Mass Communications, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in journalism/broadcast

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Virginia Commonwealth University

Program Overview

VCU’s B.S. in Mass Communications with a concentration in Journalism/Broadcast is designed for students who want to build a career in television, digital news and multimedia journalism while learning how professional newsrooms operate. The program combines news writing, interviewing and research with audio-visual storytelling, media production, multimedia reporting, communication law and ethics, culminating in real broadcast production through VCU’s student-produced news operation.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1 – Understanding Media, Society and the News Environment

The first year establishes the wider context in which journalists work through MASC 101 – Mass Communications, alongside POLI 103 – U.S. Government and Politics and ECON 203 – Introduction to Economics. Students also begin career planning through HUMS 203 – Career Compass and develop research, communication and AI-literacy skills that prepare them for more specialised journalism coursework.

Year 2 – News Writing and Technical Journalism Skills

The second year moves directly into professional journalism through MASC 203 – Intro to News Writing, followed by MASC 303 – Advanced News Writing, helping students progress from foundational reporting to more sophisticated news storytelling. MASC 274 – Diversity in the Media and MASC 300 – Technical Prowess II broaden this preparation by developing awareness of representation in media while strengthening the technical capabilities required for modern communication work.

Year 3 – Broadcast Production and Multimedia Storytelling

Students begin developing specialist broadcast capabilities through MASC 363 – Audio/Visual Writing and MASC 367 – Media Production I, learning how stories are written and produced for visual and audio platforms. They progress into MASC 415 – Media Production II and MASC 460 – Advanced Multimedia Storytelling, where increasingly sophisticated production and storytelling skills prepare them for professional, multiplatform journalism.

Year 4 – Professional Newsroom Experience and Career Preparation

The final year brings together journalism, production and professional responsibility through MASC 408 – Communications Law and the six-credit MASC 465 – InSight News Show capstone, where students participate in producing VCU’s television news program. Students then complete MASC 493 – Fieldwork/Internship, MASC 390 – Ethical Problems in Mass Media and MASC 499 – Career Minded, allowing them to graduate with professional experience alongside a clearer understanding of journalism ethics, employment and industry expectations.

Focus Areas

Learning Outcomes

Write clearly and professionally for broadcast journalism audiences; research and evaluate information critically; conduct ethical and accurate journalism; communicate effectively through written, visual and multimedia formats; apply communication law and freedom-of-press principles; use appropriate professional media technologies; understand diverse audiences and media institutions; apply statistical concepts where relevant to reporting; and critically evaluate journalistic work for accuracy, fairness, clarity and appropriate style.

Professional Alignment – Accreditation

The Robertson School’s undergraduate Mass Communications program is professionally accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) and was reaccredited in 2020. ACEJMC assesses areas including curriculum and instruction, learning outcomes, faculty, student services, facilities and equipment, and professional and public service, giving the degree external professional recognition within journalism and mass communication education.

Reputation – Employability & Rankings

VCU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the United States in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings and is also recognised by U.S. News as a top-100 best-value institution for in-state students. Internationally, VCU ranks within the top 20% of universities worldwide in the 2026–27 U.S. News Best Global Universities rankings; the Robertson School also reports a network of more than 6,000 alumni, with graduates working at organisations including CNN, The Wall Street Journal and Reuters.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

VCU’s B.S. in Mass Communications with a concentration in Journalism/Broadcast is built around practical newsroom and production experience rather than classroom theory alone. Students learn to research stories, conduct interviews, write for audio and video, shoot and edit content, and produce professional-quality broadcasts using the Robertson School’s HD television studio, professional cameras, audio equipment and industry-standard Adobe software. The experience culminates in VCU InSight, a student-produced 30-minute television news program that airs monthly on VPM – Richmond PBS, giving students the opportunity to produce journalism for a real public audience.

Students develop these practical skills through facilities, technology and professional experiences including:

