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Degrees and Schools
A degree in journalism or communications is the best choice for students who want to become reporters, who are also known as journalists. Bachelor's and master's degrees in these fields are available at many schools across the country. Curriculums can vary in their focus so students should review the course listings carefully to make sure the coursework aligns with their career goals. Students who want to specialize in one subject area such as economics, politics or healthcare may want to consider earning a minor or another degree in the relevant area.
Coursework
Below is a sampling of the type of courses a student may take in a journalism or communication program:
- society and media communications
- research and writing methods
- newspaper reporting
- broadcast news writing and production
- feature writing
- narrative journalism
- investigative reporting
- journalism ethics and First Amendment law
- international reporting
- sports reporting
- interactive journalism
Online Classes and Programs
Distance-learning programs in journalism and communications can be found at online schools as well as at some campus-based schools. Schools should be accredited by a regional accreditation agency to ensure full recognition of the degree by future employers.
Employment Requirements
Aside from a bachelor's or master's degree in journalism or communications, it is very important for individuals to have gained practical experience via an internship in the industry or volunteer or part-time work experience working on a school newspaper, radio broadcast or other news enterprise. Candidates are often expected to provide examples of their work, which ideally will be from real-world experiences. Excellent writing and communications skills with an emphasis on accuracy and speed are essential. Many positions will also require experience with photography, videography, website publishing software, social networking, blogs and other computer and web skills.
How to Evaluate Schools and Programs
When selecting a journalism or communications program, the following questions may be helpful to consider:
- Concentration - Does the program offer a concentration in the area that matches the student's interest such as broadcast news, investigative reporting or international reporting?
- Multimedia - Does the curriculum include learning up-to-date technical skills needed to work with multimedia technology? Do students use software currently in use in the real world.
- Cost / Financial Aid - What are the tuition and fee costs? Will the student receive financial aid? What loans will be needed and will the repayment amount be reasonable given the student's likely future salary?
- Reputation - Is the program respected by employers? Is the program well-known among employers in the area?
- Accreditation - Is the program accredited by one of the six regional accreditation agencies?
Reporters Job Description
The public relies on reporters to bring the news of local, national and international significance to them every day, whether it be in the form or radio and news broadcasts, newspapers, websites or magazines. Reporters, who are also referred to as journalists, investigate news, interview people and watch events with the goal of creating news stories that are interesting, informative and of value to viewers or readers. A Reporter's job is often challenging, sometimes requiring long, irregular hours in difficult conditions and includes the additional pressure of meeting deadlines. Reporters are employed by newspapers, television and cable stations, magazine publishers and online news outlets.
Responsibilities of a Reporter will vary depending on whether they work in broadcast, print or online media. Some of the various responsibilities are listed below:
- interview people
- review documents
- conduct online research
- monitor police activity
- take photos
- write news stories
- present live news stories
- record and edit news stories for later broadcast
Resources
Investigative Reporters and Editors - The IRE is dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting through training and conferences, professional standards, online resources, publications and a job center.
Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications - This is a programmatic higher education accrediting agency that accredits degree programs in journalism and communications. There are over 110 programs currently accredited by this organization.
Society of Professional Journalists - The SPJ's mission is to protect and promote the profession of journalism through education scholarships and internships, training, online resources, local chapters and an annual conference.
National Press Foundation - The NPF encourages excellence in journalism through awards and professional development programs.
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