UVM offers two distinct paths to becoming a journalist
Which is right for you?
The Community Media and Journalism concentration within the Public Communication major (or minor), trains you in an array of high-demand professional communications skills such as graphic design and social media, as well as journalism.
The Reporting and Documentary Storytelling minor pairs with the major of your choice to help you build subject matter expertise in a specific area you’re passionate about while developing your storytelling abilities.
Need help deciding?
Ask yourself the questions below to help identify your best path.
Objective: Become a journalist
Pathway 1
Do you...
- Want a 120-credit communication major with a journalism focus?
- Want to produce journalism through a community-centered lens?
- Want to create written, visual, and video content that impacts people’s lives?
- Want to use digital multimedia tools to get accurate and accessible information to local and global audiences quickly?
- Want to amplify the voices of marginalized communities through activist media?
- Want to learn professional skills related to journalism, including public relations, strategic communication, social media, layout, and design?
- Want to build a professional portfolio using real-world assignments in your courses, internships with media outlets, and a Senior Capstone project?
Your path:
Public Communication major (with a concentration in Community Media and Journalism)
Pathway 2
Do you...
- Want a non-fiction storytelling minor (18 credits) built around classes in writing, media history/theory, and your choice of multimedia storytelling plus a related internship?
- Believe the reporter’s point of view is an important aspect of reporting?
- Want to learn reporting skills through hands-on work with local news outlets?
- Hope to become an expert at multimedia (audio, visual, and digital) storytelling?
- Dream about doing long-form narrative storytelling to communicate complex ideas?
- Long to pair your journalism and narrative nonfiction skills with a major you’re passionate about?
- Want to develop the skills to practice journalism through socially and culturally engaged storytelling?
Your Path:
Working with the Community News Service (CNS) is a popular way for Reporting and Documentary Storytelling students to meet the three-credit internship requirement and for Public Communication students to earn elective course credit in the Community Media and Journalism concentration. CNS is a nationally recognized, hands-on journalism program that gives students the opportunity to support local news outlets across the state through reporting and writing. The program, housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, produces more than 300 student-written stories a year in multiple formats (audio, video and digital), and also provides support to students looking to publish longer form pieces, podcasts, and more.