Journalism
About the Journalism Concentration
The Journalism concentration of the Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies is designed to give students a solid foundation in newswriting and reporting for a variety of mediums: newspaper, radio, television, and the Internet. Instruction emphasizes reporting in today’s 24-7 media news cycle. Students will acquire advanced skills in Internet research, verifying sources for accuracy, conducting effective interviews, blogging, and repurposing the same news story for different audiences and mediums. Completing the program prepares students for a career in journalism, writing for business or non-profits, or to advance to a graduate program of study.
Program Requirements
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the vital role journalism plays in a democracy and the challenges the industry faces developing a sustainable economic model for the Internet.
- Recognize the ethical responsibility of the journalist to seek truth and report it.
- Identify the stylistic differences between print, broadcast, sports, and online journalism, and the full-time positions available in each.
- Master writing news leads, news story structure, beat reporting, and feature writing for a variety of mass mediums.
- Develop proper grammar and word usage skills that adhere to Associated Press style.
- Acquire fundamental reporter skills including developing sources, preparing interviews, and conducting online research.
- Create a news writing portfolio.
Program Snapshot
Credits: 120
Learning Format: On Campus
Semester Length: 15 weeks
Typical Time to Completion:
Typical Time to Completion:
4 years
Journalism Career Track
A reporter or news-writer position has long been the default job for anyone pursuing coursework in journalism. That mindset, however, has evolved as consumers gravitate towards the Internet and social media to satisfy their news needs. To prepare for tomorrow’s careers, journalism students should be multi-taskers, capable of interviewing eye-witnesses, shooting and editing video, writing the story, and then repurposing everything for the company website. Popular careers for print journalists are beat reporter, news writer, and editor; while on-air reporters and news anchors, and behind-the-scene producers remain popular choices for radio and TV. By focusing on skill acquisition and a well-rounded liberal arts education, journalists can also find employment opportunities writing for the financial industry, corporate communication departments, public relation firms, or grant-writing for higher education or non-profit organizations.