School of Journalism and Mass Communication
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication offers a next-generation media education that prepares its graduates to collaborate within the professional world, engage the public, and produce positive social change.
The school uses innovative teaching technologies, empowering strategies for responsible democratic engagement, and an integrated curriculum to foster excellence among its students. Students are trained for successful careers in advertising, broadcast, print and online media, photojournalism, public relations, and media analysis.
By encouraging students to apply civic responsibility in their media work, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication seeks to empower audiences through honesty, integrity, and a commitment to social progress. Students learn the significance of their role as media professionals, gaining an appreciation of the profound interactions between mass communication and society in order to approach their work with respect, openness, and a broader cultural perspective. Included in a broad array of professional and conceptual courses are offerings in global media. A large percentage of the school’s students study abroad.
The school is also home to two internationally recognized centers: the Center for Media, Religion and Culture; and the Center for Environmental Journalism.
Diversity +
The school is actively committed to helping media organizations reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. It does this through focused recruitment and retention efforts aimed at preparing underrepresented students with the skills and support to excel as media professionals.
Media Opportunities +
The school takes full advantage of its proximity to Denver, a major media market. Distinguished media professionals regularly serve as adjunct faculty. Hundreds of Denver and Boulder media organizations provide wide-ranging internship and career opportunities. Students consistently are offered highly competitive internships at leading Denver television and radio stations, newspapers, advertising agencies, public relations firms, and government, nonprofit, and corporate public information offices. Competitive internships are available locally and nationally to students at award-winning newspapers, magazines, advertising and public relations firms, government and social service agencies, radio and television stations, cable television systems, video production houses, online media, and other operations, including USA TODAY, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, ABC, MTV, NewLine Cinema, National Public Radio, Leo Burnett, TBWA\Chiat\Day, CBS, NBC, CNN, Bloomberg, C-SPAN, and Discovery Channel.
Facilities and Equipment +
Technology is changing the way information is delivered, and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication is at the forefront of this shift, incorporating new technologies into its curriculum to make newsgathering, broadcasting, public relations, and advertising more accessible to audiences. Students use technology to create new media possibilities, renewing audience trust by collaborating with them to communicate important information. All lab courses—reporting, editing, advertising, public relations, radio, television, new media, and photojournalism—contain no more than 20 students. Broadcast students use a state-of-the-art digital broadcast studio in CU’s ATLAS center with its 1,000-square-foot studio furnished with the latest equipment.
Accreditation +
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education for Journalism and Mass Communications. It is a fundamental principal of the ACEJMC that education for journalism be broadly based. Undergraduate students take about two-thirds of their college course work outside of the school and approximately one-third in the school.
