Media / Journalism / Entertainment

This industry is about assembling, creating, producing and distributing information in various mediums to provide knowledge, entertainment, news, education and more.  Your role could be just about anything you can imagine or create.

 

Welcome to the Media / Journalism / Entertainment Community

Journalism is, in it’s most basic form, reporting, writing, editing, photographing, or broadcasting news. Students who are deeply curious, detail oriented, love to follow a story to get the most information they can, and share that story with others, and students who seek to find the truth will excel in this field. Media is the method of distribution of news or other communications. Sources include tv and radio broadcasting, newspapers and magazines, and digital media, the newest and fastest growing medium.

Relevant Courses

Depending on your main area of interest, your ideal course load will shift. To explore this field, you can take courses that will provide you with knowledge and skills in:

  • Critical thinking – you will learn to reflect upon and evaluate your own ideas and to analyze problems using evidence-based information.
  • Analytical thinking and writing
  • Persuasive writing and speaking
  • Research
  • Technical media skills

In the Relevant Courses section below are a few examples of relevant SBS courses, but we urge you to talk to your major/departmental advisor and explore available courses in SPIRE. Remember not to constrain yourself to classes within your major.  Check SPIRE for full course descriptions and availability. These are abbreviated descriptions, and details may change at the discretion of the instructor.  Courses may not be offered every semester.

Also in this section are some relevant non-academic Linkedin Learning courses that you can take for free, compliments of UMass.

 

Media & PR Career Fair (Virtual), Thursday, March 28

Students interested in working in media, communications and PR are invited to attend our virtual Media & PR Career Fair on Thursday, March 28th, from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm via Handshake. Check out the event in Handshake to see …

By Carol Sharick
Carol Sharick Director of Career and Professional Development for Undergraduates, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
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It’s Career Fair Season – are you ready?

Career fairs are one of your best opportunities to speak directly to a recruiter.  Whether you are looking for internships or full-time jobs, this is a chance you don’t want to miss.

Starting in mid-September, the fall UMass career fair …

By Carol Sharick
Carol Sharick Director of Career and Professional Development for Undergraduates, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Read more

Fall Employer Recruiting Starts This Month

Whether you are a senior preparing for the job search, or a student thinking ahead to summer internships, please review the recruiting timeline below for the timelines of the different industries.

The corporate sector tends to do bulk of their …

By Carol Sharick
Carol Sharick Director of Career and Professional Development for Undergraduates, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Read more

Sidebar

Relevant SBS Courses

Your major does not necessarily have to be in direct line with your career! Sociology majors can work in the business sector. Economics majors can work in government. Poli Sci majors can work on Wall Street. Many SBS departments offer courses relevant to various career paths. Here is a very small sampling of courses relevant to this industry from across the majors. Please speak with your academic advisor to explore all available courses, and remember that you need not constrain yourself to courses within your major. Study what is interesting to you!

ANTHRO 106 – Culture Through Film

ANTHRO 106 – Culture Through Film: Exploration of different societies and cultures, and of the field of cultural anthropology through the…

SOCIOL 220 – Sociology of American Culture

SOCIOL 220 – Sociology of American Culture: The elements and dynamics of culture everywhere; special reference to Americana. Topics include culture…

COMM 310: Social Influence and Persuasion

COMM 310: Social Influence and Persuasion: This course examines theories and key research findings in the field of persuasion and…

COMM 387 – Media, PR, and Propaganda

COMM 387 – Media, PR, and Propaganda: The historical roots of the PR industry in government propaganda efforts; the contemporary influence of…

JOURNAL 336 – Writing for Public Relations

JOURNAL 336 – Writing for Public Relations: Learn how to translate an institutional mission statement in to various narratives, how to…

COMM 250 – Interpersonal Communication

COMM 250 – Interpersonal Communication: This course introduces non-majors to a variety of competing theories of interpersonal behavior and everyday social…

SBS College to Careers – SOCBEHAV 250

SOCBEHAV 250: College to Careers This class is all about YOU. • One credit, highly-participatory course • Learn about yourself…

STPEC 296D IS – Propaganda in Film, Print, Art & Music

STPEC 296D IS – Propaganda in Film, Print, Art & Music: Understand and appreciate the art and science of propaganda…

POLISCI 308 – Public Opinion in Politics

POLISCI 308 – Public Opinion in Politics: Examine how people’s opinions influence their behavior, and whether or not political leaders follow…

POLISCI 391 MP – Media & Politics

POLISCI 391 MP – Media & Politics: From the power of the political pamphlet and partisan press in the 18th century…

JOURNAL 301 – Intro to Multimedia Reporting

JOURNAL 301 – Intro to Multimedia Reporting: Using digital images and audio podcasts in reporting. Learn how to find and work…

JOURNAL 300 – Newswriting and Reporting

JOURNAL 300 – Newswriting and Reporting: The basic requirements of newswriting and reporting, including interviewing, covering news events, and more.

