Each Emphasis Area, however, has separate tracks that permit students to prepare for employment in more specialized fields. These are called Interest Areas, and students select from more than 30 choices among these. Interest Areas do not appear on transcripts or diplomas, although the transcript coursework should provide evidence of competency in the appropriate area.
Administratively, the School of Journalism is divided into Faculties, not Departments as in most other Schools and Colleges at MU. For administrative purposes, all Interest Areas are assigned to one of those Faculties except for two International Interest Areas, which are administered by the School of Journalism’s Global Programs Office. International programs, however, merely indicate an international interest. The degree is still awarded under the appropriate Emphasis Area.
To ensure maximum flexibility for students, the School also offers an Individually Designed Interest Area. Working with three faculty members, and with the approval of the associate dean for undergraduate studies, a student can design his or her program by selecting from the School’s robust offerings of more than 100 courses. Students who pursue this option must do so within accrediting guidelines and within one of the six approved Emphasis Areas.