Journalism and Media Studies Major

This is an exciting time to be a Journalism and Media Studies (JMS) major! Journalism is evolving and taking new digital and mobile forms, each with its own reporting, editing, and presentation challenges. Meanwhile, a variety of media—from social media to video games—are playing ever-larger roles in our lives.

Hands-on courses in journalism and creative media practice can help you develop professional skills, while conceptual courses help you understand how different media work.

Hear from Current Students

Hear from Our Alumni

Start the Adventure Here

Success in journalism and other media fields often comes down to the answer to one question: Can you gather, curate, and share information truthfully and effectively? As a JMS graduate, you will have the skills to answer “Yes!” Our graduates launch careers in television news, digital news, public relations, marketing, business, publishing and politics. With a JMS major, you gain practical skills for producing information in:

Television
Podcasting
Sports media
Entertainment media production
Public relations
Print media (newspapers and magazines)
Book publishing

Develop a Strong Foundation

As a JMS major, you will take courses that faculty members have carefully crafted and continuously refined to help you build understanding and skills that will be useful while on campus and in your careers. These offerings will provide a foundation in your exploration of areas such as:

Journalism and media practice
Diversity and social justice
Media’s impact on society
Global media, news, and politics
Media ethics and law
Entertainment

Ready to Get Started?

The JMS major admits undergraduates after they’ve completed at least 15 credits at Rutgers. One of those courses must be 04:189:102 Introduction to Media and another must be Expository Writing.

JMS Scholarships

Once you’ve declared your major, you become eligible for a range of JMS Scholarships and Awards. You can use your talents, interests, background, and accomplishments to land support for your education and your career.

Abroad

JMS Study Abroad Options

Learn new skills in a new culture on a short-term trip to Italy, Spain, Ireland, Guatemala, the UK or France with faculty from the Department of Journalism and Media Studies. Or take an entire semester abroad and at another university. You’ll find more information about study abroad options here:

On Campus

Student Media and Organizations

Within the active New Brunswick campus, you’ll find many opportunities to get involved, practice leadership and tell your story. You might want to look into these organizations:

WRSU 88.7 FM, Rutgers radio
The Daily Targum, newspaper
Kairos, the undergraduate magazine of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies
Where to Publish, & How to Participate
Kappa Tau Alpha
National Association of Black Journalists: Rutgers University Chapter
Rutgers University Society of Professional Journalists

Real World

Internships & Career Preparation

The Department of Journalism and Media Studies makes every effort to make sure our students gain the professional and educational experiences that will give them a leg up on their post-graduation careers. The faculty and staff are dedicated to assisting you reach your career goals and dreams by providing both on-campus networking opportunities and connections to our vast network of alumni. For more information, please contact JMS Director Steven Miller. Due to the pandemic and changing industry, on-site and online internships are eligible to receive credit.

Rutgers University and SC&I are also committed to assisting you with making connections between your academic experience and career paths. Check out SC&I’s internship and career resources and career services at SC&I. Locate SC&I job listings via the Rutgers–New Brunswick Handshake platform. For additional information, contact Student Services.

To break into any media field, you’ll need an impressive portfolio, to showcase your writing, photography, video stories, graphic designs, data visualizations, and other relevant work. Each fall, JMS publishes a database of campus and professional publications interested in publishing your work, along with the contact details of key editors.