The pathway below represents an efficient and effective course taking sequence for this program. Individual circumstances might require some changes to this pathway. It is always recommended that you meet with an academic counselor to develop a personalized educational plan.
The courses have been intentionally placed and should be prioritized in
the order
in which they appear. If you are unable to take all the courses in
a semester, you
should prioritize enrolling in the courses in the order below.
Some courses have
been noted as “Appropriate for Intersession” 
. Should you need (or want) to take
classes
in the summer and/or winter intersessions,
the program recommends these courses as appropriate for the condensed
schedule of
the intersessions.
Some pathways combine a “Certificate of Achievement” and an “Associate
Degree”. If
you are pursuing only the Certificate of Achievement, you are only
required to take
the courses marked “Program Requirement” 
.
All pathways include at least one “Gateway Course” 
which introduces you to the program and/or field of study and helps you
decide if you want to continue with this Academic and Career Path.
Most Associate degrees (though not Associate Degrees for Transfer)
require satisfying the SMC Global Citizenship requirement. If the Program
Requirements do not include a “Global Citizenship course” 
, be sure to select a General Education course that also satisfies Global Citizenship.
The Associate in Arts in Journalism for Transfer (AA-T) involves the methods and techniques for gathering, processing and delivering news, and prepares students to be professional print and multimedia journalists. Included is instruction in news writing and editing, reporting and multimedia story production, professional standards and ethics and journalism history and research. Careers in this field include book editor, copywriter, film critic, foreign correspondent, freelance writer, online editor, multimedia story producer, journalist, magazine editor, news anchor, newspaper editor, publicist, sportswriter and technical writer.
Upon completion of the Associate in Arts in Journalism for Transfer (AA-T), students will have a strong academic foundation in the field and be prepared for upper division baccalaureate study. Completion of the degree indicates that the student will have satisfied the lower division requirements for transfer into journalism or similar majors for many campuses in the California State University system.
Upon completion of the program, students will:
- Upon completion of the program, students will be able to produce essential nonfiction storytelling techniques in print and multimedia formats, demonstrate the ability to work as a team member to collaborate on media production across several formats, and demonstrate an understanding of the ethical and legal issues affecting journalists.
General Education
Available Online