Journalism
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Want to document history as it happens? Want to help the general public understand current events through written or audiovisual reporting? Interested in how people use communication to shape the world in which we live? These are the kinds of things students in journalism do and learn. The journalism program at UMaine offers students opportunities to write, report, narrate, document, and investigate.
- Broad range of educational experiences
- Supportive student peer environment
- Close interaction with instructors who currently work in the field as journalists or who have a rich history in journalism
- Ability to work for one of the on-campus student media for credits
- A wide array of available internships, from local newspapers, television, and radio stations, to national news organizations, sports franchises, and magazines.
- Learn how to be a reporter in a digital age using up-to-date equipment and software
The Department’s primary educational mission is to offer challenging liberal arts degree programs that include the personal and professional practices and the social contexts of communication, media studies, and journalism. Through the study of human communication we seek to understand and to improve the human condition. The Department fulfills this liberal arts mission through its undergraduate programs in communication, media studies, and journalism, and through its graduate programs in communication and media studies.
The journalism program offers student strong reporting skills, including written, audio, visual reporting for traditional and digital media outlets. Using state-of-the-art equipment and software students are prepared to work as journalists and communication experts in a digital age. Students will also develop a firm grasp of public affairs and a broad foundation in the liberal arts.
The program also encourages media literacy and productive relations with a variety of media institutions. For those interested in pursuing higher education, the major also prepares students for graduate study in related communication fields, law, the humanities and the social sciences. These programs are among the most popular on campus; the department is the second largest in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Part of that popularity is because these degree programs are flexible and pair well with many other minors and majors. Communication is a fundamental part of human activity, and is relevant to any area of interest. Majors in journalism must complete a minimum of 30 credits of specific CMJ courses to fulfill the core course internship experience, capstone and professional course requirements.
Students intern at media outlets, hospitals, television and radio stations, sports franchises, financial institutions, public agencies and nonprofit organizations across the state and country. Journalism students are required to intern to earn their degree.
Multiple scholarships recognize excellence in journalism, such as the annual Grady Award and the Oak Award. Since 2001, the Department of Communication and Journalism also has had an active chapter of Lamba Pi Eta, the national honor society for communication. Undergraduates who distinguish themselves are invited to participate in faculty research projects. Others are invited to assist with teaching and to work as faculty research assistants.
Journalism
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Dunn Hall, Room 420
207.581.1935