University of Michigan. Department of journalism

The study of journalism at the University of Michigan began in 1890/91 when Fred Newton Scott, assistant professor of rhetoric, started a course on rapid writing. This course was dropped in 1893/94, and no further journalistic instruction was offered until 1903 when Scott brought together various courses to form a Rhetoric Department. One of these courses was Rhetoric 13 (Newspaper writing), which continued with modest additions until 1916 when a special program in journalism was-established. In 1921/22, the name of the Department of Rhetoric was officially changed to the Department of Rhetoric and Journalism to reflect more accurately the increased emphasis on this discipline. In 1929, journalism became a separate department with the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA).

Over the years the curriculum of the department has expanded. In 1933 the department began to offer graduate courses. In 1938, this part of the program was revised so that only those with a BA in journalism would be admitted. One of the strong points of the curriculum has been the experience of those who taught; virtually all of the faculty have had professional experience.

Beginning in 1947, the department initiated a program entitled, "University Lectures in Journalism," which brought many major speakers to the campus. Included were famed journalists such as I.F. Stone, Edward Lamb and Russell Barnes, as well as individuals with experience in fields related to journalism, for example, civil libertarian attorneys, cartoonists, and historians. Supplementing the lecture series, the department hosted many different conferences and workshops that focused on some of the broader issues in the filed such as questions of privacy or newspaper libel.

To provide students with experience, the department in 1947 organized a system of internships. Some of these were post-BA internships allowing the student to work on actual newspapers located both in Michigan and throughout the nation. Students were also aided in their studies by a liberal scholarship program.

Beginning in 1925, the department published a laboratory newspaper, the Michigan Journalist. Published several times a year, the newspaper served as a showcase for student writing and reporting.

On July 1, 1979, the Department of Journalism merged with the Department of Speech Communication and Theatre to form the Department of Communication.

From the guide to the Dept. of Journalism (University of Michigan) research papers, 1967-1978, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)