The SOJC Honors Program is a two-year track for high-achieving undergraduates in the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. You take three honors courses that count toward your degree and complete an original thesis or creative project advised by an SOJC faculty member. Most students start in fall of their junior year.
Graduating with honors shows employers you can do rigorous, independent work, and it leaves you with a finished thesis or project for your portfolio. You'll join a small cohort of students from advertising, journalism, media studies, and public relations, working through media theory and research in seminars capped at 22 students. Because the honors courses count toward core requirements you already need, the program adds depth to your degree without adding much to your credit load. When you finish, your diploma reads "With Honors," and you wear honors regalia at commencement.
Who's Eligible?
You're likely eligible if you have a UO GPA of 3.5 or higher, or if you're in good standing with the Clark Honors College (you can pursue honors through both CHC and the SOJC). Admission is based on your academic record and recommendations from your instructors. Most students join in their junior year, though we review sophomore applications case by case.
How the Program Works
The SOJC Honors Program usually begins in fall term of your junior year and runs through graduation. It has two parts.
Honors Courses
You'll take three honors courses on media theory, research, and current issues alongside your cohort, usually one per term. All three count toward the "core context" courses required for your SOJC degree.
- JCOM 329H Media Theory and Research: The program's foundation course. You'll get an introduction to seminal communication theories and an overview of the methodologies used to study them.
- JCOM 429H Special Topics in Media Theory and Research (taken twice): A close analysis of contemporary problems in media and communication, taken as two sections. The topic changes with each cohort; past topics include reality television, journalism and human rights, digital curation, and visual ethics.
If you choose to study abroad during your junior year, you can take some of these courses in your senior year instead.
Thesis or Terminal Project
In fall term of your senior year, you'll take a 1-credit thesis prospectus course to plan your project. You'll then work with an SOJC faculty advisor through the rest of the year to complete an original thesis or creative work that applies the theory and research skills from your honors courses.
Students have written research theses on internal communication at PR firms, how press framing of Supreme Court decisions affects citizen behavior, how climate change communication differs by region, and the history of video game ratings. Others have produced documentaries, magazines, and public service campaigns.
Clark Honors College students: Your CHC 2-credit prospectus course substitutes for the SOJC fall thesis workshop, and your CHC thesis counts as your SOJC honors thesis as long as an SOJC faculty member is your primary advisor.
Careers and Outcomes
An honors credential and a completed thesis give you concrete evidence of your skills when you apply for jobs. Recent SOJC Honors graduates have gone on to work at:
- Advertising agencies including Wieden + Kennedy and 72andSunny
- News and media organizations such as Slate, the Wall Street Journal, and Oregon Public Broadcasting
- Public relations firms like Edelman and Maxwell PR
- Communication teams at companies including Google and Intel
How To Apply
You'll need to submit an application form with two faculty references, at least one from the SOJC; a 500-word statement; and a 2-to-8-page writing sample that shows your research and critical thinking. A research paper from a journalism course is preferred, though papers from other subjects are accepted. A professional piece like a published news article isn't suitable.
Applications typically close in mid-April, and applicants receive decisions by mid-May. Check with an advisor for the current cycle's exact date.