COLLEGE GUIDE
For high school students interested in Journalism and Communications
PROTIPS!
Be coachable
Whether itâs starting in student media, or in an internship, you have to be coachable. That doesnât mean you should let yourself be taken advantage of, but if you come into an opportunity and you are unwilling to learn, you are unwilling to grow. Donât look at coaching as a negative, see it instead as a positive reflection of the skills and talents someone sees in you, and wants to help you develop.
U MNIPROFILE
LA
LISA RENZE Managing Editor, Partnerships and Projects Free Press Indiana
Kevin Negandhi is an anchor for SportsCenter and the first Indian-American to serve on a national sports network. In 2017, he joined the ESPN on ABC College Football team. In addition to being a part of SportsCenterâs Emmy nominated team, Negandhi has hosted NFL Live, Baseball Tonight, Outside the Lines, College Football Live, NBA Tonight and the womenâs NCAA basketball Final Four. He joined ESPN in 2006.
Prior to ESPN, Negandhi worked as a sports director at WWSB-TV in Sarasota, FL. While working in Florida, he won three Associated Press awards âNegandhi began his career as a college sports stringer at USA Today in 1995.
He graduated from Temple Universityâs Klein College of Media and Communication in 1998. He was inducted into the Lew Klein Alumni in the Media Hall of Fame by Klein College in 2013.
KEVIN NEGANDHI Anchor ESPN SportsCenter
Why you should get a journalism degree
Journalism matters now more than ever.
A journalism degree is about chasing the truth, understanding people and telling storeis that matter. In a world flooded with information, journalists are the ones who help make sense of it all.
You learn to think
Journalism sharpens your curiosity, critical thinkingand judgment. You learn to ask tough questions, evaluate information and separate fact from opinion. Those skills are essential in journalism.
You become a powerful communicator
Whether youâre writing an investigative story, producing a podcast or crafting a social media campaign, journalism teaches you to express ideas clearly, creativelyand persuasively. You learn how to write with purpose, speak with confidence and design content that reaches real audiences.
You gain real-world experience early
From your first semester, journalism is hands-on. You might cover breaking news for your campus publication, interview local leaders, photograph community events or create multimedia stories for digital outlets. By graduation, youâll have built a professional portfolio and the confidence to step right into the workforce.
You make a difference in your community
At its heart, journalism is about service. Journalists give a voice to those who might otherwise be unheard, expose injustices and foster understanding through shared perspectives. Your work can shape conversations, inspire change and strengthen democracy.
You prepare for a wide range of careers
A journalism degree opens doors far beyond the newsroom. Graduates succeed in public relations, marketing, law, business, education, politics, data analysis, nonprofit leadership and more. Employers value journalism majors because theyâre adaptable, ethical and know how to tell a story that connects with people.
You develop digital fluency
Modern journalists are tech-savvy storytellers. Youâll learn to use cutting-edge tools for video editing, data visualization, social media analytics and content management. Youâll understand how information spreads and how to make your message stand out.
You join a mission-driven community
Journalists share a commitment to truth, fairness and public service. Studying journalism means joining a network of passionate peers, professors and professionals who believe that honest storytelling can change lives and strengthen society.
You become part of democracyâs foundation
Free societies depend on informed citizens and informed citizens depend on journalists. When our country was established, Thomas Jefferson understood the importance of freedom of speech and freedom of the press. âThe basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.â Journalism education isnât just about producing media; itâs about sustaining democracy itself. Every fact you verify, every story you tell, every source you protect contributes to that larger purpose.
AT
ITâS
From our main campus in the heart of Boston to datelines around the world, Emersonians practice, teach, and learn journalism with purpose, principle, and impact.
From our main campus in the heart of Boston to datelines around the world, Emersonians practice, teach, and learn journalism with purpose, principle, and impact.
From our main campus in the heart of Boston to datelines around the world, Emersonians practice, teach, and learn journalism with purpose, principle, and impact.
From our main campus in the heart of Boston to datelines around the world, Emersonians practice, teach, and learn journalism with purpose, principle, and impact.
Finding the right job in journalism
Journalism remains a vital field and graduates with strong reporting, writing, multimedia and digital skills can find a wide variety of career paths. While traditional newspapers have declined, digital media, broadcast and niche publications have grown.
