SCRIPT Your Experience
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication is committed to preparing students for meaningful work beyond graduation by supporting experiential education unique to the journalism, strategic communication, and media industries. Courses within SCRIPT immerse students in real-world situations and encourage them to develop new skills, attitudes, and ways of thinking. Beginning Fall 2025, undergraduate students majoring in journalism and mass communication are required to complete at least one experiential learning course prior to graduation.
"Requiring experiential learning for JMC majors ensures that participation in transformative experiences is not left to chance but becomes a guaranteed component of every student's education."
What is experiential learning?
Experiential learning is the practice of learning through applied experience-curricular or co-curricular-and guided reflection on those experiences (Kolb, 1984). Students "learn by doing" as they move through a cycle of active engagement, reflective observation, theory formation, and theory application.
Explore SCRIPT
Students can—and often do—engage in more than one form of experiential learning during their undergraduate studies. There are a variety of courses to explore within each category.
Study Abroad
Appreciate the relationship between your own culturally informed communication and those of your global audience.
Community Engagement
Collaborate with community partners to help solve real-world problems and make lasting change.
Research
Deepen your understanding of media research and creative discovery by contributing to the field of social science.
Internship
Gain a competitive edge with on-the-job experience while refining your career path and networking with professionals.
Professional Practice
Cultivate your skills in a semi-professional environment where in-class preparation complements off-campus work.
Teaching
Serve in teaching, leadership or mentoring roles to reinforce your understanding of the curriculum.
Getting started
Step 1
Review the SCRIPT course options to discover what type of experience resonates with you. Only one course is required to graduate, but students can—and often do—engage in more than one form of experiential learning.
Step 2
Determine the best semester to fit an experience into your academic plan. Some courses are exploratory while others have prerequisites and may not be offered every semester. Most students complete their SCRIPT experience prior to enrolling in a capstone course.
Step 3
Register for an approved course in MyUI. A list of approved courses can be found within each category of SCRIPT.
FAQ
Why should I care about experiential learning?
Experiential learning facilitates positive outcomes on student learning, retention, and graduation rates, especially for first-generation, Pell-eligible, and underrepresented minority students. These opportunities provide students with academic advantages, career development benefits and increased earning potential.
University of Iowa students who participate in experiential learning:
- Earn a post-graduation salary approximately $7000 higher than those who do not participate
- Receive more full-time job offers in their field of study after graduation than those who do not participate
- Graduate within four years at higher rates than those who do not participate
Does SCRIPT apply to me?
Undergraduate students who declare a major in journalism and mass communication (JMC) in fall 2025 or after are required to successfully complete one SCRIPT course prior to graduation. Students who declared a major in JMC before fall 2025 do not need to complete an experiential learning course, but are still encouraged to do so.
The SCRIPT requirement does not apply to students majoring in sport media and culture (SMC).
How do I fulfill the requirement?
You must complete at least one approved course within any category of SCRIPT.
- There is no minimum semester hour requirement. SCRIPT can be satisfied with 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4-credit courses.
- The approved course must be completed with a satisfactory or passing grade.
- The course number must be listed on your transcript to count toward the degree requirement.
Do 0-credit courses count?
Yes. There is no minimum semester hour requirement to fulfill SCRIPT.
SCRIPT courses with 0-credit options are offered to:
- Eliminate tuition and fees associated with enrollment
- Provide transcript notation of your participation in an experience
- Fulfill the SCRIPT requirement for experiences that are paid or do not offer academic credit
When should I register?
You can register for an experiential learning course at any point during your undergraduate studies. Some courses are more exploratory, while others are geared toward professional preparation and may have prerequisites. Most students complete a SCRIPT experience prior to enrolling in their capstone course.
Is there a course to guide me?
The department offers a First-Year Seminar and an introductory course to guide students through their SCRIPT options. These courses also connect students to career resources and faculty experts in the field of journalism and mass communication.
JMC:1000 First-Year Seminar: SCRIPT Your Experience in Journalism and Mass Communication (1 semester hour)
JMC:1010 Introduction to Experiential Learning (1 semester hour)
Who can help?
Tamara Ewoldt, Experiential Learning Specialist, can assist students majoring in journalism and mass communication with SCRIPT course options, enrollment procedures, and completing the experiential learning degree requirement.
University resources
The University of Iowa provides general information concerning research, internships, studying abroad, and experiential learning: