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The University of Kentucky’s Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism prepares students to become versatile storytellers across print, digital, broadcast, sports and multimedia journalism, with both BA and BS pathways available. Students build professional skills in reporting, writing, editing, visual storytelling, media law and ethics while choosing a focus in Print and Digital Journalism, Sports and Multimedia Journalism, or Broadcast and Multimedia Journalism.
Curriculum Structure:
Year 1: Students begin by developing a strong journalism foundation through subjects such as JOU 101: Introduction to Journalism and JOU 204: Writing for the Mass Media, while completing UK Core requirements. These courses introduce students to journalism practices, professional writing, news values and the communication skills needed for more advanced reporting work.
Year 2: Students move into more specialized journalism study, building their understanding of media responsibility, diversity and the legal and ethical environment in which journalists work. Courses such as JOU 455: Mass Media and Diversity and JOU 531: Media Law help students understand how journalism interacts with society, law, public interest and diverse audiences.
Year 3: Students develop stronger production and reporting abilities through their selected pathway. Depending on their interests, coursework can include JOU 301: News Reporting and JOU 303: News Editing for print/multimedia journalism, or JOU 302: Radio and TV News Reporting and JOU 304: Broadcast News Decision Making for broadcast and multimedia journalism.
Year 4: Students bring their skills together through advanced journalism coursework, upper-level electives and professional experience. The program’s required JAM 399: Internship gives students an opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge in a professional media or communications environment before graduation.
Focus Areas:
Print and Digital Journalism, Sports and Multimedia Journalism, Broadcast and Multimedia Journalism, news reporting, editing, digital content creation, multimedia storytelling, photojournalism, sports journalism, broadcast journalism, investigative journalism, media ethics, media law and audience engagement.
Learning Outcomes:
Students develop professional reporting and writing skills, multimedia storytelling abilities, editing and production experience, knowledge of journalistic ethics and media law, critical-thinking and research skills, audience awareness, and the technical ability to create content across television, print and digital platforms.
Professional Alignment (Accreditation):
The Journalism program is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC), demonstrating that the program meets established professional and educational standards for journalism and mass communication education.
Reputation (Employability & Recognition):
The School of Journalism and Media provides students with opportunities to compete and gain recognition at the national level. UK journalism students have earned top placements in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program, including top-10 finishes in photojournalism, while recent students have also received national recognition for television news and social-media work.
The Journalism program is designed to move students beyond classroom theory and into professional-style storytelling, reporting and production. Students can work with student media, professional broadcasters, multimedia studios and hands-on workshops while developing portfolios and newsroom-ready skills; the program also requires at least one professional internship for graduation:
• JAM 399 Internship: Every Journalism student must complete at least one professional internship, working under a media or communications professional and completing 150 hours of supervised experience.
• Rupp Studios: Journalism and media-production students use the downtown studio for broadcast-news and sports programming, including student productions such as Wildcat News and Big Blue Banter.
• Spectrum Studio: This 20,000-square-foot production and learning/research facility includes two broadcast studios, control rooms, a video podcast studio, newsroom/classroom spaces, a 24-foot LED wall, cyclorama wall and robotic cameras.
• Elizabeth “Scoobie” Ryan Podcast and Multimedia Studio: Students have access to dedicated facilities for producing audio and multimedia content with professional equipment, software and instruction.
• Kentucky Kernel and KRNL: Student media provides opportunities to practice journalism in real publishing environments, including reporting, photography, editing and digital content creation.
• WUKY-FM: Journalism students can gain experience researching stories, conducting interviews, gathering audio, writing and editing scripts, producing broadcast and podcast content, and working alongside professional reporters.
• Picture Kentucky Workshop: Students work with professional photojournalists on immersive assignments, photographing real subjects and producing complete photo stories with professional coaching and critique.
• Pence Hall: The College of Communication and Information’s facilities include computer labs, a Whitebox Studio, writing lab, podcast studio, student newsroom and IT/equipment checkout spaces designed for student creation and production.
A Journalism degree from UK prepares graduates for a wide range of roles across traditional and emerging media, including reporting, editing, digital content, broadcasting, sports media, photography and communications. The university’s required internship, professional facilities and student-media opportunities allow students to graduate with practical experience alongside their academic credentials.
Typical career roles: Multimedia Journalist, Digital Content Creator, Reporter/Editor, Sports Journalist.
The program also connects students with professional development and industry-facing experiences:
• Career and Internship Support: The College of Communication and Information organizes career and internship fairs where students can connect directly with employers, while Resumania workshops help students strengthen their resumes before meeting recruiters.
• Professional Internship Experience: The required JAM 399 internship gives students supervised professional experience and allows them to test a potential career direction before graduation.
• Industry Exposure: UK students have gained professional experience with organizations such as NBC Sports, CBS News and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, demonstrating the range of opportunities available through internships and journalism experience.
• National Recognition: UK journalism students have achieved national recognition through the Hearst Journalism Awards Program and the Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts, giving students opportunities to benchmark their work against peers nationally.
• Accreditation Advantage: ACEJMC accreditation provides a long-term quality benchmark for the Journalism program and signals alignment with professional standards in journalism and mass communication education.
• Graduate Achievement: Recent UK journalism graduates have moved into professional roles at organizations such as CBS News, while 2025 journalism graduate Abbey Cutrer earned first place in a professional photojournalism competition against entrants from organizations including the Associated Press and Washington Post.
• Salary and Employment Data: The University of Kentucky’s current Journalism program information does not publish a program-specific graduate employment rate or salary figure, so a specific salary percentage or average should not be presented as a UK Journalism outcome.
Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into graduate-level study in Journalism, Communication, Media and related fields, while UK’s Accelerated Master’s Pathways can allow eligible students to begin graduate coursework during their undergraduate degree and potentially save time and cost on a master’s degree.
Official Transcripts, Letter of Recommendation, is required to be submitted. US universities use a holistic admissions review. Beyond grades and standardized test scores, they weigh the strength of your overall profile to understand who you are as a student and a person.
Profile Assessment: Applicants are generally assessed on writing, communication, creativity and engagement with media or current affairs. Journalism, school publications, podcasting, filmmaking, photography, social-media projects, debate and communication campaigns may strengthen the profile. Some film or media programs may request a creative portfolio, writing sample or supplementary submission.Advanced Placement(AP) Guidance: AP availability depends on the student's school. Relevant APs can strengthen an application and may earn university credit, but are not compulsory unless the university or programme explicitly requires them.Essays & recommendations: Personal essays and teacher/counselor recommendations give context to your achievements and help demonstrate fit with the program.JournalistNews ReporterInvestigative JournalistBroadcast JournalistMultimedia JournalistDigital JournalistNews AnchorNews ProducerEditorCopy EditorFeature WriterContent WriterPhotojournalistVideo JournalistDigital Content Producer
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