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Journalism

Speak truth to power.

At its core, journalism is about accountability on all levels, but the skills you learn — interviewing people, verifying information, synthesizing and telling stories, and working on deadline — will prepare you to work in today’s fast-paced communication fields.

Overview
Gain relevant skills for the modern media environment

There are more sources of information available than ever before across numerous channels and platforms. Through our curriculum, you’ll cultivate skills that prepare you to communicate to audiences with integrity. You’ll also have access to many opportunities for hands-on experiential learning which will prepare you to work in today’s news media and beyond.

Build a foundation in written and verbal communication

Communication is a broad field with increasingly diverse opportunities created by this digital age. We provide multiple opportunities for hands-on experiences so you can try creating your own media content. Take courses to learn how to produce your own radio show for our campus streaming station, write a column or take photos for our award-winning student newspaper, or direct and produce your own film for our university film festival.

Engage in the professional community

We encourage interaction with professionals by requiring students in our program to complete an internship or independent study. Guided by their own interests and career goals, our students have interned at hundreds of organizations, including J.D. Power & Associates, Sage Publishing, Disney, Warner Brothers, Edelman Public Relations, the Los Angeles Kings, Soul Pancake and the Ventura County Community Foundation.

At a Glance

Degree Type

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Communication

School/College

College of Arts and Sciences

Next Steps

Interested in this major? Here's what you can do next:

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The Curriculum

With challenging and relevant courses, outstanding faculty, small class sizes, and an emphasis on hands-on learning, the journalism program will position you to succeed in your chosen career.

Degree requirements

Find out what it takes to earn a degree in journalism and explore the courses.


Highlighted Courses

Get familiar with some of the courses you might take in this major.

COMM 407: Broadcast News Production

Create live news broadcasts every two weeks. Learn to write, shoot and edit news stories. In the class, you will be the producer, director and anchor for CLUTV news. Emphasis will be placed on advanced editing skills.

See description
COMM 405: Freedom of Communication

A study of the legal and ethical principles underlying freedom of expression and the limits placed on freedom of expression in the United States. Through examining leading U.S. court decisions, students will learn the broad principles and legal reasoning underlying First Amendment jurisprudence, including the legal, ethical, philosophical and political issues entailed in the rights of free expression.

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COMM 331: Content Creation for Digital Platforms

In this course, students will develop a critical perspective to engage with digital technologies and to articulate the rationale of incorporating digital content into media such as public relations and journalism. The class emphasizes both acquiring production skills and understanding the theories and specificities of digital media. The class will prepare students for creating and sharing different types of interactive media content by introducing digital content creation tools.

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COMM 346: Advanced Reporting and Editing

This course introduces students to more advanced and in-depth forms of journalistic reporting such as data-driven reporting and solutions journalism approaches. It also helps students to develop both macro and micro-editing skills to edit their own or another's work and introduces basics of page design.

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COMM 431: News Reporting Experience

Practical working experience on the University's student newspaper includes reporting, editing, photography, desktop publishing and business management. May be taken four times for credit.

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COMM 435: Adv Photography Intro Journalism

Comm 435 is an upper division digital photography class covering news, commercial and fine art photojournalism. In this class, students learn techniques required for using the camera as a reporting and illustrating tool for print and online media. Types of events include hard news,sports, editorial, as well as using the camera for fine art documentary and narrative photography. Cross listed with Art 435. Pre-requisite: Art 236.

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View all required courses



Recommended Minors

Want to add even more value to your degree? Consider one of these minors to gain a unique combination of skills and perspectives.


Your Professors
Roxanne Banuelos

Lecturer
Sharon Docter

Professor
Monica Gracyalny

Professor
Kirstie Hettinga

Professor
Ryan Medders

Professor
Dru Pagliassotti

Professor
Jean Sandlin

Professor and Chair of the Communication Department
Russell Stockard Jr.

Professor
Nico Maestu

Senior Adjunct Faculty Member
Thomas Smith

Adjunct Faculty Member
The Experience

We offer hands-on opportunities that give you the freedom to explore your passion through real-world work and prepare for a fulfilling career.