VCU InSight News Show: Broadcast journalism students take the six-credit MASC 465 InSight News Show capstone, working collaboratively to produce a professional television news program. VCU InSight is broadcast monthly on VPM – Richmond PBS, providing experience with reporting, producing, presenting and newsroom teamwork.
Professional HD Television Studio: The Robertson School operates an HD studio equipped with a NewTek TriCaster TC1 video switcher, Behringer X32 audio mixing console and Sony HXCD70K HD studio cameras, allowing students to practise studio-based news production with professional equipment.
Camera & Audio Equipment: Students can use professional equipment including Sony HXR-NX5R HD video cameras, Canon T6i DSLRs and Sennheiser EW100-ENG G3 wireless microphones for reporting and production assignments. Equipment and editing time can be reserved through the school's Booked reservation system.
Adobe Editing Software: Students have access to Adobe Premiere Pro for video editing and Adobe Audition for audio editing through the Robertson School, while enrolled VCU students also receive access to Adobe Creative Cloud.
Production Laboratories: MASC 367 – Media Production I combines lectures with laboratory hours, giving students practical experience with audio/video production, recording, editing, production equipment and the creation of professional-quality media content.
Advanced Multimedia Storytelling: The curriculum includes MASC 460 – Advanced Multimedia Storytelling, allowing students to further develop multimedia reporting and storytelling skills before moving into their senior broadcast capstone.
Required Internship: Students complete MASC 493 – Fieldwork/Internship as part of the degree. The Robertson School works with communications companies and government agencies throughout metropolitan Richmond to provide opportunities in areas including television, newspapers, magazines and new media, helping students gain professional experience, build portfolios and develop industry contacts.
Current Industry Opportunities: The Robertson School maintains its own internship listings, with recent journalism-related opportunities including Richmond Magazine editorial internships, journalism positions and communications roles across media organisations in and around Richmond.
VCU Student Media Center: Students can gain additional experience working collaboratively on a newspaper, magazines, journals, websites and a radio station, providing another route to build published work and a professional portfolio alongside their degree.
AP Stylebook & Journalism Resources: VCU students receive online access to the AP Stylebook, while the school also directs students to NewsU tutorials covering reporting, writing, editing and photography.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates are prepared for professional work across television journalism, digital news, radio and multimedia reporting, with the program specifically designed to develop skills for today's converged news environment. Typical career paths include Broadcast Journalist/Reporter, Television News Producer, Multimedia Journalist and News Editor, with journalism skills also transferable to communications, government, business and other media-related careers.

VCU supports the move from university into professional journalism through:

Dedicated Career Support: Robertson School students can work with the school's career development adviser as well as VCU Career Services for résumé and cover-letter reviews, internship preparation and career planning. The curriculum itself also includes the required MASC 499 – Career Minded course to prepare students for the transition into employment.
Employment Outcomes: VCU reports that 82% of undergraduate respondents have a job related to their degree, while 79% report satisfaction with their degree outcomes on its B.S. in Mass Communications career-outcomes information. These are VCU undergraduate outcome figures for the broader Mass Communications degree and are not published specifically for the Broadcast Journalism concentration.
Salary Benchmark: VCU lists an average annual salary of $70,300 for Media and Communication Occupations, based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is an occupational benchmark presented by VCU rather than an average starting salary specifically for VCU broadcast journalism graduates.
Industry Connection with VPM: The strongest program-specific professional connection is VCU InSight's relationship with VPM – Richmond PBS, where the student-produced television news program is aired to the public, allowing broadcast students to work on material produced to professional broadcast standards.
Richmond Internship Network: The Robertson School states that it maintains partnerships with communications companies and government agencies across metropolitan Richmond, providing internships in television, newspapers, magazines, advertising, public relations and new media.
National Internship Opportunities: Journalism students are eligible to pursue Dow Jones News Fund paid summer internships, which can provide experience in areas such as audience engagement, digital media, data journalism and business reporting. VCU reports that Robertson School students have secured these placements in recent years.
Professional Accreditation: The Robertson School's undergraduate Mass Communications program is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). VCU states that it is one of 118 accredited journalism and mass communication programs, and that roughly one in four U.S. mass communications programs earns this accreditation. The accreditation reviews areas including curriculum, faculty, student services, facilities, equipment and professional preparation.
Graduate Outcomes & Portfolio Development: Through broadcast production, internships and the InSight capstone, students can graduate with practical reporting experience and published/broadcast work that can be shown to prospective employers. VCU specifically describes its journalism curriculum as preparation for roles in television newsrooms, digital news, newspapers, radio operations, magazines and other news organisations.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the B.S., students can continue at VCU with the M.S. in Mass Communications, choosing concentrations such as Integrated Communication or Media Leadership. The Media Leadership pathway is particularly relevant for journalism graduates because it is designed for work in competitive print, broadcast and online/digital news environments and develops skills for leadership and management in newsrooms. Students who later complete an appropriate master's degree and want to move into advanced research or university-level teaching can also consider VCU's interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Media, Art and Text, jointly connected with the Robertson School of Communication.