Journalism and Strategic Media:
Training tomorrow's media innovators

Our programs prepare students for careers in advertising, journalism, public relations and visual media. The Department of Journalism and Strategic Media offers hands-on training by faculty members with professional experience on the cutting edge of digital media. Our undergraduate media programs are accredited by national accrediting bodies—the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications and Public Relations Society of America, for the public relations major. We also offer an on-campus and online graduate program with emphases in integrated strategic media, news and storytelling, visual media and mass media research.

Real-World Education

We provide hands-on training to future media professionals not only to succeed in the current industry but also to innovate the field into the future. Students in our majors gain real-world experience through our in-class instruction and internship and practicum programs, which makes our students highly competitive in the ever-changing media job market. During their time at UofM, our students work with local and national firms and outlets to hone their journalism and strategic media skills. Our graduates work in various media outlets from advertising and public relations agencies to legacy newspapers and from major non-profit organizations to online media startups.

Innovative Curriculum

We know the media world is an ever-changing industry innovation, in the field and in our curriculum, is the key to future success. That's why our curriculum is designed to offer students the most up-to-date and inventive educational experience possible. Our curriculum reflects the converged media environment we live in with classes focused on social media engagement, multimedia production, crisis communication, sports journalism, branding, analytics and evaluation, audience analysis and segmentation, for example.

Our Undergraduate Majors

Advertising

Students learn to write and design ads, conduct market research, buy media and create campaigns working with real-life professional clients.

Journalism

Students develop skills for 21st-century reporting while focusing on writing, digital media, and broadcasting in our multiplatform curriculum.

Public Relations

Students learn to be the link between organizations and public through writing, publishing and strategic planning skills.

Our Graduate Program

We offer four emphases in our master's of art in journalism and strategic media program. Students are able to select the emphasis that most meets their professional and academic goals. Students may choose one of our professional emphases—news and storytelling, integrated strategic media, or visual media, to gain hands-on experience in one of those areas to further their current media career or to gain entrance into the field. Students may also choose the mass media research emphasis, designed to help the student to eventually pursue a doctorate degree in a related field.

News and Storytelling

Reporting, Editing, Multimedia, Entrepreneurship
News is exciting, interesting and important happenings that affect people's lives. The courses students take help them become writers, photographers social media/web publishers.

Integrated Strategic Media

Advertising, Public Relations, Branding, Social Media
ISM courses prepare students to perform a variety of skills applicable to advertising and public relations. You will improve your writing, editing, visual media learn about audience research and messaging strategies.

Visual Media

Design, Layout, Photography, Multimedia
Visual Media courses teach the tools of mass communication, including photography, videography design, to reach an audience with a message.

Mass Media Research

Research and theory of mass communication
Students especially interested in research or in eventually pursuing a doctorate will complete a thesis and focus their coursework in theory and research about mass communication.

We Want to Hear from You

Whether you are a future media professional, an alumnus of the Department of Journalism and Strategic Media, or someone just looking for more information, we hope you will take the time to explore our website, follow us on social media or visit the department in person. We can't wait to meet you.