We are committed to infusing the curriculum with the latest trending topics and emerging media. By incorporating insights from industry experts, we ensure our students are prepared for the ever-evolving landscape of journalism and mass communications—check out our latest special topics and pop-up courses.
Fall 2025
Pop-up Classes
Pop-up classes are short, one-credit-hour courses designed to allow students to dive into emerging industry trends and gain skills to prepare them for future careers. Pop-up classes are open to all UNL students and are Pass/No Pass.
JOMC 492/892.791 | 1 CREDIT | P/NP
Branding Yourself in Today's Market
ONLINE | 8/25-9/26
This online asynchronous pop-up course will explore strategies in better understanding how to brand yourself in today's ever-changing market. One of the best ways to articulate your skills, experience, knowledge, and overall worth in today’s competitive job market is to create a personal brand that helps you stand out in the crowd. Learn how to formulate your own value proposition and convey your knowledge, skills, and abilities to prospective employers. This course will leverage relevant social media platforms and other online portfolio tools to help you reframe how you approach your personal brand.
Faculty: Frauke Hachtmann
JOMC 192.951 | 1 CREDIT | P/NP
NYC Media Tour
TRAVEL DATES: 10/19-10/22 | CLASS MEETINGS: 10/3, 10/24 5-6 P.M.
Sign up to go on the 2024 NYC Media Tour by Friday, Sept. 26! Explore the city, network with industry professionals and alumni over fall break! This year we are offering this NYC Media Tour experience as a pop-up class with the option of taking the class for credit. You do not need to take the class for credit to participate, but you must sign up through the form below to go on the trip. Leading up to the NYC Media Tour students will be expected to complete pre-trip assignments and attend a meeting to prepare for the trip. It is important to note that students will be responsible for their own travel and lodging costs/arrangements.
Faculty: Natalie Becerra
JOMC 392.952 | 1 CREDIT | P/NP
Sports Crisis Case Studies
In Person | 8/26 - 9/23 | Tuesdays 5:30-8:30 P.M.
Discuss current sports crisis situations, whether from the fan, team, athlete, or other stakeholder perspective. Crisis communication successes and challenges offer applied insights into current practices in PR and strategic communication. Athletes, venues, sports teams, organizations, fans and the media are all discussed.
Faculty: Betsy Emmons
JOMC 492/892.952 | 1 CREDIT | P/NP
Hudl SportsLab: Ideation & Concepting in Sports Technology
In Person | 11/7 4-7:30 p.m. | 11/8 11 a.m.-7 p.m. | 11/14 (Presentations) 4-7:30 p.m.
The world of sports technology moves fast and requires innovative thinking and creative problem solving. In this class, you'll first learn how to identify what problem needs to be solved and then how to generate a "big idea". After covering some "how to's" and best practices around creative concepting, we'll work on a real-world problem that Hudl might face where you can apply what you've learned. We'll cover all the basics as part of the "creative process". Problem identification. Project brief. Key Insights. Creative Strategy. Then it's up to you and your team to pull it all together in one week before your final pitch in front of a panel of Hudl judges.
Location: Hudl Office, 600 P St, Lincoln, NE 68508
Faculty: Trevor Meyer
JOMC 392.951 | 1 CREDIT | P/NP
Data visualization on deadline
In Person | 9/27-9/28 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Data visualization supercharges your ability to communicate to audiences. Understand the different strengths and weaknesses of modern data visualization tools including Datawrapper, Floruish, Adobe Illustrator and QGIS. Learn best design practices that can be adapted to any news organization or social media platform.
Faculty: Daniel Wheaton
JOMC 292.951 | 1 CREDIT | P/NP
Media Sales & Account Management
In Person | 11/8-11/9 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
The pop-up will explore the world of media sales and account management. The fast-paced session will touch on everything from the skill set needed to succeed in the world of media sales and account management to developing and presenting a multimedia plan for a local business.
Faculty: David Thiemann
Special Topics Classes
Special topic classes are new or emerging classes offered for three credit hours during a regular academic session - fall, spring or summer semesters.
JOUR 391.001 | 3 CREDITS
Feature Writing
In Person | TR 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Use reporting, interviewing, writing and editing skills to craft meaningful, longform feature and profile stories on people from your community whose stories will inspire, educate and provide an emotional connection to your audience
Faculty: Jessica Walsh
Students should have completed JOUR 200B, SPMC 250, BRDC 260, or ADPR 221
JOUR 491.952 | 1 credit
Investigative Depth Reporting
in person | T 8-9:15 a.m.
We're looking for students who want to dig deep and learn the skills of an investigative reporter. We'll begin with a 1-credit course in Fall 2025, to finalize your story and then begin reporting Spring 2026.
Our award-winning Depth Reporting program will be focused on one of the following topics: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in 2026; Immigration; Missing, Murdered, Marginalized Women, Nebraska Prisons; or Youth Incarceration. The topic will be finalized later this semester.
Applications are now open and interviews begin the week of April 14.
Faculty: Linda White
SPMC/JOUR 391.003 | 3 CREDITS
Sports Photojournalism
IN PERSON | TR 2-3:15 p.m.
Capture great storytelling moments of organized and competitive sports for the editorial market. Topics covered in the course will include how to prepare to cover an event, equipment needs, pregame and postgame workflow, editing on deadline and working as a team for complete coverage of a sporting event. Understand the strategies involved with covering sporting events as an individual photographer or as part of a team of photographers.
Faculty: Shoun Hill
ADPR 491/891.791 | 3 Credits
Data Analysis and Consumer Insights
Online | 10/27 to 12/19
Many people consider data analysis the heart and soul of quantitative research and consumer insights. It’s a stage of audience and media research that can be thrilling and heartbreaking at the same time. For me, data analysis is like opening presents – finally, after a long wait, data analysis lets you look inside the box! But looking inside the box doesn’t mean tearing into the wrapping paper without any delicacy. Data analysis and insight discovery involve strategy, reflection, and interpretation.
Faculty: Changmin Yan
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