Dreams of being on air or publishing articles for the world to read are common for students with a natural talent for communication. The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) describes the work of reporters, pointing out that these positions can be in television, radio, online, and print media. Reporters must be effective at meeting deadlines, since there is pressure to be the first reporter to break a news story. The OOH suggests that job prospects in television, radio, and newspapers are expected to be hard to come by, particularly in major markets.
Since education and experience are vital components, students should seek out ways to obtain the professional skills they will need in college. Baylor offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism-News Editorial, a program that also requires a minor of a student’s choosing. A minor is available in News Editorial, for those students in majors other than Journalism. Media-minded students might also be interested in courses in Film and Digital Media. Students interested in on-air broadcasting who would like to beef up their presentation and interviewing skills might also choose to take classes in Speech Communication.
This wraps up our posts for the 2011-2012 academic year. Thanks for your readership during our inaugural year. We will resume posting on the first day of classes this fall, August 20. We hope you will take the summer to peruse our old posts, explore career possibilities, and get some real-world experience. Summer jobs, internships, study abroad, and volunteer work are all excellent resume-builders. The Career Counseling office will be open during the summer sessions and between semesters, so please feel free to contact us if you have any questions during that time. Finally, best wishes on your final exams!
