Creating the First Draft of History
Journalism was described by Phil Graham, former Washington Post editor, as "...a first rough draft of history." Journalists not only record important historical events as they are happening, but must produce intriguing, informative stories - often while under short deadlines and less than optimal conditions. At SMCC, we teach you to cultivate sources, enhance writing skills and uncover the stories that news journals seek.
Discover the fundamentals of reporting and writing news for the print media, writing skills and Associated Press (AP) style, as well as legal and ethical concerns.
Course Offerings
- To view a listing of the Language Arts classes, click here and select a category of interest to obtain additional information.
- For a listing of classes available during each semester, visit:
Fast Facts
- All journalists are required to understand the laws of defamation, contempt and copyright.
- Reporters may work indoors and carry out interviews by telephone or may have to work outdoors in all types of weather.
- Journalists are occasionally required to travel to remote, dangerous locations as part of their job.
- Most jobs in this occupation require a college degree preferably in communications, journalism, or English, but a degree in a technical subject may be useful for technical journalism positions.
- The outlook for most writing and editing jobs is expected to be competitive through 2009.
- Online publications and services are growing in number and sophistication, spurring the demand for writers and editors with Web or multimedia experience.
(Source: Occupational Outlook, US Dept of Labor)