Georgetown College’s new minor in journalism, which was approved by the Executive Curriculum Committee in January, is now accepting applications for its first crop of students.

The minor will require six classes, including “Introduction to Journalism,” “Digital News,” “Media Techniques,” a Journalism Capstone and two electives.

Although the minor is hot off the press, classes focusing on journalism have been offered through the English department for years. Barbara Feinman Todd, current director of the university’s journalism program, is leading the new minor.

“I think it’s important because there’s a huge interest in journalism and a desire by the students to have a formal program,” she said.

According to Feinman Todd, the journalism minor is long overdue.

“I wanted this to happen for a long time,” she said. “Georgetown is the perfect place for journalism.”

Chester Gillis, dean of Georgetown College, said the absence of a journalism minor may have kept students from choosing to attend Georgetown in the past.

“It fits well with what we do,” he said. “I’ve had students who were accepted at multiple universities … but wanted this piece of the curriculum. And now that we have it, they’ll come.”

The application deadline for the minor is March 15, and acceptance results will be released beforepreregistration for the fall semester.

Some students interested in the minor were surprised to learn that such a program had not been previously implemented.

“Considering that [Georgetown has] majors like medieval studies, and minors like Russian literature and culture, the idea that Georgetown neglected training in such an essential facet of human culture and society — the art of communication — was mind-blowing,” Lindsey Turner (COL ’14) wrote in an email.

According to Feinman Todd, although the program targets sophomores, some juniors who have taken the requisite courses will also be eligible to apply. She will hold an information session about the new program Feb. 24.