John Cabot University is pleased to announce the launch of new minors in Journalism and Criminology starting in Fall 2026.
Minor in Journalism
The Minor in Journalism provides students with the knowledge, skills, and experience required to participate and flourish in today’s dynamic journalism environment. It will prepare students for professional careers in print and online journalism, broadcast journalism, technical writing, online writing, social media, writing for advocacy, and other fields. The minor will also provide students with the knowledge and experience to apply their learning across a wide range of fields such as law, marketing, public relations, psychology, language studies, literature, business, and international affairs.
Students will build proficiency in media and information literacy, strengthen their ability to navigate digital and social media environments, and critically engage with the ethics of journalism as well as the growing influence of artificial intelligence on communication and professional practices.
The minor provides a focused and coherent path towards greater proficiency and critical understanding of all forms of journalism and multimedia production, and allows students additional latitude to hone their skills in this area. Students will also have the opportunity to contribute to student publications in a variety of formats.
Students will take Introduction to News Reporting and Writing, and then five additional classes from a list that includes Digital Storytelling and Community Engagement, Creative Nonfiction, Media Ethics, and Free Speech in a Comparative Perspective.
Says Professor Peter Sarram, Chair of the Department of Communication and Media Studies at JCU, "Journalism has always been part of the Communication and Media Studies curriculum — students in the major have long been able to pursue a concentration in journalism and integrate theory and practice into their studies. The minor now opens that up to students from across the University, who can bring their own backgrounds — international affairs, business, psychology, the humanities, English, creative writing, art history — into their reporting and multimedia work, producing content for different platforms and hopefully connecting with the emancipatory potential of journalism."
Minor in Criminology
The Minor in Criminology offers students in any degree program the opportunity to develop a critical understanding of crime, criminal behavior, and the functioning of criminal justice systems in national and international contexts.
Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives from sociology, psychology, law, and political science, it encourages students to analyze crime not merely as a legal category but as a complex social phenomenon shaped by historical, political, cultural, psychological, and economic forces. Students will gain the theoretical foundations to critically assess criminal justice policies and to engage with key debates on crime prevention, punishment, and social justice.
The Minor complements all of JCU’s BA programs, and is particularly relevant for students in International Affairs, Political Science, and Psychology.
After taking Introduction to Criminology, students will choose five additional courses from a list that includes Globalization and Crime, Psychology and Law, Green Criminology, and Human Trafficking and Contemporary Slavery.
Professor Paola Castelli, Chair of JCU’s Department of Psychological and Social Sciences, says, “We are happy to launch the Minor in Criminology, which reflects growing student interest and JCU’s commitment to innovative liberal arts education. As a university in Rome, JCU offers students a unique opportunity to connect with the intellectual legacy of Italy, where many of the foundations of modern criminological thought first emerged, while engaging critically with contemporary issues of crime and justice. A special thanks goes to Professor Clough Marinaro, who was instrumental in bringing this exciting new program to life.”
