Find your perfect college degree
An online associate degree in journalism can help you build the skills that are necessary to help you flourish in the media field. Associate degrees can assist students in advancing their journalism education and learning more about particular subjects. Additionally, it builds foundational knowledge in diverse fields, such as marketing, communications, and technology, that can open more doors of opportunities later on.
Taking part in the best online associate degree in journalism program can enhance credentials and improve comprehension of crucial subject areas. While the largest percentage of journalism graduates are found working in the television media at 55.2%, you can find work in other media mediums like newspapers, magazines, blogs, and public relations companies.
Get Started with Your Career Path in Journalism
Online associate degrees in Journalism are a great starting point for your career. Usually, these degrees take two years and will lay the foundation for the right career as you learn vital courses to develop your competencies. You will take on core subjects in journalism, some general education and liberal arts courses, and, in many instances, you’ll have the liberty to choose your desired elective courses.
Online Associates in Journalism cover subjects in copyediting, newspaper reporting, feature writing, and photojournalism. If you plan on pursuing a bachelor’s degree or other higher education, you may also be able to use some associate programs as a pathway. Get ready to develop not only your technical journalism skills but also soft skills like creativity, analytical skills, relational, and social skills.
It’s crucial to choose the best online associate degree in journalism. It’s key to first think of your goals in life and set action plans. Journalism jobs are available in many work settings after graduation. Some of the available works you can have are journalists, columnists, editors, and reporters.
The Lowdown
In addition to preparing you for an entry-level career, an associate’s degree in Journalism online will prepare you for a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the field. Since you’ll go through the foundational courses in the field, you will be ready to advance your career or education at any time.
Research, preparation, and presentation of information are taught in this online associate degree. Furthermore, a journalism degree teaches students how to gather credible sources, determine the truth, communicate efficiently and effectively, and present valuable stories to the public in an engaging way.
Methodology
Choosing an online associate’s degree in Journalism is easier if you know what to look for! On our list are leading online programs across the United States, each of which demonstrates these outstanding features!
- Delivered as an online or in-person associate program or a combination of both,
- Features the basic theories and practices of journalism in preparation for careers requiring an associate degree at the minimum,
- Provides a solid foundation for pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Journalism,
- Taught by qualified, experienced journalists with extensive backgrounds in the discipline,
- Offers networking opportunities, exposing students to Journalism organizations and communities,
- Provides federal aid and financial assistance to qualified online associate degree students,
- Received full institutional or regional accreditation from academic institutions, showing they adhere to educational standards.
For more details on our ranking process, visit our Methodology section.
5 Best Online Colleges with Online Associates in Journalism
Georgia State University
Georgia State University comes with an online Associate degree in Journalism, which can be completed online. For more than ten years, Georgia State has created and provided effective, efficient learning through online and hybrid experiences. They continue to be committed to your success as they grow these online options.
This associate degree focuses on training learners to acquire, research, analyze, and present information and news in the best way possible. Students can take on leadership roles in the new era of connection and quick communication by studying journalism. They offer doors to a variety of jobs in anything from publishing and public relations to radio and advertising while examining and analyzing various types of mass media.
A pathway serves as a preparation manual for students’ planned bachelor’s degree major. Students who follow the recommended Associate of Arts or Associate of Science program will have completed the preparatory courses needed to proceed in their chosen fields. There will be no indication of a pathway on the diploma because it is not a major.
This online associate degree requires 60 semester hours, and here are the sample courses to expect in this online program:
- Opinion Writing and Analysis
- Creative Writing
- Public Speaking
- World Literature
- British Literature
- Foundations of Media Research
- Business and Professional Communication
- Introduction to Mass Communication
- American Literature
- Basic News Writing
The State University of New York
The State University of New York’s Associate of Arts in Journalism program is intended for students who intend to transfer to a four-year university to pursue journalism, media, digital writing, or other media studies and professions. This online program complies with the Communication and Media Transfer Path at The State University of New York. After earning their associate’s degree, students can enroll as juniors in a relevant four-year program at The State University of New York.
The emphasis of the program is on a foundation of liberal arts courses with a core of journalism courses that are intended for transfer. The student will receive instruction in the fundamental ideas and methods of journalism as well as the chance to contribute to and help produce a student news newspaper. They respond to the universal need for education as well as the needs of communities and societies from several sectors. Some of the strengths of this associate degree include a flexible course schedule and reasonable tuition rates.
Classes are semester-based, so this is perfect for working adults. Moreover, online students will get the same quality education as their on-campus counterparts. The academic staff who instruct online courses is the same staff who instruct on-campus courses. And if you require help in any of your classes, you will have access to a tutor available 24/7.
Seminole State College of Florida
An Associate in Arts in Journalism degree is offered at Seminole State College of Florida. Students must fulfill the common program prerequisites for their chosen program in addition to the Associate in Arts General degree.
Some of the courses to take in this online degree are the following:
- Newspaper Editing
- Introduction to Photojournalism
- News Reporting
- Cooperative Education Internship in Journalism
- Journalism I
- Convergent Journalism
To ensure that the prerequisite courses are taken, and the entry requirements are satisfied for the college, it is advised that students must seek advice from staff and advisors from Student Affairs. You may transfer credits from previous institutions, but it’s crucial to inquire early. This is an affordable pathway to start pursuing a career in journalism. With less than $10,000 per year as their tuition fee, you’ll get more value than what you paid for.