  • Learning in Action

    Your courses will let you take an active role in developing your communication skills through special projects and on-campus media outlets.

    For example, you’ll work alongside other students for The Echo, Cal Lutheran’s award-winning student newspaper. You can also choose to join the iCLU campus radio station, help cover NCAA Division III sports, or produce news broadcasts in our campus TV studio.

  • Internships

    Our students complete internships in a variety of different fields that lead to offers of permanent employment.

    Organizations include:

    • ABC, NBC, CNN, CBS, KTLA
    • LA Rams, LA Chargers, LA Kings, and LA Clippers
    • Disney
    • Creative Artists Agency
    • J.D. Power and Associates
    • iHeartMedia
    • SAGE Publications
  • Honors Society

    You can start growing your professional network by participating in the national communication honors society, Lambda Pi Eta.

  • Professional Associations

    The Cal Lutheran chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is a student-led organization devoted to helping students connect with other public relations and communications students and professionals. If you are interested in fields related to marketing, Cal Lutheran also offers a student chapter of American Marketing Association.

Student photo

My favorite aspect about the communication program is the educational environment and ambiance created by the professors. The professors give us lots of support and tools to prepare us for a professional career in the public relations, advertising, and marketing field. I really enjoyed the many opportunities to collaborate and build community with peers on high level projects, discussions, case studies, and experiences.

Aimee Barrera '22

Career Paths

As a result of our internship programs, contacts in the professional world, robust alumni network, and support from our Career Services office, the placement rate for our students is quite strong. Recent graduates have taken rewarding jobs in a variety of fields, including broadcasting and public relations.


Potential Careers

Desktop Publishers

Format typescript and graphic elements using computer software to produce publication-ready material.

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Proofreaders and Copy Markers

Read transcript or proof type setup to detect and mark for correction any grammatical, typographical, or compositional errors. Excludes workers whose primary duty is editing copy. Includes proofreaders of braille.

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Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys

Speak or read from scripted materials, such as news reports or commercial messages, on radio, television, or other communications media. May play and queue music, announce artist or title of performance, identify station, or interview guests.

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News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

Narrate or write news stories, reviews, or commentary for print, broadcast, or other communications media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. May collect and analyze information through interview, investigation, or observation.

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Public Relations Specialists

Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.

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Editors

Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.

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Technical Writers

Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.

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Writers and Authors

Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material.

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Looking for more career paths? Search these related areas to discover more options.

Employers

Some of the organizations our graduates work for include:

  • Alliance to Save Energy
  • Fox Sports
  • Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
  • IMGN Media
  • KXLY TV
  • NFL
  • San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
  • The Los Angeles Clippers
  • The Los Angeles Lakers
  • The Seattle Times
  • University of California, Davis
  • Ventura County Community Foundation

This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Some occupations listed above may require a related graduate degree.

How We Prepare You for Success

We have 20,000+ employer contacts for jobs and internships, with over 200 listings posted each week.

Our excellent career counselors in the Career Services center will get in touch with you during your very first term on campus. They offer over 50 workshops each year on resume writing, interviewing, salary negotiations, applying to graduate schools, and other critical skills to help you begin your career successfully.

After you graduate from Cal Lutheran, you receive free access to Career Services for life, as a valued member of our alumni family.

Learn more about career outcomes

of Cal Lutheran graduates find a job or enroll in graduate school within nine months

Cost & Financial Aid

We work with students and families to make sure everyone who is admitted to Cal Lutheran can afford it.


Tuition & Fees

You and your family might have questions about how you’ll cover the costs of college. We can tell you this — it costs less than you think.

Read our financial aid guide

Scholarships & Grants

We offer a range of awards based on academic merit and financial need. This is money that does not need to be repaid.

View scholarships and grants

Financial Aid

If you're new to the financial aid process, you probably have a lot of questions. But don't worry — we're here to help guide you all the way.

Learn about financial aid

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