Overview

The Broadcast Journalism major at EIU places students at the center of one of the most dynamic and fast-evolving fields in modern media and gives them real experience in it from day one. Whether your goal is to deliver the news on air or drive the storytelling from behind the camera, you'll develop the writing, reporting, anchoring, shooting, editing, and digital production skills that prepare you to enter any newsroom on any platform with confidence. Through hands-on coursework, working on our Emmy Award-winning, student-run, live nightly newscast, radio broadcasting, you'll build a professional reel and real broadcast experience long before graduation. The School of Communication, Journalism & Theatre takes a personalized approach, and through small classes, dedicated faculty mentors, and meaningful opportunities to lead, perform, and produce, you'll graduate not just ready to work, but ready to make an impact.

The strengths of our ACEJMC-accredited broadcast journalism program are a combination of:

• Skills-based courses in newswriting for broadcast, visual storytelling, video journalism, multiplatform editing, and advanced broadcast news
• A live production including News Watch, our student-produced 30-minute newscast, that airs on WEIU-TV, giving students real on-air and behind-the-camera experience every semester
• Access to WEIU-TV, a television station with professional-level equipment for television, video, and independent film production
• A Television, Radio & Video Job Fair held annually on campus, where Midwest employers come directly to EIU looking for broadcast interns and full-time employees
• Award-winning faculty with professional broadcast experience who mentor students through every aspect of the craft
• A distinguished alumni network working in front of and behind the camera at local and national broadcast outlets across the country

Our majors are also active in organizations that add to the journalism conversation by honoring excellence and achievement and by celebrating professionalism in our field.

• Society for Collegiate Journalists
• Kappa Tau Alpha
• National Association of Black Journalists

At 48 credits, the broadcast journalism major provides students the flexibility to minor in multiple areas or easily double-major, especially within the School of Communication, Journalism & Theatre, where a second major can take as little as 27 additional credits. We encourage students to strategically pair majors and minors they are passionate about, creating educational experiences and career pathways that are uniquely their own.

Degree: BA

Completion time: 48 semester hours required for the major

Accreditation: Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication

Resources

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- Program Sheet
- 4-year Course Sequence
- Curriculum Sheet

Computer Requirements:

Broadcast Journalism majors can check out any video or photo equipment they need directly from the School of Communication, Journalism & Theatre. Majors also have access to our computer labs during open lab hours throughout the week. 

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