Narrative Journalism (Concentration)
Students who matriculated prior to the Fall of 2021 are eligible to graduate with a Narrative Journalism concentration. Students who matriculated after 2021 should consult the Journalism degree requirements, as the Narrative Journalism concentration has been replaced by major and minor options in Journalism. Many former NJ courses now carry the JOUR departmental designation.
Program Guidelines
The concentration in Narrative Journalism—prose that combines literary attention to storytelling with sound, fact-based research, offers students from all majors a structured opportunity to gain writing experience and exposure to potential career paths in this exciting field. This concentration will prepare students to write for a wide readership across a variety of media platforms. It is firmly grounded in the liberal arts, bringing together existing courses in narrative writing and research methods, independent semester and/or summer research projects, and real world experiences, including internships and campus writing opportunities. The concentration supplements existing courses in expository and creative writing to help students from a wide range of majors integrate their academic coursework with their extracurricular and work experiences. It aims to provide the structure and faculty mentorship that will help students make those connections in a thoughtful and intentional way. In addition to coursework, students in the concentration have access to many unique opportunities including workshops, reporting trips, seminars, and internships.
Faculty
Jack Shuler, Chair
Ron Abram, Molly Born, Michael Croley, Peter Grandbois, Erik Klemetti, Sangeet Kumar, Andrew McCall, Alan Miller, Sheilah ReStack, Laura Russell, Jesse Schlotterbeck, Margot Singer, Doug Swift, James Weaver
Narrative Journalism Concentration
Students who matriculated prior to the Fall of 2021 are eligible to graduate with a Narrative Journalism concentration. Students who matriculated after 2021 should consult the Journalism degree requirements, as the Narrative Journalism concentration has been replaced by major and minor options in Journalism. Many former NJ courses now carry the JOUR departmental designation.
Core Course Requirements
Required courses for the completion of the concentration are:
- ENGL 221 - Literary Nonfiction
- ENGL 237 - Introduction to Creative Writing
- ENGL 384 - Creative Nonfiction Writing
- One to three approved electives
- At least one summer or semester-long research or internship
- Group colloquia
- At least one semester of senior research
Electives
Elective courses shall be approved by the Narrative Journalism Writing Committee. Elective courses must provide either substantial narrative writing experience in a variety of forms or exposure to key disciplinary research methods.
Courses that are not explicitly designated as electives may be counted toward the concentration on a case-by-case basis with permission of the Narrative Journalism Writing Concentration Committee. Elective courses that are restricted to departmental majors will not be open to non-major narrative journalism writing concentrators without instructor permission.
English majors must take at least three non-English course electives and English minors must take at least two non-English course electives. Non-English majors must take at least one elective.
Elective courses include the following (as well as those accepted via petition to concentration chair):
| Code | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| ARTS 117 | Introduction to Photography | |
| ARTS 222 | Contemporary Comics | |
| ANSO 350 | Field Research Methods | |
| ANSO 351 | Survey Research Methods | |
| CINE 104 | Film Aesthetics and Analysis | |
| CINE 328 | ||
| COMM 108 | Introduction to Writing for Print and Online | |
| COMM 227 | New Literacy Lab | |
| COMM 328 | Communication Law | |
| COMM 350 | Advanced Journalism | |
| DA 101 | Introduction to Data Analytics | |
| ENGL 310 | Studies in Literature | |
| ENGL 383 | Fiction Writing | |
| ENVS 236 | Political Ecology | |
| ENVS 256 | Farmscape: Visual Immersion in the Food System | |
| ENVS 334 | Sustainable Agriculture | |
| HIST 310 | Research Seminar in East Asian History | |
| or HIST 320 | Research Seminar in Middle Eastern History | |
| or HIST 330 | Research Seminar in African History | |
| or HIST 340 | Research Seminar in Latin American History | |
| or HIST 350 | Research Seminar in Pre-Modern European History | |
| or HIST 360 | Research Seminar Comparative History | |
| NJ 310 | Special Topics in Narrative Journalism | |
| POSC 201 | Analyzing Politics | |
Additional Points of Interest
Summer or Semester-long Research or Internship Experience
NNW concentrators must complete an on- or off-campus internship that engages with narrative journalism. For example, concentrators may pursue internships with University Communications, Denison Magazine, a local news organization, or a media-oriented nonprofit organization. Alternatively, concentrators may undertake a summer research project focused on producing a significant work of narrative journalism. If summer projects or internships are not feasible, concentrators may undertake semester-long directed research and/or internships instead.
