Writing courses to be renamed

The journalism courses traditionally offered through the Program in Humanistic Studies will be categorized as "Seminars in Journalism and Writing" and will be listed under the course guide code JRN instead of HUM, beginning this fall.

The change was approved unanimously at a faculty meeting this month.

Carol Rigolot, executive director of the Council of the Humanities, said she hopes both undergraduates and prospective high school applicants will benefit from the new distinction.

"We have had, for about 50 years, a series of journalism courses designated as part of the humanistic program," Rigolot said. "What that meant is that it's not always easy for students to find those courses, since HUM isn't the first place one would look. JRN will be more appropriate."

Rigolot said JRN will not be introduced as a certificate program, but that it may be a possibility in the future.

The proposal to create the Seminars in Journalism and Writing was first approved by the Committee on the Course of Study, which is chaired by Nancy Malkiel and Hank Dobin, dean and associate dean of the college, respectively.

Most journalism courses are taught by visiting professors with extensive experience reporting for periodicals like Time Magazine and newspapers such as The New York Times.

This semester, courses are being offered with journalism professor David Maraniss, visiting Washington Post journalist Juliet Eilperin and Newsday's foreign editor Roy Gutman.

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"I'm convinced we have the best set of journalism courses, given their quantity and quality," Rigolot said. "We have eight to nine courses every year taught by spectacular people, but it's not apparent to a lot of high school students and Princeton undergraduates."

Jonathan Cheng '05 took a journalism seminar taught by humor columnist Joel Stein in the fall. Cheng, former vice president of the University Press Club, said he supports the creation of the JRN courses.

"This is something I had hoped they would have done a long time ago," said Cheng, who plans to begin a career in journalism after graduation. "There was talk about [journalism courses] becoming a certificate program, but I guess this is the next best thing."

Jordana Rothstein '05 enrolled in two journalism courses this past fall after discovering that the humanities program offered classes focused on journalistic writing.

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"I didn't know these courses existed until my senior year because I searched for journalism classes and found nothing," Rothstein said. "I think the change [to JRN] will make it easier for students interested in pursuing journalism to become aware of the guidance available to them through the University."