Graduation requirements comprise three parts: journalism coursework; nonjournalism courses required by the School; and L&S degree requirements. You must fulfill all requirements in each category to receive a Journalism Bachelor of Arts (JBA) or Journalism Bachelor of Science (JBS) degree.

Journalism Coursework

A minimum of 30 journalism credits. At least 80 credits must be taken outside journalism per College of Letters and Science regulations, so students who take more than 40 credits in journalism will need additional credits over 120 to graduate. The 80-credit rule does NOT apply to students who entered UW–Madison beginning in fall semester 2007.

Students must complete at least one track of coursework in Journalism or Strategic Communication.

Students must earn 15 credits in advanced journalism courses while in residence at UW–Madison. These are courses numbered 400 or above, except J697. Journalism courses taken in non-UW–Madison study abroad programs or transferred from other universities will not count toward this requirement.

Graduation requires a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA in each of the following categories: all journalism courses, all advanced journalism courses, all UW–Madison courses, and all intermediate/advanced UW–Madison courses.

Non-Journalism Courses: breadth requirements within the major

Introductory Social Science: Three courses from the approved list below, each from different departments. One must be an economics or political science course. Equivalent upper-level social science courses may be substituted with adviser approval. The list includes: Anthropology 100, 102, 104, 204; Economics 101, 102, 111; Geography 101, 102, 139, 140; ILS 205, 206; Philosophy 101, 102, 103, 181; Political Science 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 181, 182; Psychology 201, 202; and Sociology 125, 130, 134, 138, 140, 170, 181, 210.

Upper-Level Social Science or Humanities: 12 credits of courses with an H,S or Z breadth designation and an I, A or D difficulty designation in the Timetable. One of those courses must be in the History Department or cross-listed with History. Please note: History courses cross-listed with Journalism (such as J560) will not count toward this requirement.

NOTE: A course may be used to satisfy the Introductory social science requirement OR the upper-level social science/humanities requirement, but not both. Journalism courses or courses cross-listed with Journalism cannot apply toward either requirement. Courses taken pass/fail may not be used to fulfill either requirement—students must take these courses on a letter-grade basis.

College of Letters and Science Degree Requirements

Students also must fulfill degree requirements for a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Letters & Science. Refer to the current Undergraduate Catalog for those requirements.