The board of trustees at historically Black Morehouse College in Atlanta has approved a new bachelor’s degree in journalism in sports, culture, and social justice. Journalism previously was a minor within the English major.
Morehouse students pursuing the 30-credit hour degree program will take foundational courses in news writing, multimedia and visual storytelling, and mass media law. Students in the new major will have three possible tracks – sports journalism, arts and culture, and social justice journalism.
Students can also develop leadership skills and build their portfolio working as a member of the college’s student news organization, The Maroon Tiger, which includes Tiger TV. Students from fellow Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC) member institutions Clark Atlanta University and Spelman College will be able to cross-register to take Morehouse journalism courses as electives.
“Journalism keeps our democracy in check and our populace informed, which is more important now than ever,” said Ron Thomas, a sports reporter for 34 years before he became the director of the journalism program at Morehouse. “Since its inception as a minor in 2010, our program’s motto has been ‘Changing the Face of Journalism.’ Our graduates continue to break barriers, while uplifting marginalized voices and perspectives, which levels the playing field for story representation in media.”
Thomas is a graduate of the University of Rochester, where he majored in political science. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