Mesa Community College
Mesa Community College’s Associate in Applied Science in Journalism and New Media Studies program. This online degree’s objective is to equip students with a broad range of marketable and practical skills for entry-level employment in a variety of media outlets. You can have a plethora of career pathways in radio, newspapers, television, and journals.
The curriculum includes creating a portfolio that will demonstrate students’ aptitude for both news and feature writing. For the successful graduate, this degree also includes a critical component that emphasizes understanding regional and global diversity. The general education section of the curriculum is combined with journalistic studies. You will learn general, useful, and employable skills from instructors with real-world experience so that you can look for entry-level work in news and feature writing for publications like newspapers, magazines, community journals, online portals, radio, and television.
By the time you complete the Journalism program, you will have compiled a portfolio of pieces that have been published and show that you are capable of producing news and feature articles.
Some of the courses to learn in this online associate degree are the following:
- Introduction to Human Communication
- Cultural Diversity and the Media
- Introduction to Logic
- College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking
- Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success
- College Mathematics
- United States History 1945 to the Present
- Magazine Article Writing
- News and Media Production
- Natural Sciences General
- Survey of Computer Information Systems
- Computer Usage and Applications
- Photojournalism
Peninsula College
Explore your storytelling skills and integrate your design and photography talents and skills when you pursue an Associate in Arts degree with a Journalism Emphasis offered at Peninsula College. With the help of knowledgeable professors, you’ll gain knowledge about and experience with modern technologies. You can feature or present news on different platforms, both in print and digital media.
Most transfer students take a variety of courses that are created to satisfy the fundamental criteria of most four-year schools and universities while pursuing their degree. Fortunately, you can have the best choices of these foundational courses here at Peninsula College. This should be done in close collaboration with an academic advisor and the transfer school. The majority of colleges have their entrance requirements, which may be based on exam results and grades from required courses.
Some of the courses in this online degree are:
- Photojournalism
- Advanced Photojournalism
- Interpersonal Communication
- College Success
- Social Media & Society
- Multimedia Journalism Production
- Studium Generale
Associate Degree in Journalism Careers
With the right core skill set and Journalism and Mass Communications associate degree, graduates can enter a wide range of jobs. Along with writing compelling content and alluring stories, these qualities also include proficiency in business, data analysis, and other in-demand skills.
Get to know some of the careers to pursue after graduating from an online associate Journalism degree program:
Public Relations Assistant
Most PR professionals often have a bachelor’s degree, but an Associate in online Journalism degree can prepare you to be a Public Relations assistant. They specifically aid PR managers and media relations specialist professionals in organizing the creation of PR materials for distribution. They also help them with administrative duties, including scheduling, billing, and managing emails for communications. They also commonly have to provide reports and maintain databases and archives. They all frequently center on the support staff. They might even administer social media platforms.
Reporter Assistant
After graduating with an online bachelor’s degree, you can land a job as a reporter. However, a two-year degree is enough to land you as the reporter’s assistant. This is the best job to gain hands-on experience in the field of reporting. These individuals supervise and plan the production processes while working in newsrooms. These involve planning and equipment upkeep. In essence, they serve as support personnel. Administrative duties, including billing and archiving, may be among them. Additionally, they frequently assist producers in guaranteeing adherence to all internal and external norms and requirements.
Copywriter
Copywriters frequently work for businesses’ marketing and PR divisions. Many work with brands and one-on-one clients as independent contractors. To engage their target audiences, they are responsible for developing content for brands, companies, organizations, agencies, or causes. They should be able to create numerous content kinds for various media, such as magazine writing, as well as content for brochures, posts on social media, and blog entries.
Entry-Level Journalist
Entry-level reporters or journalists are typically tasked with coming up with, investigating, and writing straightforward pieces about subjects chosen by their editors. They may also be given the option to choose their own stories, material, and leads, depending on the specific company and management style. Through observation, interviews, and reading other written sources, they gain information. They must conform to the organization’s style, format, and other content standards, as well as stringent deadlines as writers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the demand for journalists?
News analysts, reporters, and journalists are estimated to have a 3% decline in job openings in the next decade. However, there are other jobs related to journalism that have a high and growing demand. For instance, authors and writers are forecasted to have a 4% job growth, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. With an associate degree in journalism, you can work in a lot of jobs such as these two mentioned.
For an associate’s degree in Journalism, are there any prerequisites?
Associate’s degree programs in journalism are occasionally oriented toward students who intend to transfer to a bachelor’s degree program and are typically tailored for students with little to no writing or media experience. Most associate’s degree programs demand a high school diploma or its equivalent as a prerequisite.
What courses should you expect in an online associate degree in Journalism?
In addition to studying media-related topics like journalism ethics, media law, how the media affects society, and how the Internet affects journalism, you can anticipate taking a full general education curriculum. These and other subjects help students get ready to work in both print and online media in the journalism industry. Additionally, many programs give students the chance to obtain practical experience by working for a school magazine.
Key Takeaways
- An associate degree in Journalism examines the field by establishing your foundational knowledge and theories in the field. Students can seek bachelor’s degrees or master’s degrees later on.
- Students gain knowledge in how to gather, organize, and present information in written and visual forms. An Associate’s in Journalism also teaches students about the various marketplaces and subfields within the discipline.
- Graduates with an associate’s degree in Journalism are eligible for positions at the entry level within the media. Journalism professionals include reporter assistants, aid to broadcast news analysts, public relations assistants, or entry-level journalists.
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