Undergraduate Programs
For students driven to be changemakers and storytellers, Journalism & Strategic Media boasts specialized curriculum in seven programs — Advertising, Broadcast Journalism, Creative Mass Media, Integrated Social Media, Journalism, Public Relations and Sports Media — all informed by industry-standard practices, robust research and first-hand experiences.
Journalism & Strategic Media students are prepared to navigate an ever-changing media landscape, with ethics and innovation as our ideological cornerstones. Strategic communicators of tomorrow must be ready to think critically and employ the latest methods. That means curriculum is regularly updated, special topics classes are rotated each semester and new course offerings are introduced every academic year.
Through strategic media campaigns, class projects, student reporting, branding and multimedia projects, our students created more than $2 million in pro bono work for the Memphis community in recent years. Learning Journalism & Strategic Media at the University of Memphis means learning how media make a positive contribution to society.
The University of Memphis is one of only a few accredited journalism and mass communications programs in the country located in a major city. Being in a metropolitan area means students can get internships at premier media outlets while in school and use those experiences to transition to a job in the city after graduation. Or, they can use their experiences to thrive in a major city elsewhere. Because media organizations are concentrated in urban areas, the experience offered at the University of Memphis gives students a strong foundation for their careers.
Additionally, our programs are unique offerings in the City of Memphis. This means employers, professional organizations and other collaborators in the community look to our students for mentorship and networking opportunities. Our students have shows on the airwaves, articles published in major outlets and start their professional journeys well before graduation.
Explore more about our programs below:
Advertising
Advertising students learn to craft strategic campaigns while analyzing their performance to ensure the project meets the client’s needs. Gaining real-world experience through their coursework, students compete annually in the National Student Advertising Competition, where they present to major brands like Meta, Adobe and more.
Broadcast Journalism
Breaking news happens fast, and a degree in Broadcast Journalism prepares students to perform quickly and confidently whether on camera or behind the scenes. Broadcast journalists and producers must cover breaking news and enterprise stories with accuracy, clarity and fairness. Successful journalists are tuned in to the stories that matter most in their communities, keeping their finger on the pulse and connecting with everyday people. A professional career in this industry means understanding how to react and adapt in an ever-evolving media landscape.
Creative Mass Media
Creative Mass Media lies at the intersection of art and technology, where imaginative students bring creative visions to life and deliver innovative solutions. Students in this program incorporate digital design, layout, branding, photography, videography, web coding and more into their work. Through collaboration with partners on campus and beyond, Creative Mass Media students get to experience real-world client interactions while developing their visual communication skills.
Integrated Social Media
Integrated Social Media students master the art of connecting their content to target audiences, fostering measurable engagement on a wide range of platforms. In this program, students learn to develop social media campaigns and manage accounts for popular platforms and emerging ones, too. Students build foundational knowledge in public relations, marketing, strategic media and writing for digital media before focusing on tools used to create, share and repurpose online content.
Journalism
Journalism students put their curiosity into action by digging deep and telling stories that matter. In this program, offered on-campus and online through UofM Global, students develop a foundational core of writing and multimedia skills centered around effective and ethical storytelling. In an ever-changing media world, that focus on storytelling means our graduates can produce meaningful content no matter the platform. Trained in both print and digital approaches, Journalism students blend various areas of expertise and interest into their work.
Public Relations
Public Relations students learn the power of meaningful messaging to maintain a brand’s reputation and build trust among stakeholders. People-oriented by nature, students in this program discover ways to broaden their client or company’s sphere of influence by engaging a target audience with key information. Often speaking or writing on behalf of their brand, Public Relations students simultaneously develop both interpersonal and digital communication skills.
Sports Media
Sports Media applies the tools and technology of media work with the excitement of the sports world, covering games and athletes while also learning to represent teams, leagues and sporting events. Students in this program build writing skills as journalists while also learning production skills in audio, photo, video and social media. They also experience real-world client interactions through collaboration with Memphis Tigers athletics, the Grizzlies, the Redbirds, and Memphis 901 FC.