applied project depending upon the discretion of the instructor. Research projects may involve secondary research reviews and synthesis, whereas primary research studies will involve collection and analysis of data. Applied projects will consist of an original professional-level project delivered as a written report and/or oral presentation.

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Athena Title

Journalism Ethics and Divers

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Equivalent Courses

Not open to students with credit in JOUR 5320E or JOUR 7320E

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Graduate Prerequisite

Permission of department

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Semester Course Offered

Offered every year.

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Grading System

A - F (Traditional)

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Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will develop a framework for systematic exploration of ethical issues confronting journalists.
• Students will develop an understanding of issues of diversity as they apply them to the gathering and presentation of news.
• Students will develop a personal code of professional ethics.
• Students will understand concepts of social responsibility.
• Students will understand how journalistic norms and financial constraints of the news industry impact ethical decision-making.

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Topical Outline

• - The First Amendment: Rights and Responsibilities
• - Principles of Diversity: Inclusion and Community History and Definitions of Ethical Thinking
• - Situational Ethics in a Fast-paced News Environment
• - Codes of Ethics: What are they and how are they developed?
• - Concepts of Journalistic Transparency, Truth, and Deception
• - Ethical Challenges: Privacy, Government Intrusion, Industry Economics, Graphic Images and Violence, Social Media, Technology

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Institutional Competencies

Social Awareness & Responsibility

The capacity to understand the interdependence of people, communities, and self in a global society.

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Syllabus

Select Faculty / Instructor to download syllabus:   Lough, Kyser   Walker, Denetra

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