Start your career path to becoming a certified journalist today. Learn about the steps, classes and educational options you will need to become a successful journalism specialist. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlight the best programs for journalism.
What Does a Career in Journalism Entail?
Journalists are often said to write the first draft of history. They investigate and report on the news on a daily basis, using audio and digital media to let everyone else know exactly what is going on. This means that their schedules are often not set, and they may need to spend late hours chasing down a story. Reporters also write the news, so they need to have a storyteller's gift for narrative as well as a solid grasp of grammar and style. You may also choose to go into broadcast journalism, where you will discuss the news on TV and will need poise and the ability to deal with rapidly evolving situations at times.
Typically, journalists will have beats they oversee for their newspapers or magazines. A beat is a special area of the news such as politics, crime, business, features, or sports. Professional journalists will cultivate their expertise in these areas and build a career based on that experience and accumulated knowledge. Further, as journalists continue in journalism and media, they develop trusted sources while always maintaining their all-important journalistic objectivity and integrity and improving their writing and reporting skills.
As a reporter matures in the profession, they might choose to move into an editorial/editing position. In that job, they might oversee a section of the paper, such as the sports or metro section, and will deal with multimedia staff, whether they work with digital media, print publishing, or both. Editors typically have a lot of experience in the beats they oversee and can thus nurture the reporters beneath them from their position of leadership while they strive to present the latest and most current news from the U.S. and around the globe.
Components of A Successful Career In Journalism
A successful career in journalism can take many twists and turns as it grows and matures. So success can take many different forms. Some might pursue an editorship at a top newspaper, such as the Chicago Tribune or the New York Times. Others might find success in the results of their journalism career, such as uncovering corruption or crimes. Such success is predicated on certain factors and a few components of a successful career in journalism are:
Bachelor's Degree: It's vital to create a strong basis for later achievement and nothing is better than the top-notch academics of a bachelor's education from a journalism program.
Certificates/Continuing Education Every professional could use a refresher from time to time. When you return to school to focus on a specific area of journalism, you can still broaden your horizons. If, for instance, you are a politics writer who completes a sports journalism program or one in business writing and reporting, a diversified knowledge base might gain you a top editorial position focused on news media and journalism someday.
Experience Seek out the very best experience and work with the best editors.
Diligence If journalists query the same sources for news on a regular basis, they will know that journalist is a serious professional. They may also one day have the sort of major scoop that could make a journalism career. Students in school journalism programs have been known to break national news and then go on to work at the New York Times and other excellent news reporting companies as well-known journalists.
Professional Ethics As a journalism professional, you are expected to have storytelling skills, but you must also maintain absolute adherence to a high ethical standard. That is, you should adhere to facts over opinion, avoid any appearance of bias, and always strive for objectivity in your reporting and writing. This includes writers who have chosen career paths in soft news, such as critics, sports reporters, and even op/ed writers, who may use their own opinion but who must never fabricate facts, figures, or events.
How to Earn an Online Degree in Journalism
What can you do with an Online Journalism Degree?
Students who complete an in-person or online journalism degree can pursue many fields including public relations, marketing, news journalism, magazine/features journalism, and ghost writing. They can pursue careers in social media management, broadcast news writing, public relations, strategic communication, multimedia journalism, digital journalism or digital communication, media law, and as various media and communication workers. Some university alumni with a bachelor's degree in journalism or another media major move into corporate communications or find work in an editorial position, using their writing skills to help others create better content. There are many options.
Since the advent of the internet, even more opportunities have arisen for students, even before they become full-time journalists with their degrees. Not only can they produce their own blogs and potentially monetize them, creating a self-sustaining business, but they can produce all sorts of web content. Much of this web content blurs the line between journalism and technical writing and should be easy to handle by any journalistic writer.
Typical Online Journalism Degree Requirements
Journalism students immerse themselves in a rich and interesting curriculum on the way to graduation. Though each online program is sure to differ somewhat, here is a list of courses journalism students might expect to take as part of their journalism program:
- Communication Law
- News Reporting Across Platforms
- Media and News Consumers
- Gathering Information
- Video Production
- Photojournalism
- Graphics
- History of Journalism
- Race, Class, and Gender in the Media
- Critical Writing
- Feature Writing
- Investigative Journalism
- Internship
- Capstone Projects and/or Internship(s)
Typical Journalism Certifications Needed
Whereas you don’t need any certifications beyond a degree to be a journalist, there are a wide range of journalism certificates available. If you are seeking to change careers, and already have an undergraduate degree, you might pursue a journalism certificate. This is a shorter learning program that will allow you to delve directly into your chosen field without needing to re-take any core or elective courses. Some certificate programs even allow you to concentrate on a specific form of journalism, such as: Photojournalism, Digital Journalism, Cultural Studies, Communication and International Relations, News Writing, Multimedia Journalism, and even Podcasting.
Academic Standards for Journalism Degrees
Academic standards in online journalism and mass communication programs are often quite high. In order to maintain accreditation, schools ask that faculty and students perform to the highest possible levels. When studying in an online journalism degree program, students should work as hard as possible to maintain a high GPA. After all, with a high GPA, it is easier to gain acceptance to graduate schools for journalism or other fields.
Experience Needed for a Journalism Degree
Journalism is a practice and a discipline, and most schools with journalism programs insist their students have some experience in the field prior to graduation. Journalism schools therefore often run daily newspapers that provide students the opportunity to report and write stories on a daily basis. Students can work their preferred beats, or the beats to which they are assigned, and produce a portfolio of work, known as clips.
