The Minor
The Gallivan Program in Journalism, Ethics, and Democracy offers a minor for students interested in working in print, broadcast, or digital news. To complete the minor, students must complete 15 credit hours in journalism-related courses, plus an internship with a professional news organization. The Gallivan Program combines training in practical skills with the study of social, political, economic, and ethical issues that journalists face, offering students a foundation in the reporting and editing principles that endure in a changing media industry.
Mission
A healthy democracy depends on an informed public making thoughtful judgments about policies that shape the lives of individuals and communities. Journalists must convey accurate, timely information that deepens the public’s understanding of the issues that affect them. From the local to the international level, and across ever-evolving forms of media, the best journalism will always be rooted in dogged, independent reporting. The Gallivan Program focuses on the profession’s highest principles to train journalists who serve the public good.
The journalism minor embeds practical and ethical training specific to the news industry within the broader scope of a liberal arts education. The content-specific knowledge students develop in their major(s), as well as critical thinking and curiosity from engaging with diverse ideas among professors and peers on a variety of subjects, sharpens an aspiring journalist’s worldview. Along with the lessons from journalism courses and student media work, Gallivan Program graduates embark on their careers prepared to succeed in the news industry and make a difference in their communities.
History
Begun in 1997 with a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation the journalism minor is now supported with endowments created by the family of Notre Dame graduate and longtime newspaper publisher John W. Gallivan. His son, the late Mickey Gallivan, led the family’s effort to ensure the journalism program would thrive in perpetuity in their father’s name.
FAQ
- Who is eligible to apply for the Gallivan Program?
- How can I improve my chances for admission?
- Who teaches the classes offered by the Gallivan Program?
- I’ll be abroad for the semester I would be required to take Fundamentals of Journalism. May I still apply to the minor?
- Can I take journalism courses that count toward the minor while studying abroad?
- How do students get internships?
- Do internships completed before acceptance into the minor count toward the Gallivan Program requirement?
- Does the journalism program supervise student media?
- Why prepare for a journalism career at a time when the news business is in such turmoil?
- Who is eligible to apply for the Gallivan Program?
All freshmen and sophomores at Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross may submit an application during the spring semester to be considered for admission to the Gallivan Program in the following fall. Students from all majors are encouraged to apply.
- How can I improve my chances for admission?
There are no prerequisites. Student media experience is taken into consideration, but not required for admission to the journalism minor. Applicants will be asked to articulate why they want to study journalism and to submit work samples in any form of media that best demonstrate their skills and interests relevant to the news industry.
- Who teaches the classes offered by the Gallivan Program?
Most classes that count for the journalism minor are taught by professionals with extensive experience in the news media. Many are award-winning reporters and editors who bring a real-world perspective of the newsroom to the Notre Dame classroom.
- I’ll be abroad for the semester I would be required to take Fundamentals of Journalism. May I still apply to the minor?
Yes. Although every student must complete the introductory course, offered only in the fall semester, those who are accepted into the Gallivan Program but will be abroad or have other academic conflicts during their first semester may consult with the director about deferring Fundamentals of Journalism, as well as options for fulfilling that and the minor’s other requirements in the future.
- Can I take journalism courses that count toward the minor while studying abroad?
Yes, if you have completed Fundamentals of Journalism. One course per semester abroad, for a maximum of three credits per semester, may count toward the journalism program’s requirements. Any course taken abroad for journalism credit must be approved in advance. Submit a course description and/or a syllabus to the director for consideration.
- How do students get internships?
The Gallivan Program funds internships with news organizations around the country, including legacy newspapers, nonprofit startups, and broadcast stations. There is no guarantee that a Gallivan student will be hired for a program-sponsored position. Any completed news internship that a student seeks on their own also will fulfill the program’s requirement. Students receive regular notifications about qualifying internships. Information sessions in the fall offer more details about program’s funded positions and the application process.
- Do internships completed before acceptance into the minor count toward the Gallivan Program requirement?
Possibly. Internships done before enrolling at Notre Dame do not count, but a position during freshman or sophomore year will be considered pending a review of the student’s work and the evaluation of an internship supervisor.
- Does the journalism program supervise student media?
No. All student media organizations at Notre Dame operate independently of the Gallivan Program. While many student journalists are part of the program, and coursework sometimes appears in campus news outlets, the program values their independence and has no oversight or influence on editorial decisions.
- Why prepare for a journalism career at a time when the news business is in such turmoil?
There will always be a need and a place for the clear, fair presentation of facts and analysis, regardless of the medium delivering news and opinion. Change is certainly a hallmark of this time, and what’s happening throughout the “new media” is reflected in several courses of the Gallivan Program’s curriculum. But the craft of journalism has enduring values and principles that deserve study and should be fundamental to anyone working in news. In addition, classes offered by the Gallivan Program help students to understand the news media and their work in a more sophisticated way, which advances more thoughtful responses to journalism and increased awareness of the obligations of citizenship.