Journalism Colleges and Universities

Guide to Evaluating Journalism Colleges and Universities

Get an education from a journalism college that will help you reach your potential
By Shalleen Mayes

If you like to write and have a nose for the news, a career in journalism may be for you. A Bachelor's Degree in journalism can help you land a job writing for a newspaper or anchoring the nightly news.

Of course, not all colleges for journalism study are created equal. When evaluating your choices, consider:

1. Accreditation by educational organizations.
2. A variety of educational opportunities including internships.
3. Professional faculty with real-world experience.
4. Postgraduate employment statistics.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find colleges for journalism that meet national standards You want to look at journalism universities that strive toward excellence in the field. Set aside any college that doesn't pass the test. Consider journalism colleges and universities that meet or exceed the national standard. The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC), evaluates college journalism programs on nine standards. The ACEJMC accredits 105 programs in the United States and one overseas program as meeting their standards.

I recommend:  The College of Communications at Pennsylvania State University is one of the top journalism colleges in the nation, and is ACEJMC-accredited.

Find journalism colleges and universities with a lot to offer Look for a program with a wide range of opportunities within the fields of journalism and broadcast journalism. You will want hands-on newsroom experience and opportunities to start building your portfolio of work.

I recommend:  Consider University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Journalism, one of the colleges with journalism programs offering Bachelor of Arts degrees in broadcast and print journalism and public relations, as well as master's programs. Kent State University's School of Journalism and Mass Communication is ACEJMC-accredited, offering nine courses of study within the program, including broadcast, news or magazine journalism, photojournalism, information design, electronic media production, and video and film programming, as well as advertising and public relations.

Focus on journalism universities that will help get you where you want to be Getting a top-notch education is vital. Having better potential for landing a job is even better. Look for colleges for journalism that offer a strong advising program. Your college advisor can help you find internship and job opportunities in the journalism field.

I recommend:  The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Arizona has a well-organized program for internships with affiliated companies. American University in Washington, D.C., has a partnership with the Washington Post, offering students a unique experience with one of the nation's top newspapers.

Get a journalism degree online Online journalism schools offer degrees in journalism, but make sure the school is accredited.

I recommend:  Look for journalism degrees online to see what's being offered. Consider the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland for a ACEJMC-accredited school of journalism that offers a Master's in Journalism degree online.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• No matter which journalism college you go to, you can get ready for a career in journalism by taking advantage of as many on-campus opportunities as possible, such as working for the college newspaper, gaining on-air experience on a college news station, editing the school magazine or producing a show.