Customize Your Weekly Pathways Content Welcome to the Journalism Community
The field of journalism is changing rapidly. The emphasis on traditional, ethical journalism remains, but the ways in which journalism is gathered and transmitted have been transformed. Reporters who once wrote for a newspaper are likely now to find themselves also writing for the paper’s website, taking digital photos to accompany articles, and recording podcasts (audio) and vodcasts (video). Multimedia reporting is the reality not only for newspapers, but also in television, radio, photography, public relations, and online jobs.
As equipment becomes cheaper and more portable, freelancing work for a variety of media has also become easier. “Backpack reporting” allows one person to report, write, take pictures and record audio and video on assignments, both domestically and abroad, and transmit them to media outlets instantaneously. Journalism also continues to be a solid foundation for many going into teaching, the law, government and other fields where communication and critical thinking skills are paramount.
Public Relations Concentration
Public relations is a dynamic, complex and fast-paced industry with multiple career opportunities. The Public Relations concentration at UMass Amherst is designed to help you become a better communicator and strategic thinker, preparing you for professionally oriented careers working in various organizational, agency, nonprofit and government settings. You’ll develop your writing, visual/multimedia, research and strategic planning skills, learning from dedicated practitioners and scholars. In addition, you’ll gain real-world, hands-on experience and build your portfolio through course assignments, internships and involvement in student-run organizations like the UMass PR Club and campus media.
Sports Journalism Concentration
The UMass Journalism Department offers a specialized concentration geared toward students interested in sports journalism. The SJC is a unique focus of study, combining both in-classroom instruction with hands-on internship experience in the field. Learn how to cover a beat, blog, craft column and feature pieces, utilize multimedia and shoot sports photography.
Students also analyze the politics and issues in sports as well as the study of sports film and literature. The UMass Journalism Department is home to new multimedia facilities, a state-of-the-art studio and high-caliber equipment that foster an innovative environment for creating future journalists.