Student newspapers primarily report about events on their campus, but they are also known to report on stories in the wider community. When students are able to report on campus politics as well as, for instance, their town councils, they develop the experience and instincts necessary to succeed on non-campus papers.
Important Questions to Ask (FAQ)
How long does it take to earn a Journalism bachelor's degree online?
Depending on your online program, a journalism degree should take between three and four years. However, if you take lighter credit loads each semester or skip any terms, it could take 4-5 years. You should always check the graduation rate of any online program you are considering, as that information could be vital in letting you know how long it could take to earn your own degree.
How much does an online Journalism bachelor’s degree cost?
The cost of a bachelor's degree in journalism is dependent on many things. If you live in the same state as a publicly funded program, then you will pay in-state tuition, which can be rather affordable. If you go to a school in another state, institutions often charge out-of-state rates that are higher than those for in-state students. Typically, students should expect to pay somewhere between $58,000 and $300,000 for a bachelor's degree.
The low figure assumes that students study for two years in a community college before transferring to an in-state university. The high figure is for the most expensive private schools, often in very expensive locations, such as San Francisco or Manhattan. Do your own math when looking at your schools of choice.
Journalism Bachelor's Degree Coursework
Coursework for a typical journalism bachelor's degree can cover a wide range of subjects. Students might delve into professional ethics, social issues, politics, and technical skill areas. When a program is large enough to offer a wide range of courses, students will have the opportunity to explore the various corners of the profession and determine which is the best for them. Some courses which journalism students might choose from include, but are not limited to:
- Graphic Design
- HTML Coding and Design
- Interviewing and Investigative Journalism
- Society and Mass Media
- History of Mass Media
- Journalistic Ethics
- Public Relations and Media
- Financial Analysis for Journalists
- Creative Non-fiction
Does the online school have the major(s) you’re considering?
Not every institution of higher learning is created equal. When considering a college or university, it's vital to determine whether or not they offer the major fields of study that interest you. As an extreme example, students won't find an online English degree in a technical university. Nor is it likely to find engineering courses in an arts college.
When you find schools that have the majors that interest you the most, do more research. Some departments will have particular specialties that may or may not appeal. For instance, some English departments focus on classical literature and only have one or two courses that feature contemporary novels. Journalism schools have similar focuses, with some emphasizing work on the university newspaper and others pressing students towards long-form journalism and book authorship.
How many students graduate “on time,” in four years?
These days, it's less and less likely that a first-time college student will complete their degree in four years. In fact, most measures seem to assume a six-year window for degree completion. Some of this is due to the fact that some schools have added extra requirements that make it mathematically impossible for a student to finish in four years, assuming a normal full-time load and a free summer term.
The National Center for Education Statistics shows that students at private non-profit institutions are slightly more likely to graduate within six years. Private for-profit institutions showed the worst figures, with only 26% of students receiving diplomas within six years.
The retention and six-year graduation rates were highest for institutions that had the toughest admissions rates. When colleges restrict their admissions to 25% of applicants or less, their graduation numbers rise to 88%. Institutions that admit 25-49.9% of applicants see a 70% success rate with six-year graduations.
NCES researchers also found that female students tend to meet the six-year window 63% of the time, overall. Their male counterparts meet the six-year mark 57% of the time.
What kind of accreditation does the online program hold? How is it regarded in the field?
Journalism programs, like many other fields, are accredited by a specialized agency, in this case it’s the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC.) This independent agency visits institutions every year to determine their worthiness in the field. They evaluate journalism programs using a number of criteria, including:
- Curriculum
- Diversity and Inclusiveness
- Faculty Status – Full-Time/Part-Time
- Faculty Scholarship – research, etc.
- Student Services
- Resources and Facilities
- Service to the Public and Profession
- Learning Outcomes
Professional Journalism Organizations
NPC
National Press Club
This storied institution is a mainstay in Washington, D.C. journalism and politics. Their facilities host up to 2,000 events per year and journalists enjoy spending time there to enjoy entertainment, food, and drink. In addition to being a place for professional fellowship, the NPC offers educational opportunities and even office space for members. Since NPC is centrally located in D.C., it makes for a perfect location for interviews or to sit down with a laptop and post a story for a deadline.
API
American Press Institute
The API is primarily an educational, non-profit organization whose goal is to advance journalism. The institute addresses journalism both as a business and as a force for social change. They focus on four main areas: understanding audiences, growing revenue for newspapers, accountability for journalism, and organizational change and transformation. The institute sends journalists a daily newsletter that helps them understand the metrics behind the stories they publish. Their content-analysis software provides the data editors and publishers need to devise a workable content strategy.
ASBPE
American Society of Business Publication Editors
The ASBPE was formed in 1964 as an industry resource for publishers of business-related publications. They sponsor an annual conference where member writers, editors, and publishers can meet for fellowship and learning. The ASBPE also provides free training webcasts on a monthly basis. Their website maintains a job bank and a blog that addresses member concerns.
ASNE
American Society of Newspaper Editors
ASNE was formed in 1922 to promote principles vital to the practice of journalism: fairness, principled journalism, first amendment rights, freedom of information, and an open government.
AAJA
Asian American Journalists Association
AAJA was formed in 1981 to provide an association that meets the specific journalistic needs of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI.) The AAJA assists AAPI students with resources for mentorships, scholarships, and general information they can use to survive, thrive, and ultimately succeed as journalists. The association was first formed by journalists in Los Angeles but became a national organization in 1985. Now, the AAJA boasts 20 chapters and 1,500 members.