Be the voice that tells the world what they need to know.

With a journalism minor, you’ll open the door to the field of public relations, full of opportunities to improve your verbal and writing skills while creating the foundation for a rewarding career. Your journalism minor will cover variety of media-related subjects in your journalism courses, such as print and online media, media law, design, social media, public relation and advertising. But you won’t just study – you'll have the opportunity to practice your skills by writing for our award-winning campus newspaper, working in our Office of Sports Information, interning with our Office of Communications and Marketing, joining our champion speech and debate team, and more.

Anchor: Stats

By the Numbers

$48,370

Average Salary

47K

U.S. Jobs

70+

Newspaper Awards

22

Debate Champions
Anchor: Programs & Requirements
Programs & Requirements

Programs & Requirements

* The credit hours listed on this page only reference the specific program requirements and is not reflective of the total hours necessary to receive your degree. Cumberlands requires all students obtain a minimum of 60 hours for an associate’s degree and a total of 120 hours for a bachelor’s degree. Transfer and prior learning credits may be counted toward those totals.

To learn more about our General Education Requirements, please visit the page referenced below or explore our Academic Catalog

General Education Requirements

Minor

Adding a journalism minor to a bachelor’s degree in communication arts – or another major altogether – means you’ll learn about important aspects of human communication through a diverse series of journalism coursework. You will learn skills vital to the field of journalism and public relations, such a various content structures and storytelling, as you study a wide variety of media-related subjects, including print and online media, social media, media law, design, and advertising. 

Course Requirements

21 credit hours as follows: 

COMM 235 Introduction to Video Production  

COMM 150 Introduction to Journalism  

COMM 233 Graphic Design 

COMM 251 Multimedia Journalism 

COMM 233 Graphic Design  

COMM 356 Writing for Mass Media  

COMM 339 Communication Law & Ethics 

COMM 491 Internship 

Anchor: Mission & Goals

Mission & Goals

The mission of the journalism program at Cumberlands is to teach you about all aspects of human communication while equipping you with all the skills you need to launch a fulfilling career in media-related fields.

Create print and online media, design, and advertising projects.

Gain hands-on experience in various forms of mass media.

Understand media law and ethics.

Develop confidence and stronger critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.

Sharpen your writing, editing, and interviewing skills.

Anchor: Career Outcomes

Journalism Careers & Outcomes

All stats from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Journalist: $44,145

Journalist: $44,145

Journalists do research and keep the public updated about current events and noteworthy information.

Editor: $75,699

Editor: $75,699

Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.

Reporter: $51,255

Reporter: $51,255

Reporters are a subset of journalists who deliver news stories to the world.

Writer: $59,605

Writer: $59,605

Writers and authors develop written content for various types of media.

Public Relations Specialist: $59,506

Public Relations Specialist: $59,506

Public relations specialists create and maintain a positive public image for the clients they represent.

News Analyst: $65,356

News Analyst: $65,356

News analysts work in radio and television, sharing their opinions with the audience, based on their expertise in a particular subject.

Anchor: FAQs

Common Questions

Here at UC, you don’t have to choose! You can simply combine a communication arts major with a journalism minor to fit your specific goals. 

Absolutely. In fact, adding a journalism minor to any major will help you learn how to get your message across better, whether you’re speaking in front of a group, networking one-on-one, or typing an email. Any major – and any career – can benefit from the skills and knowledge you’ll learn in a journalism minor. 

If you want extra journalism and multimedia experience while you’re still a student, get involved with our award-winning campus newspaper, The Patriot! If you’re passionate about debate, we also have a multi-championship intercollegiate debate team with students competing at the state, regional, and national levels. It’s great for thinking on your feet, composing yourself under pressure, and doing quick (but reliable) research. Or, reach out to staff in our Office of Sports Information or Office of Communications and Marketing to ask about work-study and internship opportunities. 

All programs at University of the Cumberlands are offered at some of the lowest rates in the nation. For more information on how affordable this program would be for you, visit our Financial Aid page.

In short, you’ll want to have strong written and verbal communication skills, good research and examining skills, integrity and an eye for the truth, and a passion for storytelling. If you don’t feel strong in those areas yet, don’t worry; you will be once you’ve finished a minor in journalism at Cumberlands! 

Journalists may find themselves in a variety of different work environments in industries such as newspapers, broadcast stations, radio, online publications, and magazines. Journalists will spend a fair amount of time in offices and newsrooms, but they also have opportunities for field work. 

Anchor: Faculty

Faculty Experts in Communications

Learn more about the communications professors you will interact with.

John Varley

John Varley

Adjunct Faculty
Communication Arts

John Varley

Contact Information

john.varley [at] ucumberlands.edu
Robert Floyd

Robert Floyd

Assistant Professor
Communication Arts

Robert Floyd

Contact Information

robert.floyd [at] ucumberlands.edu
Jeremiah Massengale

Jeremiah Massengale

Assistant Professor, Director of Journalism, Faculty Advisor for The Patriot (Campus Newspaper)
Communication Arts

Jeremiah Massengale

Contact Information

jeremiah.massengale [at] ucumberlands.edu
GCR 109

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