The digital revolution has changed the way we gather, produce and disseminate news, but journalists are more in demand than ever. People always want to know what’s going on, and need responsible, ethical, accurate journalists to tell them. Our journalism program provides hands-on, multimedia experience in reporting, writing, editing, producing and publishing in state-of-the-art newsrooms and on mobile devices. The curriculum is structured around a core of six courses, introducing students to new technologies as they progress through increasingly more complex and topical courses. The core courses aim to prepare students for advanced work in the major’s three concentrations: Broadcast Journalism (Television or Radio emphasis); Magazine; News & Features (with a sports option).

Practicing and studying journalism enhances critical thinking: figuring out what the story is and how to get it quickly, accurately and fairly. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to place news in a context that helps readers, listeners, and viewers make sense of the world. Good writing is paramount. Students are taught how to find, report and tell engaging stories that stand out in today’s complex media environment using social media, audio, video and still photography, on smart phones and DSLR cameras.

Chicago is a terrific place to learn journalism, a world-class city known for its politics, architecture, music, theater, sports and literature. Journalism students cover stories alongside professional reporters as newsbreaks. Because of the College’s prime urban location, students have access to extensive internship opportunities, many of them paid positions. A number of our students earn competitive national and international internships and also have opportunities to study abroad.

Students produce the highly respected Columbia Chronicle, named best college weekly in the nation by the Society of Professional Journalists. Every spring, students in the Magazine Program team up with students in Design to create Echo magazine, which regularly wins top awards in student magazine contests, along with its website. Broadcast Journalism students, in collaboration with the Television Department, produce Newsbeat, a live TV newscast, and Metro Minutes, a TV newsmagazine. Broadcast TV students have won highly competitive recognition from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Emmy Awards.  Students can write and produce news for college radio station WCRX 88.1 FM, and host their own talk and music shows. We stress portfolio-building, so students can show internship providers and hiring news editors and directors their professional quality work, mentored by faculty who are actively engaged in the fields they teach. With outside grant support, professors founded ChicagoTalks and AustinTalks, online publications that cover the neighborhoods of the nation’s third largest city, increasing multi-platform publishing opportunities for our students.  Journalism students have won awards in professional journalism award competitions and are consistently chosen for coveted local and national internships.