Journalism

What can I do with a Major in....Journalism?

Individuals with a degree in Journalism have a commitment and pursuit of the written word, news and current events. They focus on problems, issues and accurate and unbiased information.

Before you begin to look at the different types of opportunities available to Journalism majors, you must look at yourself and ask yourself a few basic questions:

What am I good at?

Understand your major strengths, skills and accomplishments. Some examples of skills and qualities employers look for are:

Writing
Reading
Tenacity
Curiosity
Creativity
Research
Hard work

What do I like to do?

Examine your interests. What kind of life style do I want to lead? Examine your values...is money what you're after, job security, challenging work?

If you are having trouble answering these questions, you are not alone. Make an appointment with an advisor in the Career Center. We want to help you!

POSITIONS

Once you know yourself, you are ready to decide where and how you want to apply this knowledge.

A bachelor's degree in Journalism and the appropriate skills and/or experience can lead to positions as a:

Columnist
Staff Writer
Reporter
Copy Editor
Photographic Journalist
Public Relations Representative
Teacher
Layout & Page Designer
Editorial Cartoonist
Publicity Assistant
Free-Lance Writer
Copywriter
Advertising Assistant
Manual Writer
Proofreader
Technical Writer, etc.

Experience in the field or an advanced degree could lead to certain positions in:

Editing
News Direction
Broadcasting
TV Reporting
Publishing
Publicity
Advertising Direction
Marketing Direction
Public Relations Management
News Casting
Producing

For information on graduate schools, consult Peterson's.

EMPLOYMENT

Typical places of employment are:

Newspapers, Local and Major
Magazines
Radio
Television
Corporations
Book Publishers
Public Relations Firms
Advertising Firms, etc.

LEARN MORE

To help you decide which area to pursue you must do in-depth research into each area of specialization and/or industry you have an interest in.

St. John's University Department of Journalism

Journalism Career and Job Resources on the Internet

Places to begin:

Join the Career Centers COACH Program

The Occupational Outlook Handbook

Careers For Writers & Others Who Have a Way With Words, Robert W. Bly

Talk to people in the field, talk to your professors, write to and/or join one of the following associations:

Public Relations Society of America 845 Third Ave. NY, NY 10022 (212) 995 - 2230 www.prssa.org

Radio Television News Directors Foundation 1000 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 615 Washington, DC 20036 www.rtndf.org

American Society of Newspaper Editors 11690B Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20191 www.asne.org

For additional lists of Associations consult the Encyclopedia of Associations.

Directories and Periodicals:

The Writers Guide to Self Promotion & Publicity, Elane Feldman, Writers Digest Books, 1990

Writers Digest, F&W Publications, 1507 Dana Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45207