University of Cincinnati s New Journalism Program on the Rise

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, competition for journalist and news analyst jobs is getting tougher than ever. The government statistics show that most media outlets prefer candidates with a bachelor’s degree in journalism or mass communications, along with experience gained at school newspapers or broadcasting stations or through internships with news organizations.

Eight students graduating in December from UC’s journalism program in McMicken's Department of English and Comparative Literature have both — the degree

and

the hands-on experience.

Professor and director of the Journalism Program Jon Hughes recently wrote in a letter to McMicken College of Arts and Sciences alumni, “Thirty-five years ago I had no idea that one day I would be writing UC alumni, students and friends as a representative of a thriving BA in journalism program.”

Twice, UC faculty (with Hughes leading the way) proposed a journalism program. Faced with perceived competition from successful programs at other Ohio universities, their hopes were dashed — but they never gave up. And now UC’s students — and the Cincinnati community — are reaping the benefits.

Students in Elissa Sonnenberg’s upper-class journalism seminar are working in partnership with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the Center for Community Engagement about the history and role of the Black Press in America.

“Through the seminar, students worked to research and design multimedia presentations about the role of the Black Press in the history of America as well as in American journalism,” says Sonnenberg, assistant professor and assistant director of the Journalism Program. “National Underground Railroad Freedom Center staff assisted in finding documentation about the project and speaking to the class about its mission. African and African-American Studies professor Thabiti Asukile, whose dissertation focused on J.A. Rogers, a journalist and historian who published extensively in The Pittsburgh Courier, also spoke to the class and served as an invaluable resource.”

Using primary resource documents, audio and video interviews and archival as well as current photos, students targeted specific topics that illustrate the importance of the Black Press. Presentations included glimpses into The Chicago Defender, The Cincinnati Herald, The Pittsburgh Courier and the National Association of Black Journalists.

Also as part of the course, high-school journalism students from around the region took part in a focus group at UC with the seminar students on Nov. 27. A select group of high-schoolers, chosen by their media advisors, listened as seminar students “pitched” their presentation ideas. High-school students then offered feedback and helped shape the final products the college students produced. (On Dec. 8, the quarter’s work will culminate with a public presentation of the seminar students’ final presentations to a wider range of high-school journalism students from Cincinnati Public Schools, local private high schools and at least one suburban district.)

Journalism student Rasputin Todd graduates this December with his BA in journalism. He was one of only four students in Ohio to receive prestigious recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists. But he wasn’t alone at UC — Todd and fellow UC journalism student Arielle Goldberg were named two of Ohio’s top four student journalists by the SPJ. Todd noted that his experience working at UC’s student newspaper has been invaluable.

"My internship at The News Record taught me more than I could ever imagine," he said. "Working at The News Record really close to deadline is one of the most exciting moments in my journalism career."

Even before the baccalaureate journalism program was developed, UC had a tradition of producing excellent journalists through its certificate program. Hughes points out that for 28 years UC offered a writing certificate program in journalism, “good enough to produce a Pulitzer Prize winner and two finalists plus scores of successful professional journalists.”

The first bachelor’s degree in journalism from the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences was given in autumn of 2005. Since then, 27 students have received bachelor’s degrees in journalism from autumn 2005 through spring of 2007.

At the December All-University Commencement, eight students will be receiving their degrees: four who completed their degree requirements during the summer and four who finished up this fall. As of the fall of 2007, 204 students had chosen the journalism major (up from 146 in the fall of 2006). Altogether, there are 320 majors and certificate students in three tracks: news/editorial, magazine and photojournalism.

Hughes stresses that the journalism major is a demanding liberal arts program requiring a minor in another discipline along with two internships. Students learn a combination of traditional journalism practices, as well as state-of-the-art media technologies.

“While we welcome the new technology into our curriculum, supplemented by cross-listed courses in CCM (electronic media), DAAP (fine arts photography) and Raymond Walters (electronic media technology), we embrace critical thinking and writing and editing skills,” Hughes points out. “Our philosophy is straightforward: While journalism follows ever-changing technology, the basic skills transcend all platforms.

“As we turn out new award-winning journalists, we celebrate the success of the majors and certificate students already at work,” says Hughes. “The times are changing, and I couldn’t be prouder. It is an exciting time for journalism education at UC.”

Want to read more about UC's journalism program?

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Read more about UC's Autumn All-University Commencement:

UC Commencement Web Site
 
Other Commencement News