Multimedia Journalism (BSJ)

The Multimedia Journalism concentration is strongly connected to real newsroom and production environments, giving students opportunities to practice reporting, photography, video, editing and broadcasting while they study. Students can work with professional equipment, Adobe software, broadcast facilities and student-led media organizations, creating work that reaches the KU and wider Lawrence community. The program also provides opportunities to work on community reporting, television news and multimedia productions, making the transition from classroom learning to professional journalism much more natural:

• The University Daily Kansan — Students gain hands-on experience in reporting, photography, broadcast, video, editing and newsroom management through KU's student newspaper.

• KUJH-TV — Students work as reporters and broadcasters in front of the camera while also gaining experience as producers and editors in the control room through the weekly newscast.

• Media Crossroads — Students pitch, write, shoot and produce their own television and video programs, with opportunities to work as writers, producers, on-camera talent and directors.

• The Eudora Times — Students cover real community beats including City Hall, sports, features and education, building practical community-journalism experience.

• The Studio — KU's state-of-the-art broadcast studio gives students an environment for learning professional television and production methods.

• Carole Jackson Moreno Resource Center — Students can check out cameras and computer equipment for class and personal projects, while computers provide access to the full Adobe Suite and printers.

• JBar and JSchool Tech — Students receive training and tutorials covering creative computer and website programs, helping them strengthen their digital production skills.

• Bremner Editing Center — Students can receive writing, editing and grammar support while developing the accuracy and polish expected in professional journalism.

• Multimedia Reporting and Editing — Courses such as JMC 415 Multimedia Reporting and JMC 419 Multimedia Editing provide hands-on practice in gathering, writing, presenting and editing news for multiple media platforms.

• Sports Media Opportunities — Students interested in sports journalism can pursue reporting, production, multimedia and marketing opportunities connected with KU Athletics and other sports-media environments.

Graduates leave the program with a broad portfolio of reporting, editing, visual storytelling and multimedia production skills that can be applied across digital news, television, magazines, sports media and communications organizations. KU's own career data shows strong professional outcomes: 71.7% of 2024 graduates were employed in news or strategic communications careers, 66.1% had completed at least one internship, and 69.5% reported a starting salary of at least $45,000 per year.

Typical job roles: Reporter, Broadcast Journalist, Multimedia Journalist, Editor

Students can strengthen their transition into employment through KU's dedicated career resources and industry connections:

• J-School Career Center — Provides support with resumes, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles, internship searches, interview preparation, career fairs, networking, recruiter interviews, alumni mentoring and identifying suitable jobs.

• Internship & Employment Preparation — The Career Center helps students find paid or academic-credit internships and connects them with organizations and alumni nationwide.

• J-School Career Fair — Students meet employers from dozens of companies seeking interns and entry-level talent; the 2026 event includes organizations such as Kansas City Star, KMBC/KCWE-TV, Fox4 Kansas City, KSNT, Hallmark Cards and Kansas Association of Broadcasters.

• Employment Outcomes — Across the J-School, 2025 data reports 73.8% employed full-time, 4.9% employed part-time and 9.1% entering graduate school.

• Salary Potential — KU's Multimedia Journalism page cites BLS 2021–22 figures including average annual salaries of $49,300 for news analysts and reporters, $61,900 for film/video editors and camera operators, and $41,280 for photographers. These are occupation-level U.S. figures rather than guaranteed KU graduate salaries.

• Professional Media Connections — Students can build experience through organizations such as The University Daily Kansan, KUJH-TV, Media Crossroads and The Eudora Times, while the school also highlights its connections with professional sports and media markets.

• ACEJMC Accreditation — The School's continuous ACEJMC accreditation since 1948 provides a long-standing professional quality framework and strengthens the value of the journalism education for students pursuing media careers.

• Alumni Network & Industry Reach — KU highlights graduates working at organizations including The Washington Post, USA Today, The Athletic, CBS, TNT, ESPN and other major media organizations, illustrating the range of professional directions available after the degree.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BS in Journalism and Mass Communications, students can continue into KU's Master of Science in Journalism and Mass Communications, which covers scholarly and applied research across multimedia journalism, digital marketing communications, advertising, public relations, sports media, media production and health science communication. Students interested in research and academia can also progress toward KU's Ph.D. in Journalism and Mass Communications.