COMM 331 – Program Process in TV

COMM 331 – Program Process in TV: This course introduces concepts and techniques of television production through weekly lectures and…

COMM 226 – Social Impact of Mass Media

COMM 226 – Social Impact of Mass Media: The effects of television and other media on thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors.  Topics include politics…

ANTHRO 224 – Gender in Hip Hop Culture

ANTHRO 224 – Gender in Hip Hop Culture: Critically examine issues of race, representation and the sexual politics of hip- hop…

JOURNAL 310: Going Global; Changes in International Journalism

JOURNAL 310: Going Global; Changes in International Journalism: This course explores the challenges and issues facing journalists covering global affairs. Students…

LEGAL 465 – Globalization

LEGAL 465 – Globalization: The globalization of law, culture, and politics. Competing arguments about the meaning and effects of globalization.…

JOURNALISM 333 – Introduction to Visual Storytelling

JOURNALISM 333 – Introduction to Visual Storytelling:  introductory level course for students who wish to acquire a working knowledge of…

Skill-Building With Linkedin Learning Classes

See below for skill-building classes – visit LinkedIn Learning for more.

The Core Competencies All Employers Seek

Some skills are universally sought by employers and are essential to a well functioning team.  Stand out from the crowd…

Media Relations Foundations

Taught by Jessica Chen
View Jessica’s LinkedIn Newsletter If you want your business to succeed, you need as much brand recognition as you can…

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Essential Training (2021)

Taught by Corey Koberg
Google Analytics 4 provides the means to track, analyze, and report on the visitors to your site and app—who they…

Learning Infographic Design

Taught by Amy Balliett
To create a truly successful infographic, you must understand the power of visual communication. Properly executed visuals can connect with…

Emerging Leader Foundations

Taught by Dan Schawbel
View Dan’s LinkedIn Newsletter Taking on a leadership role in the diverse, ever-changing modern workplace can feel both exhilarating and…

Illustrator 2020 Essential Training

Taught by Tony Harmer
Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard in vector drawing—for everything from minimalistic logos to full-blown illustrations. This course teaches core…

CSS Essential Training (2019)

Taught by Christina Truong
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a stylesheet language that allows you to control the appearance of your webpages. In this…

You Need a Career Development Plan

Taught by Macmillan Publishers
You can’t navigate your way to career success without first plotting a course. Having a career development strategy can be…

Learning Design Thinking: Lead Change in Your Organization

Taught by Turi McKinley
Design thinking is a user-centered way of solving problems. It involves extensive collaboration, using strategies such as mapping customer journeys,…

PowerPoint: Designing Better Slides (2017)

Taught by Heather Ackmann
Designed for non-designers, this course introduces average business professionals to key design components and requirements for purposeful PowerPoint slide design.…

Introduction to Graphic Design

Taught by Tony Harmer
Graphic design is a complex art. To become a graphic designer, you need to master many different skills and tools.…

Public Speaking Foundations

Taught by Laura Bergells
Develop the skills you need to prepare and deliver an outstanding speech or presentation. In this course, Laura Bergells offers…

Outlook Quick Tips (2017)

Taught by Nick Brazzi
Get quick answers to your most urgent Outlook questions. These short tutorials help users work faster and smarter with Outlook,…

Learning Canva

Taught by Marley Jaxx
Canva is an easy way—without any graphic design experience—to create professional graphics for social media, presentations, newsletters, business cards, brochures,…

Learn Emotional Intelligence, the Key Determiner of Success

Taught by Big Think
Explore the four domains of emotional intelligence—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management—as defined by psychologist and author Daniel Goleman.…

ArcGIS Pro Essential Training (2019)

Taught by Gordon Luckett
ArcGIS Pro is a popular geographic information system (GIS) that combines the power of 2D and 3D mapping with cloud-based…

Photoshop 2020 Essential Training: The Basics

Taught by Julieanne Kost
Photoshop is the industry standard for creative visual expression. Whether you’re an experienced creative pro or just starting on your…

Nano Tips for Using Excel with Miss Excel (2021)

Taught by Kat Norton
Welcome to our Nano Tips series, where LinkedIn Learning creators deliver impactful lessons in literally seconds. Here, join Miss Excel…

Social Media Marketing Foundations (2020)

Taught by Brian Honigman
Social media dramatically altered marketing by allowing businesses to directly engage with customers and vice versa. Brands that stand the…

The Secrets to Success at Work

Taught by Nigel Cumberland
Regardless of your profession or career stage, you can excel and be successful at work. In this course, Nigel Cumberland—a…

Explore Outcomes

The SBS Office of Career & Professional Development annually surveys graduating seniors in order to provide a snapshot of their post-graduation plans.  The survey begins just prior to graduation, and continues until six months after graduation.  Our data collection process is guided by the industry standard put forth by the National Association of Colleges & Employers, and includes information collected by the SBS Office of Career & Professional Development, the Office of Institutional Research at UMass Amherst, and by various academic departments, as well as from information that is made publicly available by students.  The SBS undergraduate outcomes knowledge rate for 2022 was 70%, though knowledge rate varies among departments.

The SBS Office of Career & Professional Development annually surveys graduating seniors in order to provide a snapshot of their post-graduation plans.  The survey begins just prior to graduation, and continues until six months after graduation.  Our data collection process is guided by the industry standard put forth by the National Association of Colleges & Employers, and includes information collected by the SBS Office of Career & Professional Development, the Office of Institutional Research at UMass Amherst, and by various academic departments, as well as from information that is made publicly available by students.  The SBS undergraduate outcomes knowledge rate for 2022 was 70%, though knowledge rate varies among departments.

  • First Destination
  • Top Employers
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  • Employment Locations
  • Top Universities
  • Degree Types
  • Fields of Study

First Destination

SBS graduates pursue a range of plans after graduation, including employment, continuing education, and volunteering/service, among others.  This graph depicts what recent SBS graduates tell us they are doing within six months after graduation.

Professionals In-Residence / Industry Experts

Student Success Stories

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