Journalism
The Journalism Department at Orange Coast College offers a range of courses designed to guide students from the basics of news writing and reporting to understanding the depth and scope of newsgathering in the 21st century. Students receive personal and hands-on experience in all aspects of journalistic writing from experienced faculty, which includes professional, practicing journalists. The department provides invaluable journalistic training in journalism through our award-winning newspaper, Coast Report, and students who graduate from our program will be ready for leadership positions on university newspapers and magazines as well as entry-level positions in the professional workplace.
Department Contact Information
Credit Courses
JOUR A1103 Units (54 lecture hours)
News Writing and Reporting
Advisory: ENGL C1000 (English A100) or concurrent enrollment.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
Beginning journalists will acquire the skills to write practical news stories under deadline pressure with a focus on accuracy, balance, and style. Writing assignments will include police stories, obituaries, speech coverage, round-ups, and feature stories.
C-ID: JOUR 110.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A110
- Communications Studies 2.0, Associate in Arts Degree for Transfer (AA-T)
- English
- English (ENGL)
- Journalism
- Journalism (JOUR)
- Journalism, Associate in Arts Degree
- Journalism, Associate in Arts Degree for Transfer (AA-T)
- Mass Communications/Media Studies, Associate in Arts Degree
- OCC Associate in Arts General Education 2026-2027
JOUR A1133 Units (54 lecture hours)
Social Media Journalism
Grading Mode: Standard Letter
Transfer Credit: CSU.
This course is for any student interested in Digital Journalism, and the Social Media Strategies Certificate of Achievement and will help them understand the issue of social media as a vital part of news gathering and branding. The course will allow students to create and maintain both a professional and personal presence on social media working in the various social media platforms.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A113
JOUR A1154 Units (54 lecture hours; 54 lab hours)
Student Newspaper I
Advisory: ENGL C1000; and JOUR A110 or concurrent enrollment.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
Assist in all aspects of newspaper planning, writing, design and production. Requires writing news and feature stories on deadline, commentary, writing headlines, designing pages, editing, and layout techniques. Students will use state-of-the-art computer design, graphics, and word processing software in a professional setting. C-ID: JOUR 130.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A115
JOUR A1164 Units (54 lecture hours; 54 lab hours)
Multi-Media Reporting and Producing
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
Students will acquire the skills needed to research, write and produce multi-media stories for posting online, including online newspaper sites. Students will gain a basic understanding of digital photography, videography, and photo editing software. C-ID: JOUR 120.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A116
JOUR A1173 Units (54 lecture hours)
Feature Writing
Advisory: JOUR A110 and ENGL C1000, or concurrent enrollment.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
A writing workshop focusing on student writing and marketing in-depth non-fiction feature articles. Emphasis will be on guiding students and developing interesting non-fiction stories from the idea stage through publication and finding suitable markets for publication. Enrollment Limitation: ENGL A117; students who complete JOUR A117 may not enroll in or receive credit for ENGL A117.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A117
JOUR A1231 Unit (18 lecture hours)
Social Media Journalism II
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
This course will build on the basics of social media for students enrolled in the student newspaper. Students will use social media planning software to post stories and photographs on various platforms and help drive traffic to the campus newspaper’s website. An introduction to social media etiquette will also be reinforced.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A123
JOUR A1254 Units (54 lecture hours; 54 lab hours)
Student Newspaper II
Prerequisite(s): JOUR A115.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
Assist in all aspects of newspaper planning and writing. Requires writing news and feature stories on deadline, along with commentaries, sports and arts and culture stories and reviews. Students will continue to practice basic newswriting and feature writing skills while expanding background to include sports and arts stories.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A125
JOUR A1331 Unit (18 lecture hours)
Social Media Journalism III
Prerequisite(s): JOUR A123.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
This course will build on the basics of social media for students enrolled in the student newspaper. Students will use social media planning software to post stories and photographs on various platforms and help drive traffic to the campus newspaper’s website. An introduction to social media etiquette will also be reinforced.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A133
JOUR A1354 Units (54 lecture hours; 54 lab hours)
Student Newspaper III
Prerequisite(s): JOUR A125.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
Assist in all aspects of newspaper planning, writing, design and production. Requires writing headlines, designing pages, editing, and layout techniques. Students will use state-of-the-art computer design, graphics, and word processing software in a professional setting.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A135
JOUR A1431 Unit (18 lecture hours)
Social Media Journalism IV
Prerequisite(s): JOUR A133.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
This course will build on the basics of social media for students enrolled in the student newspaper. Students will use social media planning software to post stories and photographs on various platforms and help drive traffic to the campus newspaper’s website. An introduction to social media etiquette will also be reinforced.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A143
JOUR A1454 Units (54 lecture hours; 54 lab hours)
Newspaper Production Level 4
Prerequisite(s): JOUR A135.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
Assist in all aspects of newspaper planning, writing, design and production. Requires writing news and features stories on deadline, commentary, writing headlines, designing pages, editing, and layout techniques. Students will use state-of-the-art computer design, graphics, and word processing software in a professional setting. Students will also use social media to promote readership.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A145
JOUR A1853 Units (36 lecture hours; 54 lab hours)
Photojournalism
Grading Mode: Standard Letter
Transfer Credit: CSU.
Covers the fundamentals of photojournalism with students gaining practical experience in the creative process and techniques of making photographs for publication. Work will be assigned for publication in the campus newspaper, Coast Report. C-ID: JOUR 160.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A185
JOUR A1991-2 Units (18-36 lecture hours)
Current Issues in Journalism
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
This course explores current issues in the field of journalism, rotating through a variety of topics, including but not limited to citizen journalism, ethics and niche journalism.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A199
JOUR A2151 Unit (18 lecture hours)
Coast Report Editorial Board Level 1
Prerequisite(s): Must be editor on Coast Report staff.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
This course is for the editorial board of the student newspaper. The editors will meet once per week to discuss policy matters, the upcoming issue and the instructor’s critique of the past one.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A215
JOUR A2251 Unit (18 lecture hours)
Coast Report Editorial Board Level 2
Prerequisite(s): JOUR A215 and must be editor on Coast Report staff.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
This course is for the editorial board of the student newspaper. The editors will meet once per week to discuss policy matters, the upcoming issue and the instructor's critique of the past one. The editors will also design and write headlines for the paper.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A225
JOUR A2351 Unit (18 lecture hours)
Coast Report Editorial Board Level 3
Prerequisite(s): JOUR A225 and must be editor on Coast Report staff.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
This course is for the editorial board of the student newspaper. The editors will meet once per week to discuss policy matters, the upcoming issue and the instructor's critique of the past one. The editors will also write editorials and do advanced layout of the paper and begin directing content for CoastReportOnline.com.
Catalog Program Pages Referencing JOUR A235
JOUR A2451 Unit (18 lecture hours)
Coast Report Editorial Board Level 4
Prerequisite(s): JOUR A235 and must be editor on Coast Report staff.
Co-requisite(s): JOUR A145.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
This course is for the editorial board of the student newspaper. The editors will meet once per week to discuss policy matters, the upcoming issue and the instructor's critique of the past one. The editors will work independently to produce each week's paper and stay up to date on posting content to CoastReportOnline.com.