Become a Journalist: Report the News!

Launch Your Journalism Career

Develop journalistic skills for print, broadcast and social media platforms.

About This Specialization

This Specialization will develop and enhance your understanding of the global field of journalism. You'll learn best practices and ethical standards for newsgathering processes and compiling a news report through hands-on projects, peer-to-peer feedback, and issue exploration. You will also study journalism's impact on societal issues and trends, plus explore career opportunities in newspapers, magazine, social media, Internet multimedia, television, radio, corporate and community journalism. The final Capstone project will guide you through the journalistic portfolio process, where you will conceptualize, report and complete a professional-quality news report.

Created by:

5 courses

Follow the suggested order or choose your own.

Projects

Designed to help you practice and apply the skills you learn.

Certificates

Highlight your new skills on your resume or LinkedIn.

Courses

Beginner Specialization.: No prior experience required.

COURSE 1
What is news?
Upcoming session: Oct 2 — Nov 13.
Subtitles
English
About the Course
This course will guide you through the basic elements of professional journalism and the news values and ethics of covering real-world issues and events. The overview and examples of the types of news coverage helps introduce the different types of journalism, such as social media, multimedia, print, visual and broadcast, and how professional journalists effectively use each format.
COURSE 2
Gathering and Developing the News
Upcoming session: Oct 2 — Nov 6.
Commitment
4 weeks of study, 1-3 hours/week
Subtitles
English
About the Course
Journalists develop information through interviews and sources. The most successful journalists quickly master these important skill sets. The production of journalism relies on several elements: newsgathering, interviewing sources, researching and trying to find as much information as possible. The course will also teach you how to where to find information, interviewing skills and how to process information from various sources for publication.
COURSE 3
Effectively delivering the news to your audience
Upcoming session: Oct 2 — Nov 13.
Commitment
4 weeks of study, 2-4 hours/week
Subtitles
English
About the Course
Being a successful journalist is more than hunting down information. How journalists process the information, then put it together, are key steps for news reports. You will learn the process, planning, requirements of how journalists develop their news reports. There are many ways to report news reports, and you will learn different forms of how to perform reporting and writing to serve different audiences. This course also explains the different formats within journalism, beyond the written word and how they are best utilized.
COURSE 4
Journalism, the future, and you!
Upcoming session: Oct 9 — Nov 20.
Commitment
5 weeks of study, 2-4 hours/week
Subtitles
English
About the Course
You will learn about the career paths that are available in journalism, and what opportunities the skill sets of a journalist can offer in other fields. You will explore areas such as being an international correspondent, self-publishing in journalism, as well as how to freelance in the field. You will be empowered to develop your own path in journalism, from being an active and informed consumer, to being a journalist. The worlds of business, communications, politics, education and marketing all utilize elements of journalism. This course also examines how to keep the trust of audiences through ethical, and responsible, journalistic practices. Sometimes, journalists need to be aware of their own safety. We will intelligently discuss how journalists around the world handle pressure, threats and other dangers while doing their jobs. Journalism - and journalists - are agents of change. Are you ready to become one too?
COURSE 5
Capstone: Create your own professional journalistic portfolio
Upcoming session: Oct 9 — Nov 20.
Commitment
5 weeks of study, 3-4 hours/week
Subtitles
English
About the Capstone Project
This is it! It is time for YOU to be the journalist, and practice and display the skills you have learned through this Specialization journey. You will create your own professional journalistic portfolio, culminating in the creation of your own news report from start to finish. You will go through all the steps and skills used by professional journalists: conceptualizing a news report idea, reporting, interviewing, researching, and then compiling the information for an audience. Your learner community, along with the Michigan State Journalism team, will be with you every step of the way. Having a professional portfolio will help you market yourself as a journalist, showing off your work product, as well as practice and hone your journalistic skill set. You will receive an exclusive premium "Journalism" badge for social media, to display your Capstone completion.

Creators

Michigan State University's School of Journalism is recognized as one of the best in the nation, and one of the few journalism programs in the United States that has been continuously accredited since 1949.
Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 150 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.