Journalism, B.A.

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Pennsylvania State University University Park

Program Overview

The Journalism, B.A. at Penn State prepares students to become skilled, ethical journalists through training in news writing, reporting, editing, visual storytelling, broadcasting, digital media, and journalism law and ethics. Students can tailor their studies through Broadcast Journalism, Digital and Print Journalism, or Photojournalism while completing a university-approved minor outside the Bellisario College of Communications, creating a broad academic and professional foundation.

Curriculum Structure:

First Year:

Students establish their journalism foundation through COMM 160: Basic News Writing Skills and COMM 271: Principles of Journalism, learning the fundamentals of news writing, reporting, journalism practices, and professional standards. COMM 205: Gender, Diversity and the Media adds an important perspective on representation and the media, while General Education and language coursework broaden students' academic preparation.

Second Year:

Students develop stronger reporting and communication skills through COMM 260W: News Writing and Reporting, building their ability to gather information, conduct interviews, and produce effective news stories. Depending on their academic plan, students can begin exploring specialized areas such as COMM 360: Radio Reporting, COMM 269: Introduction to Visual Journalism, or other courses alongside their minor and General Education requirements.

Third Year:

Students move into advanced professional journalism through courses such as COMM 460W: Reporting Methods and COMM 467: News Editing and Evaluation in the Digital and Print Journalism option, or COMM 465: Television Reporting in the Broadcast Journalism option. They also study COMM 403: Law of Mass Communications or COMM 409: News Media Ethics, strengthening their understanding of the legal and ethical responsibilities of professional journalists.

Fourth Year:

In their final year, students deepen their specialization through courses such as COMM 362: Podcasting, COMM 364: Data Visualization for Journalists, COMM 474: Depth Reporting, COMM 481: Visual Storytelling for Journalists, or COMM 495: Internship. Students can also complete advanced work in visual journalism, broadcast reporting, editing, international reporting, magazine writing, or other areas depending on their selected option.

Focus areas:

Broadcast Journalism, Digital and Print Journalism, Photojournalism, News Writing, News Reporting, Investigative and Depth Reporting, Visual Journalism, Podcasting, Data Visualization, Television Reporting, Radio Reporting, News Editing, Magazine Writing, International Reporting, Media Law, Media Ethics.

Learning outcomes:

News writing, reporting, interviewing, editing, visual storytelling, multimedia journalism, data visualization, broadcast reporting, ethical decision-making, understanding of media law, research, critical thinking, audience-focused communication, professional journalism practices, and responsible use of communication technologies.

Professional alignment (accreditation):

The Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) and has consistently met the Council's standards for professional journalism and mass communication education. For students, this accreditation also means upper-level professional classes in the majors are conducted in rooms with 20 or fewer students, supporting more individualized learning.

Reputation (employability rankings):

Penn State is ranked No. 92 globally and No. 23 in the United States in the 2027 QS World University Rankings, placing it in the top 6% worldwide. Penn State also ranks No. 92 globally for employer reputation, while the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject place Communication and Media Studies at No. 29 worldwide, highlighting the university's strength in a field directly relevant to journalism.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Penn State's Journalism program gives students opportunities to move beyond classroom learning and work on real journalism projects through student media, professional internships, paid reporting opportunities, and specialized facilities. Students can use newsroom, broadcast, audio, multimedia, and professional production resources while working with faculty, professional editors, media organizations, and community partners to build practical skills and a portfolio:

• The News Lab at Penn State — provides paid journalism opportunities through its Local Reporting Cohort and Documenters group, with students working under professional editors and professors on coverage of communities across Pennsylvania.

• Centre County Documenters — trains and pays students to attend and document public meetings in under-covered townships, giving them direct experience with local-government reporting and public-interest journalism.

• Centre Access Podcast — allows News Lab students to produce a weekly community-news podcast covering Centre County and stories from newsrooms across Pennsylvania.

• Centre County Report — provides a real-life broadcast journalism laboratory where students produce a weekly newscast that airs across Pennsylvania through WPSU-TV and streams through partner stations.

