Journalism

Career potential

A career in journalism may range from working as a general news reporter for a newspaper to working as an ad agency writer and creator of a national commercial. Many career options exist for journalism graduates. UNT's journalism department offers several areas of specialization.

Using the basics of journalism as a foundation, you will be prepared to become a hard-hitting, objective reporter and/or editor. Or you may learn to apply innovative marketing strategies in advertising and public relations. And you may apply what you learn in radio, television, magazines and newspapers, or the Internet.

Our career development specialist, located in the Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism, will help you identify your career goals. The institute, working with the journalism department, provides information about potential employers. We assist with resume and letter writing, job search strategies and interview preparation, and maintain an Internet database containing current job and internship information.

UNT's Career Center can also help you prepare to pursue your career. The center has information about jobs and employers, and the staff can help you with resume and letter writing, job search strategies and interview preparation.

Majoring in journalism

UNT's journalism department is nationally accredited in all concentrations by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications [University of Kansas School of Journalism, Stauffer-Flint Hall, 1435 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, Kan. 66045-7575, telephone (785) 864-3973]. This accreditation means that the programs have met the high standards set by this national agency.

Faculty members in the journalism department have worked in the subject areas they teach. Among the faculty are authors, former reporters and editors, and advertising and public relations professionals. Many of them work on research in the field in addition to teaching. Research topics have included political campaign communication, the art of persuasion in sales and public opinion, the trustworthiness of information on the Internet, media in other countries and the depiction of minorities in advertising.

Department alumni have won a total of seven Pulitzer Prizes, journalism's top award. Graduates also work in some of the nation's most prestigious public relations and advertising firms.

Many journalism-related associations have student chapters at UNT, including the National Association of Black Journalists, the Public Relations Society of America and the Society of Professional Journalists.

As a journalism major, you will select one of the following concentrations: news writing - editorial, photojournalism, advertising or public relations. The journalism department also offers courses to fulfill requirements for the electronic news concentration, which is administered by UNT's radio, television and film department.

A grade point average of 2.5 or higher is required for the first four courses taken in any concentration. Course work varies depending on the concentration. Here is a general description of the course work required for each concentration.

News writing - editorial

Choose this concentration if you want to be a print media news writer or editor. These professionals must carefully check facts, know about current events and write swiftly - skills first learned in college with extensive writing and editing courses. In this concentration, you will learn about editing, editorial writing, feature writing, political science, opinion writing, reporting and management. You must have good writing and grammatical skills and knowledge of world events. Students may work as reporters or editors for the North Texas Daily, UNT's student newspaper.

Electronic news

As a student in electronic news, you will learn how to write and report for radio, television and the Internet. Great emphasis is given to practical experience. Some students have the opportunity to write, produce and announce news on KNTU-FM, UNT's 100,000-watt radio station, and to produce television feature packages for NTTV, the campus cable station. Most students complete an internship with a television or radio station in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, the nation's seventh-largest media market. Others will write and produce news and entertainment.

Photojournalism

In this sequence you will learn how to work as a photojournalist. You will learn news writing skills in addition to visual news gathering practices to become visual storytellers. You will learn basic black-and-white photography, color photography, picture editing, photo page layout and design, and advanced digital technology. Students may work as photojournalists and photo editors for the North Texas Daily. Many students receive internships with major newspapers between their junior and senior years.

Advertising

In this concentration, you will learn about advertising campaigns, advertising sales, copywriting, direct response planning, media buying, and marketing and account management. Many advertising students minor in communication design and take art, drawing and design courses. All advertising students take an 18-hour business concentration.

Public relations

If you choose this concentration, you will learn the principles of public relations and how these principles apply to specific case studies. Your studies will include effective communication techniques, from creating materials that help an organization address its employees to promoting a particular cause or product to the general public. Since public relations professionals must have excellent writing and speaking skills, you will learn about writing and editing styles and take basic journalism courses in feature writing, news writing and reporting.

Getting hands-on experience

The department office regularly posts information about paid internships offered by local, regional and national advertising and public relations firms, broadcast stations, nonprofit and corporate communication departments, and newspapers, magazines and other print publications.

You may earn degree credit through the department's internship program. Many journalism students find full-time jobs from their internships. In addition, you can gain valuable experience working on the reporting, editorial or advertising staffs of the North Texas Daily, KNTU-FM and NTTV. Electronic news internships also are available from area network, independent and cable stations.

Preparing for UNT

If you are a high school student, we suggest you prepare for college by becoming computer proficient and taking:

• English … 4 years
• Math … 4 years
• Social science — economics, geography, government, history … 4 years
• Science … 3 years
• Foreign language … 3 years
• Fine arts … 1 year

You will need to take courses in most of these subjects under the university core curriculum required of all undergraduates, in addition to your major courses. Talk with your high school counselor about preparing for college, including the entrance exams (SAT Reasoning Test or ACT) that you should take during your junior year.

As a benefit for transfer students, UNT participates in the Texas Common Course Numbering System. This system makes it easier to transfer credits for general academic courses from one Texas institution to another.

If you're attending a Texas community college, you should consult the UNT Transfer Guide, the UNT Undergraduate Catalog and an academic counselor to discuss your degree plan. Proper planning will help you receive the maximum amount of transfer credits.

Charting your path with academic advising

Journalism faculty members are academic advisors. You will be assigned to a faculty member who will help you plan your class schedule each semester. Meet with your advisor if you have any questions about course selection. The Department of Journalism office is in the General Academic Building, Room 102.

Curious about courses and other features of this major?
See the current catalog.