Adapting Journalism Curriculum: Digital Journalism Education and Its Relevance to Current Industry Demands
Open Access
Author:
Sattely, Connor F.
Area of Honors:
Communication (Behrend)
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Rodney L Troester, Thesis Supervisor Rodney L Troester, Thesis Supervisor Rodney L Troester, Thesis Honors Advisor Inkyu Kang, Faculty Reader
Keywords:
journalism digital journalism digital media journalism education media education digitization journalism
Abstract:
Journalism education is evolving as rapidly as the industry itself. This research explored whether graduate programs in journalism, and the businesses employing those graduates, were adapting to the digital trend in industry. A content analysis of ten graduate journalism programs' course descriptions suggests that some universities are reacting faster than others to digitalization trends in the journalism industry. A similar content analysis of 165 current job descriptions for editors and reporters indicates that many positions in the journalism industry expect a certain amount of familiarity with digital journalism skills. Industry expects students to come prepared with the tools and techniques that have only been developed in even the last few years: this study examines whether they are taught adequately to meet that expectation.
