About Journalism Schools

Reporters, writers and editors oftentimes attend journalism school.  While a student within one of these schools you will receive training in writing and reporting so that you can work at a newspaper, magazine or Internet news agency.  There are over 100 of these schools graduating thousands of students each year.

• The University of Missouri in Columbia was the first true journalism school.  Walter Williams established it in 1908.  Today there are more than 100 journalism schools that are accredited by the AEJMC (the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications).


• Journalism schools exist to educate students in writing, reporting, editing and journalism laws and ethics.  Some examples of classes at these schools include media and news writing for both brick and mortar and Internet sources, interviewing skills, reporting skills, copy editing, newspaper layout and design, public affairs writing and reporting, feature writing, as well as media law and ethics.  Specialized classes may also be offered in such things as sports writing, and both business and government reporting.


• Graduating from a journalism school provides you with a specialized postgraduate bachelor’s or master’s degree in either writing or editing.


• Most journalism students will also take courses outside of their major and complete their university’s general education requirements. 


• The country’s top newspapers require their employees have a journalism degree.  Without such a degree, it is difficult to get a job in this industry because there are ethical guidelines, legal responsibilities and a certain writing style that must be adhered to properly.