BA Journalism

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Indiana University Bloomington

Program Overview

The B.A. in Journalism at Indiana University Bloomington prepares students to investigate, report, write, edit, and communicate stories accurately across today’s multimedia platforms. Students can tailor the degree through News Reporting and Editing or Social and Digital Media, making it a strong choice for students interested in journalism, digital storytelling, broadcasting, social media, and related communication careers.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1:

Students begin by developing a broad understanding of media, communication, and storytelling while building foundational writing and reporting skills. Courses such as MSCH-C 101 Media, MSCH-C 250 Story Lab I, and MSCH-C 251 Story Lab II introduce media's role in society and develop practical skills in interviewing, newswriting, reporting, verification, audio and visual collection, and digital storytelling.

Year 2:

Students move into more focused journalism practice, learning how to gather information, produce accurate stories, and communicate through multiple formats. MSCH-C 225 Reporting, Writing, and Editing I, MSCH-C 226 Visual Communication, and MSCH-J 300 Communications Law develop reporting, editing, visual storytelling, media-law, First Amendment, and ethical decision-making skills.

Year 3:

At the intermediate and advanced level, students can strengthen their specialization through courses such as MSCH-J 341 News Reporting, MSCH-J 351 News Editing, and MSCH-J 362 Journalism Multimedia Storytelling. These experiences emphasize interviewing, observation, digital reporting, editing, advanced cameras and software, and the creation of multimedia stories for different audiences and platforms.

Year 4:

Students apply their accumulated reporting, editing, multimedia, and research skills to professional-level journalism projects. Courses such as MSCH-J 400 Converged Newsroom, MSCH-J 401 Depth Reporting and Editing, and MSCH-J 408 Investigative Reporting provide opportunities to work with audience data, investigative techniques, public records, multimedia storytelling, and collaborative reporting projects.

Focus Areas:

News reporting and editing, social and digital media, reporting and writing, investigative journalism, multimedia storytelling, video journalism, photojournalism, audio journalism, news editing, social media, digital content creation, media law and ethics.

Learning Outcomes:

Students learn to develop and verify story ideas, report with accuracy and clarity, write and edit for diverse audiences, apply Associated Press style and journalistic ethics, understand communications law and the First Amendment, use multimedia storytelling tools, analyze information and public records, and communicate effectively across digital, visual, audio, and traditional news platforms.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

Indiana University's journalism program has been accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) since 1948 and was most recently reaccredited in 2024. This provides students with the long-term value of studying within an externally reviewed journalism program that maintains established educational standards.

Reputation & Employability:

The Media School reports that 80% of its students complete an internship during college, with students completing an average of 2.2 internships, while 92% of Media School alumni reach a career goal—full-time employment, graduate school, or entrepreneurial pursuits—within six months of graduation. The Journalism program also highlights more than 40 alumni who have won individual or team Pulitzer Prizes, demonstrating the strength of its journalism alumni network and professional legacy.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Indiana University's approach to journalism strongly connects classroom learning with professional practice. Students can work from the beginning of their undergraduate experience through student news organizations, television and radio, investigative journalism, multimedia projects, internships, and specialized facilities at Franklin Hall. The Media School also provides industry-standard cameras, audio equipment, editing suites, production studios, and professional software so students can build work that reflects today's journalism environment.

• Indiana Daily Student: Students can work as reporters, editors, photographers, videographers, or designers for IU's award-winning student newspaper and gain newsroom experience from an early stage.

• IU Student Television: Students gain practical experience in news, sports, and entertainment television production, including opportunities both on camera and behind the scenes.

• WIUX Student Radio: Students can host programs, report news and sports, and gain experience in radio production through IU's student-run station.

• Words and Pictures: This newsroom-style course brings photography, writing, and multimedia together, with students working in teams on a single story throughout the semester.

• IU NewsNet Daily: Students in television news produce a school newscast, gaining experience in preparing and presenting news for television.

• Michael I. Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism: Undergraduate students can participate in real investigative journalism focused on important issues in Indiana and beyond, gaining experience in a professional reporting environment.

• National Sports Journalism Center: Students interested in sports journalism can access experiential education and extracurricular workshops focused on the practice and research of sports journalism.

• Ken and Audrey Beckley Studio: Broadcast journalism students work with industry-standard equipment including robotic cameras, a jib camera, green-screen technology, and professional studio setups.

• Equipment Checkout: Students have access to cameras, microphones, digital audio recorders, and other production equipment for media projects.

• Multimedia Lab: The lab provides 5K iMac workstations loaded with Adobe, Apple, and DaVinci Resolve production and design software for individual and small-group projects.

• Professional Editing Suites: Franklin Hall includes editing suites equipped with Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro X, DaVinci Resolve, and Adobe Creative Cloud, along with professional monitoring and 4K production capabilities.

• Institute for Communication Research: Students can engage with research environments containing survey, interview, focus-group, content-analysis, data-analysis, eye-tracking, facial-coding, and psychophysiological research facilities.

• Journalism Internships: Students can gain professional experience through internships, including opportunities in Los Angeles and London, while internship courses can allow eligible students to earn academic credit.

Facilities: Franklin Hall and The Media School facilities provide access to studios, production labs, equipment checkout, student media spaces, WIUX, the Institute for Communication Research, and other specialized resources.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.A. in Journalism prepares graduates for careers across traditional journalism, broadcasting, digital media, social media, photography, audio, and multimedia storytelling. Students can build professional experience before graduation through internships, student media, career coaching, employer networking, and career treks, giving the degree strong flexibility across the wider media industry.

Typical job roles: Journalist, News Reporter, Investigative Reporter, Multimedia Journalist

Students can strengthen their transition from university to employment through several dedicated career resources:

• Media School Career Team: Students receive media-specific career coaching, employer connections, career guidance, and support with internship and full-time job searches.

• Career Coaching & Handshake: Students can receive help with resumes, cover letters, interviews, salary negotiation, career exploration, professional networking, and job searches through Handshake.

• Career Treks: Free Media School career treks allow students to visit media organizations, explore professional workplaces, and network with IU alumni and industry professionals.

• Internship Outcomes: 80% of Media School students complete an internship during college, with an average of 2.2 internships per student.

• Graduate Outcomes: 92% of Media School alumni reach their career goal—full-time employment, graduate school, or entrepreneurial pursuits—within six months of graduation.

• Industry Connections: Employers and alumni regularly come to campus for networking and career events, while The Media School also receives job and internship opportunities from employers, alumni, faculty, and industry contacts.

• Professional Journalism Network: More than 40 IU journalism alumni have won individual or team Pulitzer Prizes, highlighting the program's long-standing connection to accomplished journalism professionals.

• ACEJMC Accreditation: The program's ACEJMC accreditation, maintained since 1948 and renewed in 2024, provides lasting professional value and demonstrates adherence to established journalism education standards.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.A. in Journalism, students can continue into Indiana University's M.S. in Media, including concentrations in Journalism, Data Journalism, Documentary/Nonfiction Production, and Strategic Communication, or pursue related graduate study in media and communication.