See what you’ll learn in SOJC required courses, and explore a few options for electives. Browse the UO Class Schedule to find out which courses are offered in the coming terms.
All students must complete the following courses to complete an SOJC bachelor's degree.
J100 Media Professions (2 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.
J101 Grammar for Communicators (2 credits)
Get an intensive review of grammar, word use, spelling, and principles of clear, concise writing. Introduction to media style. Pre-major status required.
J201 Media and Society (4 credits)
Get an introduction to the critical examination of the roles of media in society.
J211 Gateway to Media (8 credits)
Integrate critical thinking, creative thinking, and basic skills for nonfiction storytelling through words, photos, audio, and video. This is a sequence of three required courses.
J212 Writing for Communicators (4 credits)
Develop the ability to write for a variety of professional platforms and while achieving strategic purposes.
J213 Fact or Fiction (4 credits)
How to grapple with information in the digital age to evaluate credibility, social media algorithms, and data and numerical literacy.
J320 Gender, Media, and Diversity (prerequisite: J201, 4 credits)
Take 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.
J342 The Creative Strategist (4 credits)
Explore creative approaches to ideation and strategic thinking for all advertising specialties. Emphasis is on creative process, generative techniques, teamwork, career planning, and industry trends.
J385 Communication Law (prerequisite: J201, 4 credits)
Explore legal aspects of the media, including constitutional freedom of expression, news gathering, access to public records, libel, privacy, copyright, and advertising.
J387 Media History (prerequisite: J201, 4 credits)
Explore the changing structure and character of the media in the United States.
J396 International Communication (prerequisite: J201, 4 credits)
Address national and cultural differences in media, global news and information flow, implications of technological change, and communication and information policies.
J397 Media Ethics (prerequisite: J201, 4 credits)
Address ethical problems in the media, including privacy, violence, pornography, truth-telling, objectivity, media codes, public interest, and media accountability.
J408 Confidence (2 credits)
This workshop will tease you out of your comfort zone and give you a competitive advantage professionally—and in life. We use many different experiences that allow you the chance to stare fear in the eye and conquer it.
J408 Allen Hall Advertising (1–4 credits)
Student-run brand and advertising agency producing strategy and ideas for clients. Students must apply for acceptance to AHA.
J408 Typography (1 credit)
Explore the history, terminology, and use of typography, as well as some basic design principles.
J429 Media Technologies and Society: Topic (prerequisite: J201, 4 credits)
Examine how emerging communication technologies and contemporary media shape and produce new modes of social organization, behavior, and cultural production. Repeatable when topic changes.
J430 Culture and Power in the Media: Topic (prerequisite: J201, 4 credits)
Using a critical lens, examine the ways in which global media produce and reproduce social, political, and economic disparities, as well the potential for media to provide alternative perspectives, viewpoints, and forms of representation. Repeatable when topic changes.
J431 Media Structures and Regulation: Topic (prerequisite: J201, 4 credits)
Explore how the infrastructures and regulatory environments of national and global media institutions influence discourse, democracy, and public life. Repeatable when topic changes.
J443 Advertising Media Planning (4 credits)
Explore objectives and strategies for determining effective methods of reaching a designated target audience. Learn how to use media measurement tools.
J444 Advertising Account Management (4 credits)
Examine the role of the account executive in the advertising agency through case studies.
Capstone: J448 Advertising Campaigns (4 credits)
Seniors produce a comprehensive campaign involving every aspect of advertising, from market research to creative and media strategy formulation to execution.
J449 Advanced Advertising Campaigns (“Ad Team”) (5 credits)
Student teams create professional-level advertising plans for a national competition.
J457 Curiosity for Strategists (4 credits)
Explore the building of intellectual curiosity as a problem-solving technique within the context of culture and media.
J458 Writing Design Concepts (4 credits)
Practice conceptual problem-solving for traditional and emerging media. Emphasis is on conceptual development, advertising writing, design, campaigns, and presentation of developed work.
J459 Branding & Content (4 credits)
This capstone course on brand portfolio development is for writers, art directors, and strategists. Emphasis is on production, multiple-platform creative development, and industry-focused portfolios.
J460 Brand Development: Topic (4 credits)
Revolving topics cover emerging issues in branding and advertising, including strategies in digital and interactive brand solutions, media decision-making, and sustainability. Past topics have included sports brand strategy, green brand strategy, and advertising and culture. Topics change each term.
J494 Strategic Communication Research Methods (prerequisites: J201, J350, and JAD major status; 4 credits)
Get an introduction to how and why research is conducted and used by public relations and advertising professionals to formulate strategic campaigns and evaluate their effectiveness.
Academic Support and Career Advising
Need some guidance? Our academic advisors are here for you. The SOJC Student Services 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 Student Services on the ground floor of Allen Hall or make an appointment and get on track to meet your goals.