All internships and research projects must be approved by the Narrative Journalism Writing Concentration Committee. Students requiring funding support from Denison for internships must demonstrate need, submit competitive proposal requests, and meet Career Exploration standards for ensuring high quality internships or alternative field experiences.
Colloquia
Once or twice per semester, the narrative journalism concentration will sponsor colloquia designed to explore the professional world of narrative journalism. These sessions will focus on a variety of topics, such as: journalistic ethics, types of narrative journalism publications, writing careers and internships, how to develop a portfolio, how to build a social media platform, the role of editors and agents, etc. There will also be opportunities to meet with recent graduates, attend talks and readings given by professional writers, and go on field trips. Colloquia are mandatory for seniors (and optional for all other students) in the concentration.
Senior Research
Students participating in the narrative journalism concentration must complete at least one semester of senior research. Research may be conducted in any relevant department, depending on the project.
Alternatively, an independent study undertaken during the senior year may replace senior research in cases where departmental senior research requirements preclude significant work in narrative journalism.
English majors with a creative writing emphasis must complete the required yearlong senior creative writing project with at least one semester devoted to nonfiction.
Advising
All concentrators will have a designated advisor chosen from the members of the Narrative Journalism Writing Committee.
Courses
NJ 100 - Senior Colloquium (0 Credit Hours)
Once or twice per semester, the narrative journalism concentration will sponsor colloquium designed to explore the professional world of narrative journalism. These sessions will focus on a variety of topics, such as: journalistic ethics, types of narrative journalism publications, writing careers and internships, how to develop a portfolio, how to build a social media platform, the role of editors and agents, etc. There will also be opportunities to meet with recent graduates, attend talks and readings given by professional writers, and go on field trips. Colloquium are mandatory for seniors (and optional for all other students) in the concentration.
NJ 199 - Introductory Topics in Narrative Journalism (1-4 Credit Hours)
A general category used only in the evaluation of transfer credit.
NJ 250 - Documentary Film and Media (4 Credit Hours)
This class is an introduction to the study of documentary film making. We will cover this subject as a topic of film analysis (attending to the formal characteristics of film), history (examining landmark films and film movements in the development of documentary), and theory (exploring larger, more philosophical questions raised by non-fiction films). Students will work in a variety of formats (short and long writing assignments, in-class exercises, and oral presentation), as we address the following questions. Who are the most vital documentary filmmakers both historically and of our time? What defines a documentary as opposed to other film genres or modes? What are the subjects that are particularly suited to exploration through documentary film making? How variously do documentarians define truth and by what ethical contracts do they consider themselves bound? Feature-length films are the central focus of the class, but we will also work with television series, radio programs, and non-fiction writing.
NJ 299 - Intermediate Topics in Narrative Journalism (1-4 Credit Hours)
A general category used only in the evaluation of transfer credit.
NJ 310 - Special Topics in Narrative Journalism (4 Credit Hours)
Narrowly-focused courses exploring specific genres, mediums, topics, or journalistic skills. These courses are frequently cross-listed with other departments and/or programs.
NJ 361 - Directed Study (1-4 Credit Hours)
NJ 362 - Directed Study (1-4 Credit Hours)
NJ 363 - Independent Study (1-4 Credit Hours)
NJ 364 - Independent Study (1-4 Credit Hours)
NJ 399 - Advanced Topics in Narrative Journalism (1-4 Credit Hours)
A general category used only in the evaluation of transfer credit.
NJ 451 - Senior Research (4 Credit Hours)
Individually designed projects on selected topics in Narrative Journalism.
NJ 452 - Senior Research (4 Credit Hours)
Individually designed projects on selected topics in Narrative Journalism.
ENGL 221 - Literary Journalism (4 Credit Hours)
A survey of literary nonfiction writing in the 20th and 21st centuries that will ground students in the history and more recent developments of the genre as well as the ethical dilemmas of the genre.
Crosslisting: JOUR 200.
ENGL 237 - Introduction to Creative Writing (4 Credit Hours)
Offers a basic understanding of and experience in writing poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction and teaches students to pay close attention to language and narrative, central elements of all long-form nonfiction writing.
ENGL 384 - Creative Nonfiction Writing (4 Credit Hours)
Gives students in-depth experience in narrative writing in a variety of literary nonfiction forms, ranging from the lyric and personal essay to long-form reportage.
Prerequisite(s): ENGL 237.