How to Get a Degree in Journalism

A deree in journalism lets employers know you are serious about the field.

Many college students hoping to one day break into the world of journalism opt to enter into English or communications degree programs and sign up for a number of journalism courses along the way. Others who are completely certain that journalism is the only career choice for them desire to instead take a more focused approach to their higher education and earn a degree specifically in journalism. Having a degree in journalism can be advantageous when applying for journalism jobs as it suggests to potential employers that you are more dedicated to the field than an English major who views journalism as only one of many options.

Instructions

1. Compile a list of the top five to 10 schools you would like to attend. List the school you would ideally attend first and the school you are least interested in last.

2. Research all of the schools on your list by visiting their websites. Find out each school's requirements and whether you meet them. Search for each school's course catalog and scan the table of contents to see if the school offers a journalism degree at all. Cross any schools off your list that either do not offer degrees in journalism or have requirements that you do not meet.

3. Apply to all universities that you have not crossed off your list and wait for a response from each. Once you know which schools you have successfully been accepted to, determine which one you would most like to attend based on your prior research.

4. Enroll in that school's journalism program and meet with an adviser to discuss which classes you should take first. Be sure to communicate your specific journalism goals to that adviser since there are many different routes to take as a journalism. Let her know whether you'd prefer to go into newspaper journalism, television journalism or freelance journalism, for example.

5. Prepare and submit articles to your university's newspaper. University newspapers allow you to get published as a journalist with little or no experience, and you can add such publications on your resume.

6. Meet all deadlines on class assignments and when writing for the school newspaper. Deadlines are of utmost importance in the field of journalism, and any aspiring journalist who cannot submit assignments on time is not likely to get good recommendations from professors when applying to jobs after graduation.

7. Work hard all the way from your freshman year up until graduation. Treat every assignment as an opportunity to improve upon your skills as an up-and-coming journalist.

Tips & Warnings

• Establish a good relationship with your journalism professors. They have been working in the field for many years and know all sorts of tidbits that they do not have time to cover during their lectures. Request to schedule periodic meetings with one or more of them to discuss your progress and future goals one-on-one.

• Treat any journalism work you do on campus as a real job. Never assume that word of that deadline you missed your freshman year won't make its way over to the editor of a more prestigious paper one day just because you were working with a university paper at the time.

References

• Education-Portal: Becoming a Journalist: College and Career Roadmap