See what you can learn in SOJC required courses, and explore a few options for electives. See the UO Class Schedule to find out which courses are offered in the coming terms.

Platform Courses

JCOM 101 Media Professions 4 credits
Get an introduction to the SOJC majors and a range of dynamic media and communication professions, opportunities, and issues. The course has its own hashtag: #MPATUO. Check out what current students are saying.

JCOM 102 Story Craft Audio 2 credits
This course prepares majors for basic audio production classes, projects, and opportunities in their program of work. With this knowledge comes a respect for the resources and people of the School of Journalism Communications and Allen Hall. Emphasizes the basics of recording and using sound.

JCOM 103 Story Craft Visual 2 credits
This course introduces fundamentals of creating professional visual media and lays a foundation of technical knowledge and creative capacities that will be further developed in future classes. Successful students will demonstrate a basic understanding of and confidence in using production camera equipment, lighting equipment, production studios, editing software, and equipment checkout systems.

JCOM 201 Making Sense of Media 4 credits
This course explores the social, cultural, economic, and political implications of media consumption in an age of misinformation and disinformation. Over the course of the term, students will explore key transformations in the media landscape, paying close attention to the interplay of media and power.

JCOM 202 How Stories Work 4 credits
This class will ground students in the basics of story: the components, the structure, and the conceptual framework with consideration for how story is understood in SOJC majors and coursework. Throughout the term, students will explore how stories unfold for different audiences, in different channels, and with different purpose in mind.

JCOM 203 Writing as Practice 4 credits
This course is designed to help students develop a professional voice and identity through consistent writing and feedback. Practice is ritual and routine. The focus is strictly on improvement, so this class is Pass/No Pass, which means everyone will need to meet a basic minimum standard. Because of that, everyone will leave this class as a better writer.

Core Context Courses

JCOM 301 Gender, Media, and Diversity 4 credits
Students undertake a critical study of the media’s representation of gender, race, ethnicity, and other social divisions. The course explores ramifications and possible mechanisms of change. Prerequisite: JCOM 201)

JCOM 302 Communication Law 4 credits
This course emphasizes legal aspects of the media: constitutional freedom of expression, news gathering, access to public records, libel, privacy, copyright, advertising, electronic media regulation, and antitrust. Prerequisite: JCOM 201)

JCOM 303 Media Ethics 4 credits
This course focuses on ethical problems in the media: privacy, violence, pornography, truth-telling, objectivity, media codes, public interest, media accountability. Prerequisite: JCOM 201)

JCOM 304 Business of Media 4 credits
This course emphasizes the changing landscape of media channels and systems, how they are adapting to transformational technology, and how innovation and entrepreneurship are requisites for successful careers. Prerequisite: JCOM 201)

JCOM 305 Media History 4 credits
This course focuses on the changing structure and character of the media in the United States. Prerequisite: JCOM 201)

JCOM 306 Global Communication 4 credits
This course addresses national and cultural differences in media, global news and information flows, implications of rapid technological change, and communication and information policies. Prerequisite: JCOM 201)

Public Relations Sequence Courses

JCOM 370 Public Relations Fundamentals 4 credits
Get an overview of public relations practice in a diverse global society, including theory, careers, history, communication forms and channels, law, and ethics.

JCOM 371 Writing for Influence 4 credits
This writing-intensive class focuses on teaching students how to produce strategic content for various digital audiences using appropriate journalistic style. Students learn critical strategic skills intended to help them think, research, and write digital content like public relations professionals. Prerequisites: All platform courses and JCOM 370)

JCOM 373 Advanced Media Relations 4 credits
This class teaches students best practices in strategic media relations, and how to build quality relationships that will help practitioners get their organization’s and clients’ news placed in targeted news outlets. Students will enhance their ability to strategize, pitch, plan, and deliver content on behalf of an organization; tailor communications based on audience and objective; and prepare “client-ready” materials. Prerequisite: JCOM 371)

JCOM 470 Strategic Communications Research Methods 4 credits
This course is designed to provide you with an understanding of common research methods used in public relations and advertising when developing, implementing, and evaluating a strategic campaign. The class emphasizes real world applications. Prerequisite: JCOM 311, or 330, or 350, or 370)

JCOM 471 The Public Relations Planning Process 4 credits
In this course, students will learn public relations campaign planning and administration, crisis communication and issues management, applied research, writing objectives and tactics, evaluation methods, and constructing budgets and timelines. While students do not execute a campaign in this class, it equips them with the process to be able to execute effectively in the capstone PR Campaigns class. Prerequisite: JCOM 371)

JCOM 472 Public Relations Campaigns 4 credits
Public Relations Campaigns is the capstone course in the sequence of instruction offered in public relations. It provides students with an opportunity to apply the fundamentals of what they have learned over their course of study to actual client work and business problems. The course is designed to build professional experience and prepare you for the world that awaits you after graduation. Prerequisites: JCOM 373, 470, and 471)

JCOM 473 Public Relations Strategies: [Topic] 4 credits
This course will cover various topics in public relations, and topics will rotate based on faculty expertise. Students can expect to engage in discussions and assignments about current public relations trends, career preparation, and public relations case studies. Example topics include professional development, strategic health communication, and strategic nonprofit communication. Repeatable 3 times for a maximum of 16 credits when topic changes.

JCOM 474 Crisis Communication 4 credits
Covers crisis planning, communications, and issues management with an emphasis on real-world application and case study analysis of sudden events and crisis. Classes will include lecture, online and in-class discussion, and student presentations. Students will also participate in media training for crisis situations and a real-time online scenario.

JCOM 475 New Technology and Public Relations 4 credits
This course provides an overview of the latest technologies communicators are using to reach their audiences. Participants will have the opportunity to experience and study PR use cases for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR), mixed reality (MR), and artificial intelligence (AI).

JCOM 476 Social Media Strategies 4 credits
This course focuses on social media research, analysis, and planning. It is designed to build on students’ existing foundation of the “how to” of specifics tools (how to publish content) and to help students understand the why and when of social media for the purpose of building relationships and creating conversations with stakeholders and key audiences. This is accomplished through a focus on external and internal research, culminating in a strategic social plan for a client organization.

JCOM 477 Sports Public Relations 4 credits
Provides students with an overview of the rapidly developing sport industry from a public relations and strategic communications perspective.

JCOM 478 Sustainability Public Relations 4 credits
All future communication positions will involve sustainability-related activities, tasks, and challenges. In this course, we will discuss fundamental sustainability concepts and perspectives communicators must understand to effectively engage in sustainability communication and to facilitate and communicate sustainability transformations.

JCOM 486 Environmental Communication Strategies 4 credits
This course explores how public relations and advertising have played a role in the public understanding of major environmental issues. In addition, a portion of this course will focus on interpersonal communication and developing approaches to constructive climate conversations.

Academic Support and Career Advising

Need some guidance? Our academic advisors are here for you. The SOJC’s Student Success Center is your one-stop shop for undergrad academic advice and career-building tips. All undergraduate SOJC students are welcome—even if you haven’t enrolled yet. Drop in to Room 134 on the ground floor of Allen Hall or make an appointment and get on track to meet your goals.