What Can I Do With a Major In Journalism?
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 2021 Career Outcomes for Journalism*
** Includes Self-Employed
Campus Resources
- DiGamma Kappa Broadcasting Society
- Grady Newsource
- InfUSion Magazine
- International Association of Business Communicators
- National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) – UGA Chapter
- National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) - UGA Chapter
- National Press Photographer's Association (NPPA) – UGA Chapter
- Online News Association / Society of Professional Journalists at UGA
- Pandora Yearbook
- Professional Entertainment & Sports Association (PESA)
- Rouge Magazine
- The Association for Women in Sports Media at the University of Georgia
- The Red and Black
- Women in Business
- Women in Sports and Events (WISE) – UGA Chapter
- To find additional clubs and organizations, go to the UGA Involvement Network.
- UGA Mentor Program
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, Weebly, 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 Payscale.com.
- For a general job search, visit websites such as Indeed, Monster, and Simply Hired.
Supplemental Career Research Dashboard
Additional Career Research Resources
- O*NET (Click on Find Occupations)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook (Type in general term for career of interest)
- Firsthand (Explore a library of guides, articles, and other resources to help you explore careers, plan your job search, and learn about different work environments. Create a free account with your UGA email.)
- Candid Career (Watch recorded informational interviews of professionals in specific careers. Filter videos by career title, college major, industry, and more.)
- Connect with your Career Consultant
Employment Websites
- Handshake (Log in with your UGA MyID and password)
- Idealist (Non-profit jobs)
- Interstride (International job search resource for domestic and international students)
- USAJobs (Federal jobs)
- American Journalism Review
- Associated Press Careers
- The Association for Women in Communications
- Bloomberg Careers
- Book Jobs
- Columbia University Press
- Cox Enterprises
- CreativePool
- Digital Media Jobs Network
- Dow Jones Careers
- Gannett Careers
- Hearst Careers
- Journalism Jobs
- Journalism Next
- MediaBistro
- Nation Job
- National Association of Black Journalist Career Center
- National Journalism Center
- Naylor Careers
- Opportunities in Public Affairs
- Scripps Networks Interactive
- Society of Professional Journalists
- Software & Information Industry Association
- T. Howard Foundation – Diversity in the Media
- WarnerMedia (Formerly Turner Broadcasting)
- Washington Post Jobs
Professional Associations/Resources
Employers/Position Title Reported by Class of 2021 Journalism majors
The information below represents employers and position titles from the Class of 2021 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.
Employer | Position Title(s) |
---|---|
20North Marketing Inc. | SEO and PPC Analyst | 20North Marketing Inc. | SEO and PPC Analyst | 20North Marketing Inc. | SEO and PPC Analyst | 20North Marketing Inc. | SEO and PPC Analyst | 5280 Magazine | Editorial Intern | American Geophysical Union | Intern | Atlanta Business Chronicle | Reporter | Atlanta Journal-Constitution | News Intern | Augusta National Golf Club | Marketing Communications Intern | Baker Donelson | Paralegal | Bally Sports South/Southeast | Client Services Coordinator | CNN | The Row Researcher | CNN | News Associate | Congressional Black Caucus Foundation | Emerging Leader | Fountain Hills Times | Sports and Schools Reporter | Gannet | Community Impact Reporter | Henry County | Social Media Specialist | Insight Global | Recruiter | International Market Centers | PR Manager | KUSA-TV, 9News | Digital Desk Producer | Learfield IMG College | Georgia Bulldogs Host/Reporter | Made to Save | Communications Analyst | Mediacom | Advertising Associate | Nexus Marketing | Copywriter | Oscar Mayer Foods | Oscar Mayer Hotdogger | Pain Care Labs | Digital Multimedia Content Producer | Pain Care Labs | Digital Multimedia Content Producer | Premier Staffing Unlimited | Staffing Specialist | Revel Systems | Business Development Representative | Savannah Morning News | Quality of Life Reporter | Savannah River Site | Process Control Engineer | Smith's Olde Bar | Assistant Talent Buyer | Smith's Olde Bar | Assistant Talent Buyer | Smith's Olde Bar | Assistant Talent Buyer | Supreme Court of Georgia | Editorial Assistant | Tampa Bay Business Journal | Transportation and Growth Reporter | TEGNA | Multi-Platform Producer WBIR-TV | The Associated Press | News Intern | The Red & Black Publishing Co. | Special Publications Coordinator | The Red & Black Publishing Co. | Photo Editor | The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company | Communications Coordinator | The State Newspaper | South Carolina Gamecocks Reporter | Think 360 Incorporated | Administrative/ Marketing Assistant | Thrive Integrative Medicine | Front Desk Receptionist | Thrive Integrative Medicine | Front Desk Receptionist | United States Senate | Staff Assistant | University of Georgia | Media Intern | University of Georgia | Libraries - Assistant Evening Coordinator | University of Georgia | Assistant Director Creative Video | University of Tennessee Martin | Jumping Seat Assistant Coach | US Speedskating | Communications Coordinator | W&A Engineering | Proposal Coordinator | WAFF 48 News | Sports Reporter | WERA- Chanel 3 | Multimedia Journalist | Westminster Christian Academy | Assistant to the Head of Schools | Westrock | Sales Representative | WFXG FOX54 | Reporter | WMBB-TV | Multimedia Journalist | WTVG 13 ABC | Reporter | WTVQ | Multimedia Journalist and Weekend Reporter | WTVY | Producer/MMJ |
Graduate/Professional Schools attended by Class of 2021 Journalism majors
The information below represents graduate/professional schools and programs reported through the Class of 2020 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.
Graduate School | Program(s) |
---|---|
Georgia Institute of Technology | Public Policy, MS | Georgia State University | Law, JD | Georgia State University | Mass Communications, Master's | Georgia State University | Law, JD | Georgia State University | Law, JD | Mercer University | Law, JD | New York University | Law, JD | Northwestern University | Mental Health Counseling, MA | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Sports Management, MS | University of Georgia | Law, JD | University of Georgia | Journalism, MA | University of Georgia | Social Work, MSW | University of Georgia | Journalism, MA | University of Missouri - Columbia | Journalism, MA | University of Oxford | Theology/Religion, PGDip | University of Virginia | McIntire MS in Commerce Program, MS |