UGA Specific Information for Journalism

The Journalism major prepares students for jobs in news organizations, including broadcast and multimedia reporting, writing, editing, and producing. Journalism majors work in photojournalism, video journalism, social media, web and publication design, media innovation and entrepreneurship, and news management. Journalism students participate in experiential learning as part of their degree through the Department’s daily newscast, Grady Newsource, and its website, gradynewsource.uga.edu, as well as internships and work at campus media. 

Class of 2018 Career Outcomes for Journalism*

** Includes Self-Employed

Campus Resources

Additional UGA Career Center Recommendations/Considerations

Knowledge/Skills Needed in this Industry

  • Demonstrate creativity, verbal ability, writing skills, and proofreading ability.
  • Work for The Red and Black, UGAzine, Pandora, Infusion Magazine or other on-campus publications to strengthen writing skills. Gain experience in a variety of positions, including reporting, layout, and editing.
  • Volunteer to produce a newsletter for a student organization or non-profit group.
  • Never stop writing. When editors review your resume, they prefer to see consistent writing experience over a period of time.
  • Complete an internship in publications, public relations, or marketing.
  • Gain experience with social media marketing using platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Become proficient in social media analytics by using HootSuite.
  • “Students may want to consider smaller newspaper publications that offer broader opportunities for beginning reporters. Larger newspapers are typically more interested in entry-level applicants with many internship experiences and specialty reporting skills. Young reporters can benefit from gaining close community contacts and skills working in a smaller news market.” Excerpt from USA Today article “5 tips for job-seeking journalism students” written by Alex Spiess
  • Strengthen your multimedia skills by gaining experience with photography, editing, web design or video production.
  • Get experience with a variety of software programs, including InDesign, Photoshop, QuarkExpress, Excel and Publisher.
  • Develop or refine computer, supervision, selling, customer relations, and time management skills.
  • Consider enrolling in New Media Certificate courses to gain understanding and proficiency in digital media such as coding, new technology and social media.
  • Compile a portfolio of writing samples, design layouts, photographs, videos, graphics, multimedia projects and other relevant work for the type of journalism positions for which you plan to apply. Making an online portfolio is a good way to market your skills and work samples for job opportunities by using websites such as Issuu, Vimeo, Behance, YouTube, Wix and WordPress. For more information and platforms, check out Portfolio Resources on the Career Center website.
  • “Freelance for the local paper, update news and events for the town blog, anything. The last thing an editor wants to see on a resume is an extended time gap where you had nothing published.” – Newsday reporter Bill Bleyer

Campus Involvement and Study Abroad Opportunities

  • Join National Press Photographers Association UGA Student Chapter and Online News Association / Society of Professional Journalists to learn more about the field from the advisors and to hear advice from guest speakers.
  • Write for a campus or other local publication to start building your portfolio and keep a steady flow of writing.
  • Participate in the Travel Writing Study Abroad programs to write and report on in-depth travel stories and build a multimedia portfolio. 
  • Students interested in publication management can join the American Marketing Association to gain knowledge in marketing strategies and research. You will also gain practical experience in applying social and digital marketing techniques with local and national businesses.
  • Students interested in pursuing careers in the creative industry are encouraged to enroll in Summer at the Circus, a partnership between Grady College and The Creative Circus in Atlanta. Creative Circus is one of the top portfolio schools in the country, offering programs in Art Direction, Copywriting, Design, Image, Interactive Design and several other areas.
  • Students interested in pursuing careers in the creative industry can also consider participating in the UGA Cannes Lions Study Abroad Program, which allows students to attend the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and witness thousands of ads from around the world being showcased and judged. This opportunity also allows students to network with producers, directors, and actors who have starred in motion pictures. 

LinkedIn Groups to Join

  • Advertising and PR at UGA Grady College
  • Internships and Interns
  • PRSSA
  • University of Georgia Alumni Association Group (UGA)
  • University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication Alumni
  • Tip: Join LinkedIn groups that are related to your career interest. Need help finding groups? Check out the Groups You May Like link under the Interests/Groups tab. Review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined and consider joining them as well.
  • For more information on how to effectively utilize LinkedIn, check out the UGA Career Center's Networking Page.

Additional Internship/Job Search Tips

  • For additional information on internships and job opportunities, look out for emails sent every Tuesday on the Grady Career Services Update listserv. If you are not on that listserv, sign up for the Grady job leads listserv here.
  • Follow @UGAGradyCareers for timely job postings and career advice, run by the Grady College Office of Experiential Learning and the UGA Career Center Grady College Career Consultant.
  • If you’re interested in working or interning for a specific company, visit that company’s website. Job and internship opportunities are usually listed under the “Careers” tab.
  • For information about job salary, company reviews, and job openings, visit Glassdoor and CareerBliss.
  • For a general job search, visit websites such as Indeed, Monster and Simply Hired.

Supplemental Career Research Dashboard

Additional Career Research Resources

Employment Websites

Professional Associations/Resources

GRADUATE/PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS ATTENDED BY UGA Journalism - Bachelors MAJORS FOR THE CLASS OF 2018**

To view Graduate/Professional Schools and Programs where Class of 2018 Journalism - Bachelors majors have enrolled, click here

The information below represents employers and job titles from the Class of 2018 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.

POSITION TITLES AND EMPLOYERS WHO HIRED THIS MAJOR (CLASS OF 2018)*

*Source: Areas above marked with an Asterisk (*) have been created utilizing data taken from the UGA Career Outcomes Survey. The "Employers Hiring...," "Job Titles of...," "Career Outcomes for...," and "Graduate/Professional Schools and Programs..." information listed above represent UGA Class of 2018 Graduates. The lists are not exhaustive and therefore do not represent all potential career options. Click here for more detailed Career Outcomes information regarding this major.