Journalism

Program Narrative
Northampton's Journalism Program aims to prepare students to transfer into a four-year degree program and to become working journalists at an entry level. The program emphasizes practical skills in print journalism for students with no experience and provides those with some experience an opportunity to enhance their skills.

Journalism at NCC focuses on the community, first the community within the College, and then outside in the surrounding municipalities. As much as possible, journalism students will report on local issues that affect the College and its students. This teaching method emphasizes "learning by doing," which means students will work in the field covering events at the school and in the cities.

Graduates with reporting skills and a baccalaureate degree typically begin their career at local newspapers, radio or TV stations, public relations firms, or in corporate communications offices. Online publications also have generated opportunities in the job market for reporters with computer skills. The journalism program at Northampton provides the skills and experience editors and businesses want for the 21st century.

Program Features
All journalism students are expected to participate on the college newspaper, The Commuter.

Courses in this program are offered primarily during the day.

Contact the Admissions Office at 610-861-5500 for more information.

Program Outcomes
Graduates of the program will:

• Be critically aware of the roles and ethical responsibilities of journalists in a multicultural society.
• Know the laws applying to journalists and how to apply them in real situations.
• Be critically aware of the diverse functions of the media (entertainment, informational, propagandist, ideological) and how they affect society and culture.
• Be able to critically evaluate print media, including their own work and the work of others.
• Demonstrate the ability to quickly edit copy for appropriate, correct English and Associated Press (AP) style.
• Be able to write interesting headlines and captions fitting an article or picture.
• Be able to design a basic newspaper layout for print and explain and defend their selection of news items and the social, economic, and cultural factors that may influence the agenda.
• Be skilled in the basic operation of desktop publishing tools.
• Be able to combine research and firsthand accounts into an informative news and feature story.
• Understand how to find, source, research, and cover news and feature stories.
• Be able to use a journalistic style to plan and produce copy for a public relations campaign.
• Understand the basics of publishing to the Internet.
• Be able to identify and use various narrative techniques in news and feature stories.