Bachelor of Science in Visual Journalism

The craft of visual journalism combines words with images to create works of nonfiction, multi-media storytelling that communicate to the public what is happening in our world. Brooks Institute’s Bachelor of Science degree in Visual Journalism aims to prepare students to become journalistic storytellers committed to truth telling, ethical practice and the highest level of creative craftsmanship.

Students can learn to produce journalistic stories using a variety of tools, from photography and writing to video and audio content, in order to realize their research-based stories from the concept stage all the way to the final product. Topics such as documentary film and website design support the core program to prepare graduates for employment in the digital age. The intensive, real-world curriculum - locally, nationally and globally based - follows Brooks Institute's "learning by doing" approach to support students’ professional goals.

The Bachelor of Science in Visual Journalism incorporates a broad-based, experiential educational approach in which students study under instructors who are accomplished professionals. The 120-credit degree program combines 69 credits of core coursework (including 12 credits of core electives), 6 credits of business courses and 45 credits of general education studies to develop graduates with a specialized expertise in visual journalism as well as a broad understanding in other subject areas.

Brooks Institute’s BS in Visual Journalism covers six primary areas of technical and creative focus under the umbrella of nonfiction visual storytelling, including photojournalism, documentary film production, audio documentary, journalistic writing, multimedia journalism, website design, and strategies for developing a Web presence.

Core courses include*:

  • Visual Journalism 1
  • Lighting for Visual Journalists
  • Audio Documentary
  • Documentary Film Production 1
  • Documentary Film Production 2
  • Advanced Documentary Film Projects
  • Journalism 1 - Writing for Mass Media
  • Journalism 2 - Advanced Feature and Opinion Writing
  • Digital Workflow
  • Visual Journalism 2
  • Web for Visual Journalists
  • Picture Story
  • Advanced Lighting for Visual Journalists
  • Visual Journalism 3
  • Picture Editing
  • Capstone: Portfolio and Ethics

* Course offerings are subject to change.

The Visual Journalism program at Brooks Institute allows students to select from a broad variety of focused, relevant elective courses covering their specific areas of interest.

Among these elective course options are*:

  • Directing and Producing the Documentary
  • Global Storytelling 2
  • Photo Essay
  • News Photojournalism
  • Social Journalism
  • Sports Photojournalism
  • Music Video
  • Underwater Photography

*Full elective listings are available in the course catalog. Course offerings are subject to change.

The mission of Brooks Institute’s Bachelor of Science in Visual Journalism degree is to offer a contemporary, professional curriculum grounded in truthful, ethical, and creative storytelling that embraces the highest level of craftsmanship, advancing the field of journalism.

Graduating students should be equipped to:

  • Successfully demonstrate the ability to generate, research, and plan projects in the tradition of nonfiction journalistic storytelling.
  • Understand and practice an ethical approach to journalistic content gathering, exhibiting accuracy and fairness.
  • Demonstrate effective story gathering techniques using contemporary photographic, video, audio, and multimedia tools.
  • Follow journalistic guidelines and ethical standards during post-production and be able to effectively analyze and evaluate content appropriate to the target outlet.
  • Proficiently process still images, write for mass media, edit and finish video projects, mix audio, and post, deliver, and broadcast multimedia content using contemporary tools and techniques.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking through effective oral, written, and visual presentations using a variety of media and formats.
  • Understand and apply strategic business practices to market themselves and their work effectively and professionally.
  • Produce a professional portfolio demonstrating ethical, journalistic storytelling through contemporary media.

For accreditation information for this and other Brooks Institute programs, please visit our Accreditation & Affiliations page.

To learn more about Brooks Institute, our degree programs or how to apply for admission, please complete and submit the simple form at the bottom of this page. A Brooks Institute admissions representative will contact you shortly.