Electronic News

Career potential

Advances in technology and a decrease in leisure time have changed how people get their daily news. Today, more people receive their news via the television, the radio and the Internet. Industry-wide, collaboration within newsrooms is increasing to help deliver current news faster.

A bachelor's degree in electronic news from the University of North Texas will prepare you for a career in this ever-changing and exciting field. Upon graduation, you will have the skills to write, report, shoot, edit and produce news packages for radio, television and the Internet.

UNT's Career Center can help you prepare to pursue your career. The center has information about jobs and employers, and the staff can help you with resume and letter writing, job search strategies and interview preparation.

Majoring in electronic news

The electronic news major is a shared degree program between the journalism and the radio, television and film departments. Course work in the program will include:

• writing and reporting for radio and television
• writing and reporting for the Internet
• interviewing and performance
• shooting, recording and editing for television and radio
• shooting, recording and editing for the Internet
• television and radio news producing
• news media analysis
• legal and ethical issues
• covering cross-cultural communities

Admission to UNT does not guarantee admission into the electronic news program. Program admission is a separate application process. Among the program admission requirements are a passing grade on the Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation (GSP) exam and completion of at least 45 hours of College of Arts and Sciences core courses with a minimum 2.75 GPA. You will have to maintain a minimum 2.75 GPA to complete this major. Consult the electronic news advisor for more information about the program requirements.

You can register for the GSP exam at www.unt.edu/writinglab by clicking on the Calendar of Events link.

While pursuing your degree, you will learn from faculty members who are award-winning journalists and seasoned media professionals.

Getting hands-on experience

You can gain additional knowledge about the industry by working at the on-campus FM radio or cable television stations.

KNTU-FM is UNT's 100,000-watt radio station that can be heard throughout Denton and the Dallas-Fort Worth region 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The station will offer you opportunities to work in news and sports announcing, promotion and programming, sales and development, and station administration. Students have earned recognition from regional media organizations such as the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters.

North Texas Television is UNT's cable access station, a production laboratory where you learn to produce videotaped programs and to operate a cable television station. All UNT students can apply for a position with NTTV. Two students at the station recently earned Mark of Excellence awards from the regional chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Seminars about the Spanish media are offered by the Spanish Language Media Center. This center is one of the nation's first comprehensive training and research programs for Spanish-speaking media professionals.

UNT's Cooperative Education and Internships office can help you arrange internships with media organizations in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. The journalism department also maintains a list of internships at www.jour.unt.edu under the info/announcements link.

Preparing for UNT

If you are a high school student, we suggest you prepare for college by becoming computer proficient and taking:

• English … 4 years
• Math … 4 years
• Social science — economics, geography, government, history … 4 years
• Science … 3 years
• Foreign language … 3 years
• Fine arts … 1 year

You will need to take courses in most of these subjects under the university core curriculum required of all undergraduates, in addition to your major courses. Talk with your high school counselor about preparing for college, including the entrance exams (SAT Reasoning Test or ACT) that you should take during your junior year.

As a benefit for transfer students, UNT participates in the Texas Common Course Numbering System. This system makes it easier to transfer credits for general academic courses from one Texas institution to another.

If you're attending a Texas community college, you should consult the UNT Transfer Guide, the UNT Undergraduate Catalog and an academic counselor/advisor to discuss your degree plan. Proper planning will help you receive the maximum amount of transfer credits.

Charting your path with academic advising

An academic advisor will help you to select courses necessary to earn your degree. They also will give you career guidance and advice. The electronic news advising office is in the Radio, TV, Film and Performing Arts Building, Room 266.

Curious about courses and other features of this major?
See the current catalog.