A Journalism Degree: Should You, or Shouldn’t You?

I remember sitting in my advanced journalism class during college when my professor

asked, “Will there ever be a day when the traditional newspaper ceases to exist?”

My answer was swift and confident: “No. I can’t imagine a day where there won’t be a large contingent of people who want to hold a physical copy in their hands.”

Flash forward to 2011, a time when major publications shutter and fade, while others adapt and shift to a “digital-first” strategy. I hit a crossroads in my own journey after a rollercoaster ride, working at and then, subsequently, getting laid off from gigs at news publications, big and small. I could either continue down this path, or shift my skill set into something more sustainable.

So should college students even consider this as a viable career path?

I posed this very question to my former classmates, who have experienced the same challenges I have in this industry, and they had this to say:

Stephanie: “I absolutely would. I may live mostly in the PR/social media world now, but I still find the skills I learned in J-school invaluable. On some level, I will always consider myself a writer. I can’t help but think like one. My degree, those courses, the ethics I learned and the people I’ve worked alongside in various newsrooms through the years absolutely shaped who I am. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

Santosh: “I’ve probably asked myself this question once every week since I graduated in May 2007. There are many days when I’ve said, “Oh, heck no!” But then on most other days, I’ll find myself using and appreciating the skills I learned in J-school for a whole range of non-JRN tasks; I’ll also remember the very useful advice from my professors and internship editors, etc. Hence, I’ll always be grateful for my JRN degree. Back in 2001-2002, when I was deciding on a major, it was a whole different time for the JRN profession and that appealed to me. So if I had to go back to that time, yes, I’d do it all over again.”

Emily: “Short answer: yes. I find myself thinking critically and asking questions about everything. Like Santosh said, I find myself using the skills I learned in school for things and situations outside of journalism.”

I tend to agree with their points – it’s hard to argue with the level of integrity, standards and grace under fire that journalism instills in its practitioners. Only you can know if it’s the right field for you to pursue, but if you do decide to jump in head-first, here are three things to remember:

Pick a specialization or a minor that supports your efforts. Many universities now are offering a more digitally-focused journalism degree, simply because writing for a newspaper is so different than writing for the web. Take full advantage of this, or simply use your minor, which can help expand your expertise to include other skills such as public relations, video, political science and more.

Tap into your social networks. If you think almost every single modern-day journalist isn’t on Twitter, you’re sorely mistaken. They’re using these social networks to find sources for stories, crowdsource ideas and more. Start cultivating a network of peers and professionals in the field right now. Share articles about the industry, ask questions and offer up insight of your own. Start a blog. There’s no better way to demonstrate that you’re a thought leader than to craft poignant, well-written articles that you can point to down the road.

Be versatile and hone a variety of skills. This aligns with being strategic about your specialization and/or minor, but be cognizant of skills they don’t always teach in the classroom that can help you get a leg up on your peers. Skills like HTML, video editing, SEO and others will make you an invaluable asset in a newsroom in 2012 and beyond.

At the end of the day, if you’re scrappy and have a passion for what you do, you’re sure to succeed.

We’d love to hear from you guys: Are any of you journalism majors? What encouraged you to pursue this field, or, on the flip side, steer clear of it? Let us know in the comments.