Journalism - BA
This program is for journalists of the future who want to cover news, sports, business, politics, arts and entertainment, engage in magazine writing and digital storytelling to name a few.
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Journalism offers comprehensive preparation for the journalists of the future. This degree emphasizes the art of storytelling across platforms, requiring students to communicate with fact-checked precision while upholding the ethical principles essential to a functioning democracy.
In the BA in Journalism major, students master the technical skills of media writing and digital production while learning to leverage the new economic models that sustain and grow modern journalism.
Why Choose the Bachelor of Arts?
- Flexible Focus: Students complete a minor and work with advisors to select a four-course focus area. This allows for a highly customized degree tailored to a student's unique interests, from political reporting to sports media.
- Immersive Curricula: Small, hands-on skill-building courses in journalistic writing, broadcasting, digital production both inside and outside the classroom.
- Field-based Experience: Every student completes a formal, supervised, credit-bearing, journalism internship relevant to their focus, ensuring they have professional experience before graduation.
- Specialized Certification: BA majors option to earn the certificate in Social Media in the department.
- A Supportive Start:
- Freshmen begin with a dedicated first-semester experience, introducing them to the breadth of the media field and the resources of Texas A&M through small-group engagement.
- Transfer Students are integrated into the "Communication family" through a transition process that meets them exactly where they are in their academic journey.
Areas of Study
All BA students complete core journalism coursework to establish a professional foundation, followed by specialized skill-building in:
Foundational Journalism
- Media Writing and Fact Gathering
- Journalism as a Profession
- Ethical Principles and Practices
- Technical and Digital Production
Strategic and Conceptual Analysis
- Cross-Platform Communication: mastering storytelling for print, broadcast and digital audiences
- Economic Models: understanding and implementing entrepreneurial endeavors in the media industry
- Business Reporting: mastering data-driven financial storytelling
- Reporting Sports: capturing the intensity of competition and getting the backstory
- Arts and Entertainment: covering creative expression
- Political Reporting: analyzing power and public policy
- Media Literacy: evaluating and decoding media messages
- Professional Ethics: direct enactment of the Society of Professional Journalists' code: seek truth, minimize harm, act independently and be accountable
Career Opportunities
The BA is designed to prepare "new journalists" who can adapt to a rapidly changing media landscape. Our graduates are equipped to take on roles that require high-level ethics and technical proficiency, including:
- Reporting and News: multimedia journalists, investigative reporters, and news anchors, sports journalists, business journalists, writers for the arts and entertainment
- Digital Production: digital content creators, digital producers and photojournalists
- Editorial and Leadership: editors, news directors and media entrepreneurs
- Public Interest: communications directors, fact-checkers and advocates for transparency in the public, private and non-profit sectors
Note to Students: We also offer a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Journalism for those seeking a more quantitative or technical approach. Please examine that option to determine which one is right for you.