Career Tips For English Majors

Journalism And Professional Writing

Necessary Skills

 

Firm grasp of Standard English

Ability to write for a broad audience (i.e. succinctly, with clear articulation of the main point)

Curiosity -- “Develop antennae in the world”; be curious about everything;

Think: “This could be a story.” Never take anything at face value; try to understand the story behind the façade.

Habit of reading widely -- read major newspapers and news websites regularly ( New York Times, Washington Post , etc.)

Critical/analytical thinking -- you will be interpreting as you present the facts.  

 

Suggested Course Work

ENG 305 Rhetoric, Syntax, and Style -- for a focus on the sentence.

ENG 309 Newswriting -- to learn the conventions of reporting the news, including skills of interviewing in person and by phone to gather information and opinion.

ENG 409 Internship in Professional Writing -- to learn the “real worlds” of professional writing and develop a portfolio of your articles.

Take courses that will sharpen your interpretive skills.

Select courses in a broad range of fields, including history, political science, anthropology, geography, and the sciences -- a journalist needs to grasp new topics quickly and be prepared to write about them.

Take a second language and, if possible, study abroad -- news is rarely local anymore and familiarity with other cultures will broaden your career opportunities.

 

Other Recommended Activities

Meet with the editor of the local paper or magazine and offer your writing services in return for learning the business (an informal internship).

Develop a portfolio of published professional writing.

 

Top M.A. Programs in Journalism

Columbia University Northwestern

American University Boston University

New York University Northeastern

University of Missouri