With social media and a 24/7 news cycle, how do we make sense of what we hear and read? At a time when everyone can publish news to a mass audience, it is essential to understand the basic elements of journalism both for those of you who hope to become journalists in the future and for those of you who seek to be better informed about the world we live in. In this course, we will discuss journalism from the viewpoint of both media professionals and news consumers. Our critical overview of the news media and the practice of journalism focus on both macro and micro perspectives. Through a series of case study discussions, you will be introduced to related mass communication and sociological theories.