• Daily Collegian — gives students the opportunity to work with Penn State's nationally recognized daily student newspaper in news and business roles.

• CommRadio — provides a web-based student radio environment where students gain experience with news, talk, sports coverage, and live broadcasting.

• PSNtv — gives students access to Penn State's student-run television network and opportunities to develop television production and storytelling skills.

• WPSU-FM/TV — provides opportunities in production assistance, social media, and Penn State sports production through the university's NPR and PBS affiliate.

• Broadcast News Lab — provides a dedicated newsroom environment with student workstations and Adobe Creative Cloud for broadcast journalism activities.

• Newsroom Lab — provides dedicated student workstations and Adobe Creative Cloud for journalism and newsroom production.

• Audio Lab/Classroom — provides specialized space and technology for audio-focused journalism and communication work.

• Multimedia Lab — provides dedicated technology for multimedia production and journalism coursework.

• Professional software and equipment — Bellisario facilities provide access to Adobe Creative Cloud, Pro Tools, DaVinci Resolve, Avid Media Composer, iMacs, and Mac Pro workstations, giving students experience with tools used across modern media production.

• COMM 495: Internship — students can earn academic credit through journalism internships with newspapers, radio, television, and other communication organizations.

• 4,600+ approved internship opportunities — Bellisario College maintains a large internship database and provides support for students searching for paid, for-credit, or volunteer opportunities.

• Professional internship sites — approved opportunities include organizations such as The Philadelphia Inquirer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Associated Press-related organizations, Hearst Newspapers, Pensacola News Journal, WPSU, and Pennsylvania news organizations, among many others.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Journalism, B.A. provides a flexible foundation for careers across newspapers, magazines, digital publications, television, radio, government, nonprofit organizations, corporate communications, and public relations. Penn State's Department of Journalism specifically prepares students for careers as writers, reporters, editors, and photographers, while the major's flexible skill set can also lead to broader communication and public relations roles.

Typical roles include Journalist, News Reporter, News Editor, Multimedia Journalist.

• Office of Internships and Career Placement — provides in-person appointments, mock interviews, résumé reviews, internship guidance, and career support to help students transition from university to professional employment.

• Nittany Lion Careers — helps students identify suitable internship opportunities and develop an effective strategy for approaching employers, with access to a database containing more than 4,600 internship opportunities.

• Professional media connections — Bellisario's internship network includes major media and communication organizations such as CBS, Viacom, ESPN-related opportunities, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Hearst Newspapers, and Pennsylvania news organizations.

• Employment preparation — students can combine classroom journalism training with internships, student media, News Lab work, and professional production experience, helping them graduate with practical examples of reporting and media work.

• Career outcomes tracking — Bellisario College collects graduate career-outcome information for the classes of 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, with outcomes measured within six months after graduation.

• Employer reputation — Penn State's employer reputation is ranked No. 92 globally and No. 24 in the United States in the 2027 QS World University Rankings, supporting the university's broader graduate-employability profile.

• Student media portfolio — opportunities including the Daily Collegian, Centre County Report, CommRadio, PSNtv, WPSU-FM/TV, Valley Magazine, Onward State, and The News Lab allow students to build published, broadcast, audio, digital, and multimedia work before graduation.

• Professional recognition — Bellisario College reports the best average finish in the Big Ten and Northeast in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program from 2007–2024, along with three consecutive national championships from 2012–2014.

• Long-term accreditation value — ACEJMC accreditation demonstrates that the Bellisario College maintains professional standards in journalism and mass communication education and undergoes regular external evaluation.

• Global university reputation — Penn State is ranked in the top 6% worldwide in the 2027 QS World University Rankings, while Communication and Media Studies ranks No. 29 globally in the 2026 QS subject rankings.

Further Academic Progression: The Journalism, B.A. provides a strong foundation for graduate study in Journalism, Mass Communications, Media Studies, Communication, Public Relations, Digital Media, Public Affairs, and related fields. Penn State's Bellisario College offers graduate pathways including the M.A. in Mass Communications and Ph.D. in Mass Communications, while the university also offers opportunities to combine undergraduate and graduate study through integrated degree pathways.