Journalism

Journalists are reporters, watchdogs, storytellers. The Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism teaches students how to cover real stories that make a difference. Whether using a camera, a microphone, a smartphone or a laptop, students become journalists by doing journalism inside and outside the classroom. 

Gaining critical skills that equip them for storytelling in all its forms, students will practice their craft in Kent State’s award-winning student media. Working with these outlets, students will learn how to engage audiences where they “live,” on TV, radio, online, social media and in print. Journalism students will produce news and feature content on visual, digital and emerging platforms, and they’ll apply what they’ve learned as part of the required professional internship. 

The journalism program is housed in Franklin Hall, situated on the edge of campus near downtown. Students work collaboratively every day in our multimedia student newsroom, television studio, magazine offices, radio station and business office. Students also have access to video editing suites with virtual reality capabilities, sound editing and recording labs and a fully stocked equipment check-out room/training lab. 

View Journalism Requirements

Kent State is home to one of only three accredited journalism and mass communication schools in Ohio. 

While they are students, journalism majors at Kent State earn some of the highest honors in collegiate journalism. And as alumni, they continue that trend, continually being recognized with Emmy Awards, Peabody Awards, Society of Professional Journalists' Mark of Excellence Awards and more. Sixteen of our alumni have earned Pulitzer Prizes, some of whom now teach in our School.

Students can choose from one of these concentrations:

• Broadcast Journalism: Reporting, writing and producing for all platforms, with a focus on video and audio 
• Emerging Technology: Augmented reality-based storytelling, mobile app development and content, data visualization 
• Multimedia and Magazine: Reporting, writing and editing for digital and print; includes multimedia and data skill development 
• Photojournalism: Visual aspects of news reporting and storytelling, with a focus on developing a strong portfolio 

With a grounding in ethics and an understanding of media’s role in democratic society, students graduate prepared to continue as journalists or apply their skills to other professions that value critical thinking, information gathering and the ability to make sense of it for others.