To be successful in advertising, journalism, or public relations you must be many things: driven to succeed, talented at writing or design or photography, uncommonly creative, perseverant, diligent, technologically savvy, good at asking the right questions, observant, able to uncover and analyze data, open-minded, ethical, and knowledgeable about the world. Some of these traits can be learned in a classroom, but many cannot.
Therein lies one of the primary strengths of the Department of Journalism at Ball State. Our students are afforded many avenues of learning, unending opportunities to develop and hone skills. Enroll in our program, and you won’t just learn—you’ll do, and then do again and again.
Our department is built upon the philosophy that students should enter the profession already experienced, already confident, so we provide not only high-quality classroom instruction but also an unusually broad range of student media experiences, including The Daily News student-run newspaper, the student magazine expo, the student-operated Webzine Ball Bearings, and Cardinal Communications, a student-operated public relations agency. In addition, we require that students have at least one professional internship experience before graduating.
As a student, you’ll also be required to prepare a professional employment portfolio before graduating, and you’ll bring that portfolio to an exit interview to have your work critically evaluated by the coordinator of your major. It’s an important experience that gives you added preparation for your job search. The exit interview is a great opportunity for you to give us feedback, which we value as we make ongoing improvements to the program.
Our talented and diverse faculty have years of experience both in the classroom and in the field. Our professors have professional experience in graphics, news and magazine writing and editing, photojournalism, advertising, public relations, and high school journalism instruction. And they tend to lead small classes, offering the extra attention that results in solid learning. The result is a top-notch student experience, with outstanding results.
The Department of Journalism—part of Ball State’s College of Communication, Information, and Media, one of the largest communications colleges in the nation—is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The public relations major is certified by the Public Relations Society of America.