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Major Tracks and Areas of Focus
- 1. Journalism B.A. Tracks and Areas of Focus
- 2. Program Basics • Degree granted: B.A. in Journalism • Choose from three program tracks: – Professional Strategic Communication – Professional Journalism – Mass Communication • Balance of practical and theoretical coursework
- 3. Professional Strategic Communication Prepares students for careers in: • Advertising – Creative – Account Services • Public Relations – Health Communications – Corporate Communications – Government Agencies – Advocacy/Non-profit Communications – PR Agency
- 4. Professional Journalism Prepares students for careers in: • News – Reporting – Writing – Editing – Producing • Feature Writing • Design/Graphics/Photojournalism In print, broadcast and digital media
- 5. Mass Communication For students who wish to study the social, political, economic and legal aspects of mass communication. • Academic and theoretical program • Students often interested in research, or graduate/professional school
Editor's Notes
- The degree you earn from the SJMC will be a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the College of Liberal Arts, regardless of the track you choose. Because it is a CLA degree, students still need to complete the second language requirement and all of the other liberal education requirements. The three tracks are: Professional Strategic Communication, Professional Journalism and Mass Communication All three tracks are a balance of practical and theoretical coursework.
- The Professional Strategic Communication track is for students who are interested in a career in advertising or public relations. Advertising students can focus on the creative side or the account services side of the field. While you don’t have to decide right away, it is important to eventually pick one or the other since they are distinct career paths. Professionals in creative advertising come up with the content of advertisements while account services professionals handle the business aspects of advertising. Typically, people who work in advertising work in an agency setting where they have many different types of clients. People in public relations use professional communication to build relationships with different constituencies. This can take the form of writing press releases and working with journalists, creating content for a website and using social media, or engaging with employees and the greater community. Students who focus in public relations often end up working in health communications, corporate communications, government agencies, advocacy, non-profit communications or in an agency.
- The Professional Journalism track is for students who are interested in any of the following careers: News, including reporting, writing, editing, and producing Feature Writing, or Design, graphics or photojournalism Traditionally, when people think of journalism, they often think of newspapers, but journalism is so much more than that! While some journalists do still work at newspapers many others work in different types of print, broadcast and digital media. The field is changing quickly with technology advances, and in SJMC we consistently review our curriculum to make sure that students have the necessary knowledge and skill to succeed in journalism careers.
- The mass communication track is different than the first two professional tracks because it focuses more on the academic and theoretical aspects of mass communication. This track appeals to students who are interested in research, graduate school or mass communication law.
- Now that you’ve heard a little bit more about each of the three tracks within the journalism major, we encourage you continue to explore the many diverse career options in the field. By visiting www.sjmc.umn.edu/career/ students can hear directly from professionals working in the field. The website is conveniently divided into career options based on two of our major tracks. By clicking on the the Careers in Strategic Communication link you can hear from a Media Buyer, Marketing and Communications Manager, an Account Executive and more. By clicking on the Careers in Journalism link you can hear from a Multimedia Producer, Features Editor, Television Reporter, and more.