Welcome to your new School of
Journalism & Media Studies
Hundreds of you shared your hopes for the new JMS in an online survey last spring, and we thank you for your time and thoughtfulness in participating. Based on the results of that survey and other feedback provided by faculty, staff, and students, we’ve made some improvements and added some features we hope you will find useful.
CONTENTS 06.18.2008
Cool new minor available for JMS students
Keep up-to-date during registration with JMS RegBLOG
Summer Advising
Getting Involved
Cool new minor available for JMS students
Couple your Media Studies degree with a minor in Educational Technology and dramatically improve your marketability after graduation.
Grads with an Ed Tech background are employed as Web designers and multimedia authors; program and product developers; performance and e-learning managers; and teachers and school technology specialists.
By design, the Ed tech minor mixes instructional design theory with lots of hands-on experiences -- and exposure to cutting-edge technologies and tools. Also, the classes are small and the minor only requires 15 units.
Here are the titles of just some of the courses you might take to complete an Ed Tech minor:
- Web-based Multimedia Development
- Instructional Design
- eLearning Development Tools
- Educational Podcasting and Vodcasting
- GPS, Geotags, and GoogleEarth for Learning
- Blogs, Wikis, and Collaborative Learning
Media Studies and Ed Tech -- a winning combination that will help you find, or create, that real dream job. Just think of the possibilities.
Questions? Contact Marcie Bober, Educational Technology chair, by phone (619.594.0587) or email (bober@mail.sdsu.edu). Or browse the Ed Tech Web site at: http://edtec.sdsu.edu>http://edtec.sdsu.edu
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Keep up-to-date during registration with JMS RegBLOG
Check JMS RegBLOG for updates throughout registration.
Right now, you’ll find information about prerequisite checks, guaranteed seats and important information for Journalism majors and Media Studies majors
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Summer Advising
The JMS Undergraduate Advising Center (PSFA 366) is open Mondays through Thursdays this summer. Here are the hours:
May 27-July 3: Mondays and Tuesdays, 11-1; Wednesdays 11-3; Thursdays 2-4.
July: Mondays 11-3, Tuesdays 11-1, Wednesdays11-3, Thursdays 11-1.
August: Mondays through Thursdays, 11-1
Most of your questions can be answered in the “Undergraduate Help Center” here on the JMS Web site (http://jms.sdsu.edu/current_students/help_center/undergraduate/).
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Get involved and gain valuable experience
If you are interested in getting involved in a student organization, here are some to consider:
- JMSA, a new student organization for students of the School of JMS, is forming. If you’d like to get involved, contact jmsa@rohan.sdsu.edu.
- Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), contact the faculty adviser at: bsha@mail.sdsu.edu.
- Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), contact: spj_sdsu@yahoo.com.
Ad Club: http://www.adclubsdsu.com.
If you’d like to gain experience working for a news operation, consider working for:
- The Aztec Update, KCR’s news product. Contact: www.theaztecupdate.com.
- The Daily Aztec, independent campus newspaper. Contact: www.thedailyaztec.com.
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CONTENTS 05.11.2007
FAQs about the move from COMM to JMS
Improving Registration
Getting Help
Getting Involved
Questions? We've got answers
Many of you have wondered what it means to move from the School of Communication to the School of Journalism & Media Studies. Here are some answers to questions we’ve been hearing:
What will your diploma say?
Your diploma will not change. SDSU diplomas do not say what academic department a student is in. Diplomas will have the SDSU title and the title of your major. For our majors, here is what your diploma will say:
- If you are majoring in Advertising: Communication, Emphasis Advertising
- If you are majoring in Public Relations: Communication, Emphasis Public Relations
- If you are majoring in Media Studies: Communication
- If you are majoring in Journalism: Journalism
Yes, you’ve noticed the word “Communication” is still in the titles. The JMS faculty are working to have the titles of our majors reflect the major, such as “Advertising,” “Media Studies” and “Public Relations.” This process must go all the way to the CSU Chancellor’s Office and will take a year or two.
Will it be easier to get into classes?
We are working hard to make it easier to get into classes and cope with the whole process of registration. Please see the next section under improving registration.
Can you take JMS classes instead of Communication classes?
We strongly encourage you to take Journalism & Media Studies courses because JMS courses contain content that will help you develop knowledge and expertise in your major and eventual career in the media industry.
All JMS courses will count toward your major; please see the transition checklist for your major, which is available in the lobby outside PSFA 366. If you need help finding JMS classes for your major or JMS classes on topics of interest to you, please contact our Undergraduate Advising Center, PSFA 366, jmsadvise@mail.sdsu.edu or 594-5145
Have the requirements for your major changed?
Requirements for your major do NOT change, even though you are in the new School of Journalism & Media Studies. Major requirements are tied to catalog years and, therefore, you continue to follow the same requirements. The only difference is that we have made it possible for you to take JMS classes instead of Communication classes, if Communication classes were on your major checklist. We strongly encourage you to take JMS classes instead (See above).
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Improving registration
The new School of Journalism & Media Studies is dedicated to making registration go smoothly for students and faculty.
Increased enrollment
We have increased enrollments in classes to allow more of you take the classes you need.
Guaranteed seats
In the required classes that are part of a required sequence, we have guaranteed seats in the course for students meeting all the prerequisites (you may not get the exact section at the time you want, but at least you will be in the course). These classes are:
- Advertising majors: JMS 310W, 461, 560, 565
- Journalism majors: JMS 310W, 420, 470, 550
- Media Studies majors: JMS 412, 450, 492
- Public Relations majors: JMS 310W, 481, 581, 585
JMS RegBLOG
We’ve created a registration blog with frequent updates. So, every time we add a class or add more seats to class or cancel a class, we’ll post it to the blog at http://jms.sdsu.edu/registration.html. We’ll update it all the way through registration to the add/drop deadline.
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Get help on your timetable, not ours.
JMS Web site
We’ve updated the JMS Web site to include all advising information, so now you can find answers to your questions 24 hours a day, seven days a week. On the Web site you’ll find a Help Center, Hot Issues, and lots of information about your School.
JMS advising kiosk
We’ve created a Kiosk in the lobby outside the main office, PSFA 361.The touch-screen Kiosk will guide you through answers to frequently asked questions and advising information. You may use the kiosk anytime the PSFA building is open, even if our office and the advising center are closed.
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Get involved and make a difference
A new organization for all JMS majors and pre-majors is on its way. JMS students are currently forming a new student club just for you. Current plans include:
- A publication with JMS student news and JMS club news (PRSSA, Ad Club, SPJ, etc.)
- Monthly, professional meetings to learn more about JMS careers, getting prepared for a professional media environment, choosing the right major and career, and getting the most out of your major
- Competitions, such as “Best JMS Ad Campaign” or “Best Feature Story” or “Best PR campaign”
- Ways to represent JMS to the larger SDSU campus for events like “Explore SDSU Day”
- An awards and scholarship banquet.
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