MSC3216
JOURNALISM IN AGE OF SOC MEDIA
- Department
- Master of Sci in Comm
- Terms offered
- 3
- Data refreshed
- Jun 27, 2026
Description
Media literacy for navigating the minefield of news and information in an age when journalism has been upended by digital delivery, social media, and a deeply divided nation. Presented by an award-winning journalist and media executive with the dual purpose of serving prospective journalists as well as students wanting to be smart consumers of news media. Students will gain an understanding of how we got to today, ethical and practical pitfalls facing journalists, and how to detect not just "fake news" but subtle bias as well. Discussion includes differentiating between so-called gold standards of "objectivity" versus "fairness," but also "telling it like it is." Goals focus on developing models for better journalism and smarter news consumption. Serves also as an entry point to a spring-semester Journalism Practicum for students covering major news stories. Formerly MSPC 3216
Syllabi
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Offerings and forecast 2023–2026
| Year | Fall | Spring | Summer | Intersession |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 2030 Fall: 15% chance, low confidence. Offered in 2 of 4 fall terms since 2023. Department course count falling about 15% per year. Department faculty is about 23% below its recent average. | 2030 Spring: not enough history to forecast. | 2030 Summer: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 9 summer terms since 2018. | 2030 Intersession: 8% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 6 intersession terms since 2020. |
| 2029 | 2029 Fall: 16% chance, low confidence. Offered in 2 of 4 fall terms since 2023. Department course count falling about 15% per year. Department faculty is about 23% below its recent average. | 2029 Spring: not enough history to forecast. | 2029 Summer: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 10 summer terms since 2017. | 2029 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2028 | 2028 Fall: 17% chance, low confidence. Offered in 2 of 4 fall terms since 2023. Department course count falling about 15% per year. Department faculty is about 23% below its recent average. | 2028 Spring: not enough history to forecast. | 2028 Summer: 5% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 11 summer terms since 2016. | 2028 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2027 | 2027 Fall: 18% chance, low confidence. Offered in 2 of 4 fall terms since 2023. Department course count falling about 15% per year. Department faculty is about 23% below its recent average. | 2027 Spring: not enough history to forecast. | 2027 Summer: 5% chance, high confidence. Offered in 0 of 12 summer terms since 2015. | 2027 Intersession: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2026 | Not offered | 1 section | Not offered | No data |
| 2025 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2024 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2023 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
Meeting times
Recent first- Wed, 6:30 PM–9:30 PM ASEC303 2026
| Term | Professor | Type | Credits | Enrollment | CRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Tony J. Simollardes | Lecture | 1 | 10 of 25 enrolled | 34849 |
| Fall 2024 | Tony J. Simollardes | Lecture | 1 | 9 of 25 enrolled | 22628 |
| Fall 2023 | Tony J. Simollardes | Lecture | 1 | 5 of 25 enrolled | 22628 |