Journalism, JBA

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Wisconsin Madison

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts–Journalism (JBA) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison combines liberal-arts education with practical journalism training, preparing students to communicate effectively across contemporary media while developing strong critical-thinking, problem-solving and ethical decision-making skills. Students can pursue the Journalism concentration, focused on reporting and multimedia storytelling, while gaining experience in areas such as investigative journalism, video, emerging media, magazine publishing and community-based reporting.

Curriculum Structure

First Year

Students build their academic and communication foundation while beginning journalism study with JOURN 201 – Introduction to Mass Communication. Alongside the university's general education requirements, students begin understanding how mass media operates and develops the communication and analytical foundation needed for advanced journalism coursework.

Second Year

The second year moves into intensive practical preparation through JOURN 202 – Mass Communication Practices, where students develop writing, editing, information-gathering and multimedia production skills, together with JOURN 203 – Information for Communication, which introduces information collection, verification, analysis and presentation. Students then progress to JOURN 335 – Principles and Practices of Reporting, where they create print, audio and web-based news stories around current public issues.

Third Year

Students deepen their journalism expertise through the Journalism concentration and advanced reporting options. Depending on their interests, they can study JOURN 401 – In-Depth Reporting, JOURN 420 – Investigative Reporting, JOURN 425 – Video Journalism, JOURN 411 – Multimedia Design, JOURN 426 – Community-Based Reporting, or JOURN 455 – Emerging Media and the News, building the ability to report, investigate and produce stories across contemporary formats.

Fourth Year

In the final year, students complete advanced Journalism coursework and broaden their professional portfolio through upper-level JOURN 500+ Perspectives and JOURN 600+ Topics or Advances courses. Students can also use electives to strengthen a complementary area of expertise, preparing them for careers that require adaptable writing, reporting, multimedia and communication skills.

Focus Areas

Reporting, investigative journalism, creative nonfiction, multimedia design, magazine publishing, science and environmental journalism, video journalism, community-based reporting, emerging media and news, long-form video, storytelling through sound.

Learning Outcomes

Students learn to inform and persuade audiences across contemporary media, think strategically and critically, conduct accurate research and reporting, create professional multimedia content, work ethically and responsibly with information, solve communication problems, meet professional deadlines, and understand the relationship between media and social, political, legal and economic systems.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The JBA is offered through UW–Madison's School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) within the College of Letters & Science. The university's official JBA materials emphasize professional journalism preparation, ethical media practice and real-world skills; a separate program-specific professional accreditation is not identified on the current official JBA program page.

Reputation (Employability & Recognition)

UW–Madison's SJMC has a long-standing national and international reputation in journalism and communication research. The school states that it is regularly ranked among the top five in the world for communication research, and UW–Madison has highlighted its strong history of journalism education, research and distinguished alumni working across major media and communication fields.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The JBA is designed around a strong combination of practical skills, theory and real-world practice. Students work with multimedia formats, reporting techniques, information-verification methods and emerging media tools, while Vilas Hall provides computer laboratories, smart classrooms, a flexible media commons and dedicated teaching and research spaces; students can also gain professional experience through internships and student-led publications.

• JOURN 202 – Mass Communication Practices: Students collaborate on writing, editing, information gathering and producing stories in formats including audio, video and online media.

• JOURN 203 – Information for Communication: Students practice collecting, verifying, analyzing and presenting information, including data-visualization techniques and group tasks.

• JOURN 335 – Principles and Practices of Reporting: Students create print, audio and web-based news stories focused on current public issues and develop professional reporting skills.

• JOURN 420 – Investigative Reporting: Students undertake extensive field reporting and complete a final investigative journalism project designed to produce publishable work.

• JOURN 425 – Video Journalism: Students learn videography, digital editing, writing and production while creating visual news stories using strong visuals and ambient sound.

• JOURN 455 – Emerging Media and the News: Students work with social media, multimedia and emerging technologies used by professional communicators to produce content for publication.

• Curb Magazine: Students work together from concept development and story creation through writing, editing, design, advertising, fundraising, web design and distribution to produce a real magazine.

• Vilas Hall: The School's home includes state-of-the-art computer laboratories, smart classrooms and a flexible media commons supporting journalism teaching, production and research.

• Journalism Reading Room: Students have access to a dedicated Journalism Reading Room supporting journalism and mass communication study and research.

• Professional Internships: SJMC has a long history of encouraging internships across for-profit, government and nonprofit sectors, giving students opportunities to apply classroom skills in professional settings.

• Student Journalism Projects: Students collaborate on reporting projects and publish work through school-related and student media activities, giving them opportunities to build practical portfolios before graduation.

• Journalist in Residence: The Sharon Dunwoody Journalist in Residence program brings professional journalists and editors from organizations such as PBS Digital Studios, ProPublica, Radiolab, The Washington Post and National Geographic into the UW–Madison community.

Facilities and school resources: Vilas Hall, Journalism Reading Room, computer laboratories, smart classrooms, media commons and teaching/research facilities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The JBA can prepare graduates for careers across journalism, digital media, broadcasting, publishing, multimedia production and communications. UW–Madison states that its SJMC prepares students for jobs ranging from newsrooms and marketing agencies to nonprofit organizations, government, research and think tanks, while its alumni network provides mentoring, networking and job-placement connections.

Typical job roles include Journalist, Investigative Reporter, Multimedia Journalist, Digital Content Producer.

• Career Development & Alumni Network: SJMC alumni regularly return to classes and events to provide guest speaking, mentoring, networking and job-placement support for current students.

• Internship Support: The school provides access to professional internship opportunities, including opportunities in journalism, communications, media and nonprofit work. An SJMC-supported internship fund also helps eligible rising juniors and seniors pursue professional experience.

• Industry Connections: SJMC's career opportunities include organizations such as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Madison-area media organizations and communications agencies, providing students with exposure to professional employers and industry expectations.

• Portfolio Development: Courses such as Investigative Reporting, Video Journalism and Curb Magazine allow students to graduate with tangible reporting, multimedia and publishing work that can demonstrate professional skills to employers.

• Employment Preparation: The school emphasizes practical skills, real-world experience and adaptability to an evolving communication industry, helping graduates enter careers across newsrooms, media organizations, government, nonprofits and communications fields.

• Salary Figures: UW–Madison's current official JBA/SJMC pages do not publish a specific median starting salary for JBA Journalism graduates, so a program-specific salary figure should not be presented as an official statistic.

• Graduation Outcomes: The school reports that its journalism and strategic communication alumni successfully find employment across a broad range of communication settings, while alumni remain actively engaged through mentoring, networking and professional connections.

Further Academic Progression: After the JBA, students can pursue graduate study in journalism and mass communication, communication, media studies, strategic communication or related fields. UW–Madison's SJMC offers graduate-level programs that can support advanced professional practice or research careers, allowing JBA graduates to continue building expertise in journalism, media research, communication and related specializations.