Journalism, one of the five majors offered in the ONU Department of English, begins with courses designed to introduce majors to craft and prepare them to begin work as practicing journalists. All majors are required to complete Newspaper Practicum, which involves hands-on work as writers and editors for the weekly student newspaper, The Northern Review. Other requirements include News Writing, Desktop Publishing, Editing, Writing in the Public Sphere, and Literary Journalism, as well as courses in American, British, and world literatures. Students majoring in journalism are also required to complete an approved internship with an emphasis on working in the media. The Senior Seminar capstone, an essay or professional project, gives majors an opportunity to explore a specific topic of their own choosing. Both journalism and professional writing required a secondary major, minor or concentration in another course of study.

Distinctive Features:

  • Flexibility in academic study and career preparation
  • Advanced seminars with intensive faculty mentoring
  • Enrichment program that encourages attendance at campus cultural events
  • Membership in Sigma Tau Delta, an award-winning national English honor society
  • Participation in national College Media Advisors and Collegiate Press Association conferences when serving in an editorial position on The Northern Review
  • Compter classroom, wireless classroooms and computer labs with print- and Web-publication software
  • A rigorous, hands-on learning program that equips students to succeed in the profession and have confidence in their skills and abilities
  • State-of-the-art publication software, including QuarkXPress, Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, and both Mac and Windows operating systems
  • Career speakers, some of whom offer mentoring and internship opportunities
  • Study-abroad options