Traditional roles
Reporter/Journalist: Cover news, feature stories or investigative pieces for print, online or broadcast outlets.
Editor: Oversee content, guide writers, factcheck and shape the voice of publications.
Photojournalist/Video Journalist: Capture and produce visual stories for newspapers, magazines, TV and online media.
Anchor/Broadcaster: Present news on TV, radio or online video platforms.
Digital and multimedia roles
Digital Content Creator: Produce articles, podcasts, videos and social media posts for websites and apps.
Social Media Manager/Analyst: Craft strategies to engage audiences online and track analytics.
Multimedia Storyteller: Combine text, video, audio and interactive graphics to tell complex stories.
Specialized journalism
Investigative Reporter: Focus on uncovering corruption, social issues or corporate wrongdoing.
Science, Health or Environmental Reporter: Cover specialized topics that require research and expertise.
Sports, Entertainment or Political Journalist: Provide in-depth coverage of specific fields.
Related careers
Public Relations or Communications Specialist: Manage messaging for organizations or public figures.
Content Marketing: Use storytelling skills to engage customers and audiences for brands.
Data Journalism/Analytics: Turn large datasets into news stories and visualizations.
Freelance Journalist: Contribute stories to multiple outlets on a flexible schedule.
Growth areas
While print newspapers are shrinking, digital journalism, multimedia reporting, podcasts and niche online publications are expanding. Skills in social media, video production and datadriven storytelling are increasingly valuable.
There are jobs in journalism, but the field rewards versatility, creativity and digital skills. Success often comes from combining strong reporting and storytelling with the ability to adapt to new platforms and technologies.
Truth and Advertising at the University of Minnesota
The Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication at a glance:
⢠95% job or graduate program placement
⢠Cutting-edge A.I.âaware curriculum
⢠Connections to Twin Cities media industry opportunities
⢠100+ scholarship opportunities for advanced students
⢠U Promise Program for need-based scholarships
SUMMER MEDIAINSTITUTE SUMMER
for a week-long immersive experience in all facets of communication, from sports reporting to feature writing and ďŹlmmaking.
Live in a UF residence hall and work with UF faculty as you connect with students from all over the world.
The difference between small vs. large journalism programs
Both small and large journalism schools can prepare you for a successful career, but your choice depends on your learning style, career goals and the kind of experience you want during college.
Advantages of small journalism programs
5 Personalized attention
5 Professors often know students by name and provide individualized mentoring.
5 More opportunities for direct feedback on writing and reporting multimedia projects.
5 Hands-on experience early
5 Students often gain newsroom responsibilities as early as their freshman year because the student media teams are smaller.
5 More chances to take leadership roles in publications, radio, TV or digital outlets.
5 Close-knit community
5 Smaller classes foster strong peer connections and networking within the program.
5 Easier access to faculty, advisers alumni networks.
5 Flexible opportunities
5 Students can experiment with multiple roles â such as writing, editing, and multimedia production â without being confined to a single specialization.
5 Encourages creativity and broad skill-building.
5 Stronger mentorship
5 Faculty and alumni often serve as close mentors, guiding career choices and internship portfolios.
Advantages of large journalism programs
5 Extensive resources
5 Access to state-of-the-art labs, broadcast studios multimedia equipment.
5 Large libraries, databases research resources for in-depth reporting.
5 Wide range of courses and specializations
5 Ability to focus on niches like investigative reporting, data journalism, sports or political journalism.
5 More advanced and diverse electives.
5 Professional networking opportunities
5 Larger alumni network and connections with national media outlets.
5 Greater access to industry events, conferences, and internships in major markets.
5 High-profile faculty and guest speakers
5 Professors may include nationally recognized journalists.
5 Frequent access to visiting professionals for workshops and lectures.
5 Diverse Student Population
5 Exposure to a wider variety of perspectives and ideas which can enrich reporting and storytelling.
Journalism at Emerson = Journalism in Boston
BY LU ANN REEB, MBA Chair, Journalism, Emerson College
Boston is a live newsroom. Politics at the State House, biotech breakthroughs, championship parades, arts and culture on every blockâthis city puts real stories on your doorstep. At Emerson, we treat that as your classroom. From day one, you learn to report with curiosity and courage, hold power to account, and tell the truth clearlyâ on air, online, on every platform.
