Broadcast Journalism

Overview

Broadcast journalism programs prepare people to report, produce, and deliver news on television, the radio, or in other electronic media.

Broadcast journalism programs include topics such as:

Broadcast technology
Broadcast reporting
Video/film editing
Program design and production
Media law and policy
Ethics

Internship

Internships allow students to develop skills at companies or organizations. Some broadcast journalism programs require students to develop a portfolio or complete an internship.

Schools

Several community colleges offer associate degree programs in broadcast journalism. An associate degree program usually takes two years of full-time study. Upon completion, a student may choose to enter the workforce or transfer to a college or university for further study.

Many colleges and universities offer a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. A bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study to complete.

A few universities offer graduate degrees in broadcast journalism. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master's degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Broadcast journalism programs look for applicants with strong speaking and writing skills. Some schools may require you to take an English language skills exam before you can enter their programs. This exam typically tests you on your grasp of grammar and mechanics and on your vocabulary knowledge.

At other schools, you start as a "pre-broadcast journalism" major until you have successfully completed some core courses. After that, you can officially enter the program.

Examples of core courses include courses such as the following:

Communication Theory
Freedom of Expression and Communication Ethics
Introduction to Broadcasting and Cable
Mass Media Communication
Writing for the Electronic Media

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Algebra
Creative Writing
Drama, Acting and Performance
Economics
Forensics and Debate
General Computer Applications
Humanities
Journalism
Mass Media, Communication
Political Science
Probability and Statistics
Second Language
World History

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree and good grades. You also need to submit letters of recommendation and a personal statement.

Your bachelor's degree usually does not have to be in any particular major. There are only a few schools that prefer applicants with a bachelor's degree in journalism. Most schools prefer that you take a broad range of courses. Your knowledge of a number of different subjects would be invaluable to you as a journalist. This is because you could report on any number of diverse topics.

Additional requirements at many schools include:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General
Writing samples
Related work or volunteer experience

Examples of work experience include writing for your school newspaper, compiling news for your campus radio station, or interning at a local access cable station.

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

In this undergraduate program, you typically take courses such as the following:

Broadcast Law and Regulation
Broadcast Management
Broadcast News Writing
Broadcast Operation
Broadcast Performance
Broadcast Program Building
Broadcast Reporting
History and Issues of Journalism
Investigative and Beat Reporting
Mass Media and Society
Mass Media Law and Regulations
Measurement and Analysis of Broadcast and Cable Audiences
New Communication Technology
News Reporting and Writing
Non-Fiction Television
Photojournalism
Social Control of Broadcast and Cable Media
Writing for Mass Media

Graduate Program Courses

Graduate course work tends to vary depending on the school. However, the outline of a typical master's degree curriculum in this program of study looks like the following:

Required core courses
Elective courses
Thesis and thesis defense

Elective courses allow you to focus on the area of broadcast journalism that most interests you. This might be a particular form of broadcast journalism such as the television documentary or a news forum on the radio. Or you could focus on an aspect of the field such as production or program building.

Your thesis typically takes the form of a capstone project. This kind of project is comprehensive, requiring you to show your ability to apply many of the principles you have learned to concrete situations.

For example, you might apply your research and analysis skills to tailor a cable news program to a teenage audience. Or you might develop your management and production skills to direct a documentary on child adoption.

Many programs - both undergraduate and graduate - require you to complete an internship as part of their curriculums. Depending on the program, faculty and staff may actually help you secure an internship or they may provide you with potential leads to pursue on your own.

You could work in any of a number of settings, including a local radio or television station or a film production studio. Some duties you might carry out include gathering information, writing, editing, and helping with production.

Whatever the setting and your responsibilities, you benefit from the direct supervision and guidance of an experienced broadcast journalist. You also make contacts in the field, gain real-world experience, and even produce work you can include in your professional portfolio.

Things to Know

Not all schools require you to complete an internship as part of their broadcast journalism programs. In such a case, you should still seek one out on your own. Many employers of broadcast journalists prefer applicants who have had at least one significant internship experience.

If you'd like to be an international correspondent or involved in some other aspect of international broadcast journalism, you should consider taking courses in a second language.