Influence the World with Your Words
This program is no longer accepting new students. Please consider the Communications Media, BS, News Media program.
For journalists, words are like tools that are always at their fingertips. They use them to tell the news, share stories, and help organizations communicate with the public.
In the Journalism and Public Relations program at IUP, you'll learn the craft of writing–from finely tuning sentence structure to weaving together a compelling news or feature story. You'll grow as a writer, polishing your skills to prepare for your career.
You'll also have a lot of control over your classes: you're required to take only six core journalism classes. You'll design the rest of your major coursework with the help of your advisor, choosing from courses that focus on news, public relations, advertising, document design, and other areas. In addition to flexibility in your major courses, you'll have a generous number of free electives, allowing you to add a double major, minor, or concentration to make you a more competitive candidate in the job market.
An internship is highly recommended for people in the Journalism and Public Relations Program. We have a wide variety of internship sites from which to choose.
Imagine Your Future
With your BA in Journalism and Public Relations from IUP you are in an excellent position to pursue many different higher degrees. Our graduates have gone on to pursue graduate degrees in sports administration, business (MBA), geography, regional planning, political science, and journalism.
With a BA in Journalism and Public Relations, you will have plenty of career options that span the worlds of news coverage and corporate or nonprofit outreach. Some of the opportunities include:
- Public relations
- Social media consultant/director
- Photojournalism
- Sports reporting
- Political news
- Events planning
- Marketing
- Global reporting opportunities
- Advocacy
- Strategic communication
- Magazine writing
- TV reporting/writing
- Professional journals
- Corporate content
- Radio
- Podcasting
- Editing
Classes and Requirements
Embrace the ever-changing world of news coverage and public relations. This major is ideal if a variety of coursework excites you.
You're required to take only six main journalism classes. You'll design the rest of your major coursework with the help of your advisor, choosing from courses that focus on news, public relations, advertising, document design, and other areas. An internship is highly recommended. In addition to flexibility in your major courses, you'll have a generous number of free electives.
Mold the coursework to suit your goals. Having to take only six required courses allows you to choose an additional six journalism electives from an extensive list that includes cutting-edge courses like Truthiness, Entertainment PR, Media Convergence, and Sports Journalism, just to name a few.
Outside the major, you have the flexibility of taking at least 10 more courses (30 credits) in absolutely anything you want. You'll have room in your schedule to add a minor or certificate in a related field or add classes in something unrelated that you really want to study.
Learn a new language. Your ability to speak to diverse groups is enhanced by a set of classes that introduce you to speaking a foreign language.
Full Academic Catalog Listing
The course catalog is the official reference for all our degree and course offerings. Check it out for a full listing of the classes available and requirements for this degree.
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Journalism and Public Relations Minor
The Journalism and Public Relations Department offers an 18-credit minor designed to complement any major. Three three-credit courses are required, as well as three electives.
Please note:
- A grade of “C” or better is required for graduation with a minor in journalism and public relations.
- The JRNL 102 course is a prerequisite for JRNL 120.
Internship credits do not apply toward the 18-credit minor; however, a student in the minor program may take an internship and apply the credits as free electives.
Full Academic Catalog Listing
The course catalog is the official reference for all our degree and course offerings. Check it out for a full listing of the classes available and requirements for this degree.
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Student Opportunities
Journalism and Public Relations majors can engage in many activities outside the classroom, further enriching their enthusiasm for digital media, traditional and new journalism, and public relations. The Penn, WIUP-FM, and WIUP-TV are open to any IUP undergraduate, and our professors encourage students to experiment with, learn, and grow from these campus-wide opportunities.
Society of Professional Journalists
This is a local chapter of one of this nation’s most revered journalism organizations. It is geared toward helping you develop the skills and ethics essential to the profession.
The Penn
This student newspaper has been serving IUP students and the Indiana community since 1926.
Renda Broadcasting and the Indiana Gazette
Many students during their time at IUP work at Renda Broadcasting and/or the Indiana Gazette to build their resumes and skill sets.
Internships
Among the internship sites IUP students have had are:
- Warner Music Nashville
- USA Today
- Los Angeles Times
- Forbes Magazine
- People Magazine
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- H.J. Heinz
- NASA
- Federal Reserve
- Howard Stern Show
- Washington Post
- Ohio Valley General Hospital
- Allegheny General Hospital
- Pittsburgh Public Schools Public Relations Office
- Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
- Food and Nutrition Service (USDA)
- Mitsubishi
- Smithsonian
- Department of the Interior
- Carnegie Science Center
Our Faculty
Our Journalism and Public Relations faculty members provide diverse, unique, and eclectic insights of their career fields. They have a global perspective that they share freely and enthusiastically with their students, which is essential when engaging in the age of digital media.