Department of Literature, Journalism and Modern Languages

Nothing beats the feeling of turning out an investigative feature that elicits well-deserved praise from the editor. Or maybe, nothing beats the feeling of writing a feature piece on a critical issue that leads complete strangers to email you and applaud your efforts. Or, nothing beats the feeling of rushing toward a deadline, frantically adding in some information received five minutes prior and filing a story in the nick of time. How about the feeling of simply seeing your name in print for the first time? All of these feelings can be experienced by you if you love to write and find a home in the Department of Literature, Journalism and Modern Languages (LJML).

Overview

PLNU offers two concentration in journalism and creative writing. In addition, journalism students are taught by real working journalists. Faculty members have been writers and editors for the Los Angeles Times, the San Diego Union-Tribune, and the New York Times.

After completing introductory courses in journalism, mass media and literature, journalism students will learn investigative reporting techniques and creative ways to tell stories through narrative writing. Upper division courses force students to grapple with media ethics and changing technology. Students have opportunities to develop skills in interviewing and editing, design layouts for the school newspaper, and create a magazine from concept to publication.

In addition, students majoring in literature, journalism, or a modern language read literature from classical to post-modern times, approach literary works from a variety of theoretical perspectives, and develop critical writing skills. Courses in creative writing and linguistics facilitate a deeper understanding of language and its use, and students may produce publishable narrative or journalistic pieces for school and local publications. As part of the curriculum, journalism students are required to write for the school’s student newspaper, The Point Weekly, for at least one semester.

Special Features:

• Opportunity to participate in prestigious internships, cultivating contacts and experience for students aspiring to write in technical, business, or journalism fields. Past students have interned with organizations such as CBS, the San Diego Union-Tribune, The Daily Transcript, Yahoo! News, as well as other local and national publications.
• Professors are knowledgeable, published writers whose works have been appeared in scholarly journals such as French Studies, The Princeton University Library Chronicle, and The Journal of Mass Media Ethics, as well as The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times.
• Department faculty have received major national grants including several from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Fulbright Fellowship Grant, and the Del Amo Foundation.
• Opportunity to join Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego chapter.
• Alumni have gone on to work at newspapers and magazines in San Diego and nationally, as reporters, editors and photographers.
• Opportunity to work on staff for The Point Weekly, the annual yearbook or the The Driftwood, a literary magazine.
• The Annual Writers’ Symposium By the Sea, which has hosted such writers as Ray Bradbury, George Plimpton, Amy Tan, Rick Reilly, Kathleen Norris, Bill Moyers and Donald Miller.
  

Career Opportunities:

• Print or Broadcast Journalism
• Reporter
• Magazine Editor
• Photo journalist
• Publishing
• Public Relations
• Novelist
• Teaching