What youâll do here
You wonât wait to âget started.â Youâll pitch, report, and file on deadline in small, handson classes and newsroom-style labs. Youâll build skills that matter nowâinterviewing, verification, data literacy, audio and video storytelling, editing, and headline writingâand youâll apply them in beats that connect campus to the wider city.
Learn by doing (for real)
⢠Our student outlets operate like professional shops:
⢠WEBN-TV covers major events and breaking news.
⢠The Berkeley Beacon digs into accountability reporting on campus and beyond.
⢠The Independent explores film and culture with critic-level depth. Youâll work side-by-side with faculty who are accomplished journalists and editors from national and local newsrooms. Theyâll challenge you, coach you, and expect you to meet professional standardsâ because thatâs how you grow.
Courses that meet the moment
Youâll build a foundation in reporting, writing, audio/video, and digital productionâthen layer on focused electives that reflect where journalism is headed: investigative and documentary work, interactive and streaming formats, entertainment and culture coverage, social and audience strategies, and more. Along the way, youâll learn how to develop sources, request records, analyze data, and edit responsibly.
Boston is your beat; your work is your portfolio
By the time you reach your capstone, youâre not âpretendingâ to be a journalistâyouâre publishing and producing as one. Capstone pathways in broadcast, multimedia, and independent/freelance help you assemble a job-ready portfolio that shows voice, range, and impact. Internships across the city give you additional clips, mentors, and a sense of where you want to take your craft.
Who thrives here
If youâre curious about how things work, brave enough to ask hard questions, and motivated to build new ways to inform your community, youâll find your people. Emerson is home to courageous storytellers and media innovators who believe journalism is more than a majorâitâs a calling.
â Let me know what you think. Iâd love to see what stories youâre ready to tell.
School Directory
University of Alabama Department of Journalism and Creative Media 901 University Blvd. #490 Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 (205) 348-7155 cis.ua.edu/departments/jcm/
Arizona State University
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication 555 N. Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85004 (602) 496-5555 cronkite.asu.edu/
Emerson College School of Communication 120 Bolyston St. Boston, MA 02116 617-824-8805 emerson.edu/academics/academicdepartments/journalism
University of Florida College of Journalism and Communication 2096 Weimer Hall 1885 Stadium Road PO Box 118400 Gainesville, FL 32611 (352) 392-0466 jou.ufl.edu/
PROTIPS!
University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 100 Adler Journalism Building Iowa City, IA 52242 (319) 335-3486 journalism.uiowa.edu
Kansas State University
A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication 234 Nichols Hall Manhattan, KS 66506 (785) 532-6011 www.k-state.edu/media-communication/
University of Maryland
Philip Merrill College of Journalism 7765 Alumni Dr. College Park, MD 20742 (301) 405-2399 merrill.umd.edu/
University of Minnesota
Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication Murphy Hall 206 Church St. SE #111 Minneapolis, MN 55455 (612) 625-1338 hsjmc.umn.edu/
University of Montana
School of Journalism
Don Anderson Hall 201 32 Campus Dr. Missoula, MT 59812 (406) 243-4001 https://www.umt.edu/journalism/
Lean into it!
Ohio University
E.W. Scripps School of Journalism Schooner Center 200 1 Ohio University Athens, OH 45701 (740) 593-2590
https://www.ohio.edu/scripps-college/
Southeast Missouri State University
One University Plaza, MS 2775 Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 (573) 651-5104
https://semo.edu/colleges-departments/ arts-media/mass-media/
The Pennsylvania State University
Bellisario College of Communication 201 Old Main University Park, PA 16802 1-814-865-4700
https://www.bellisario.psu.edu/
Washingon State University
The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication PO Box 642530 Pullman, WA 99164 (509) 335-7333 murrow.wsu.edu/
Western Kentucky University
WKU Student Publications 1906 College Heights Blvd. #11084 Bowling Green, KY 42101 www.wku.edu/smc/
Iâm looking for students who wonât ask âHow do you want it done?â, and who will instead ask âCan I try doing it like this?â We work in an ever-changing industry that needs adaptation, experimentation and innovation.
I want students who have drive and a willingness to try new things. Lean into it!
TAMARA ZELLARS BUCK
Professor and chair, Department of Mass Media at Southeast Missouri State University.