The Journalism major at Seattle Pacific University will educate, train, and prepare you to engage in journalism as a responsible human behavior, and help you to engage the culture and change the world through thoughtful and faithful use of your creative gifts. The Journalism major provides you with many opportunities — inside and outside the classroom — to develop your written and oral communication skills, explore your values, and acquire techniques of insight and critical reasoning.
Benefits
The Journalism major is designed to prepare you for placement in the culture-shaping world of journalism. If you decide to continue your studies beyond graduation, this Journalism program also serves as a strong framework for graduate school in any number of fields of study.
Additionally, the skills you will hone as a Journalism major — self-knowledge, interpersonal communication, social interaction, presentation of self, personal discipline, risk-taking, cooperative group effort, sensitivity to others, and more — are important to many career applications besides those allied specifically with journalism.
Major Courses and Degree Requirements
In general, if you are a Communication major in the Journalism track, you are required to fulfill the following requirements:
- Earn a minimum of 72 credits in are required for the Journalism major, including a minimum of 30 upper-division credits.
- The Journalism Core is 57 credits and includes courses such as “Media Writing,” “Data Journalism,” and “Reporting and Storytelling.”
- Demonstrate a growing ability in journalism criticism, artistic awareness, and personal communication skills.
- Successfully complete at least 3 credits in newspaper production, a publication editor practicum, and/or a journalism internship.
View the Journalism Major requirements.
Career Opportunities
- Beat Reporter
-
Blog Writer
-
Book Editor
-
Book Reviewer
-
Business Writer
-
Campaign Manager
-
Columnist
-
Copywriter
-
Corporate Communications Manager
-
Director of Photography
-
Editor
-
Employment Interviewer
- Intercultural Communications Specialist
- Journalist
- Marketing Manager
- News Analyst
- Proofreader
- Public Relations Specialist/Manager
- Radio or Television Announcer
- Reporter
- Speechwriter
- Sports Announcer
- Telecommunications Specialist
- Technical Writer
- Theatre and Film Critic
- Writer
Entering the Major
You may enter the major during your first quarter at SPU. Entrance after your first quarter requires only good academic standing (2.0 or higher SPU cumulative GPA).
Consult the Undergraduate Catalog
for complete information on how and when to enter and what you must do to complete the program.