<p>English seems closest, distantly followed by communication, but neither fit completely.</p>
<p>Any thoughts on this?</p>
<p>i would think communications would fit more.hmm. just because journalism is like a sector of communications.</p>
<p>That's what I had originally thought, too, but unless I'm missing something, none of the four possible concentrations within the communication major really closely relate to written journalism. From the website:</p>
<p>
[quote]
In consultation with their advisers, students choose one of four defined focus areas:</p>
<p>Communication in the Life Sciences (CILS) - Students focusing in CILS will investigate how communication influences public understanding of science, environmental, and risk-related issues. While exploring conceptual and theoretical issues, sstudents will learn specific skills for communicating science, environmental, and risk information to a variety of audiences. Possible career paths include public information officer, science writer, environmental educator/outreach specialist, environmental or health-risk communicator, and business, legal and other graduate study.</p>
<p>Communication media studies (CMS) – Students focusing in CMS will investigate the forces that shape media in contemporary society, investigating how what we see and hear comes to be. They will also analyze and understand the psychological, social, and cultural processes that are in turn affected by media, from politics to entertainment to news to the very question of what we understand as real about ourselves and true about the world around us. Students may pursue careers in the media industries, in designing the laws and policies regarding media, in business, legal or other graduate study, or in the service of making media better; most of all, they will be more informed and astute citizens in a highly mediated world.</p>
<p>Communication and information technologies (CIT) – Students focusing in CIT will explore the social and psychological dimensions of the design, use, and evaluation of communication and information technologies, how people form and manage impressions and relate to each other in cyberspace, the uses of language in online interaction, and how people coordinate work in virtual teams, as well as people’s interface and information needs. Possible career paths include information systems designer, research analyst, user interface designers, software designers, usability specialist, technology writer, and business, legal and other graduate study. </p>
<p>Communication and Social Influence (CSI) - Students focusing in CSI will use communication principles to analyze issues and situations involving groups, organizations, and selected audiences to design, implement, and evaluate appropriate communication programs. Courses stress the positive, ethical, and effective uses of communication in human affairs. This focus area would be appropriate for students interested in using communication to bring about change at the individual and societal level. Possible career paths include public relations, marketing communications, polling, human resources, governmental affairs, and business, legal and other graduate study.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>None of those have a lot to do with print newswriting.</p>
<p>communications is a really easy major. maybe you should double major in english and communications.</p>
<p>u cant double in comm and english because communications is in the agricultural school. The CMS concentration sounds like it could work though.</p>
<p>It is not necessary to major in journalism or something akin to journalism in order to be a journalist.</p>
<p>Some prospective journalists major in subject matter fields and take their writing or communications courses on the side, along with getting practical experience working on the college newspaper or other publications. This approach might be particularly suitable for you since you said in another thread that you were thinking about getting a master's degree in journalism. If you feel that you are lacking in any specific journalism skills at the time when you graduate, you could learn those things during your master's program.</p>
<p>Someone who has a deep knowledge of a subject matter field -- politics or business/economics or science/technology or whatever -- and who can also write clearly may have an advantage over people who can write but don't know much about anything in particular when it comes time to look for a job in journalism.</p>
<p>
[quote]
communications is a really easy major. maybe you should double major in english and communications.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>
[quote]
u cant double in comm and english because communications is in the agricultural school. The CMS concentration sounds like it could work though.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Either way, I'm not sure why I would want to major in communication. Did you guys read the four possible concentrations? None of them seem to relate to print journalism.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Either way, I'm not sure why I would want to major in communication. Did you guys read the four possible concentrations? None of them seem to relate to print journalism.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Then major in English..... you've pretty much answered your own question. Like I said before, why not wait a few months and ask your advisor or the career office staff? They are clearly more qualified than anybody on CC is to answer your questions.</p>
<p>Besides, if you're so set on majoring on something that directly relates to print journalism, then why did you decide on a school where there isn't a journalism program?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Besides, if you're so set on majoring on something that directly relates to print journalism, then why did you decide on a school where there isn't a journalism program
[/quote]
</p>
<p>...because I'm not set on it?</p>
<p>so if you aren't set on choosing a major that directly deals with print journalism, then maybe you should consider communications as a potential major instead of shooting it down because none of the concentrations deal with print journalism.</p>
<p>That's like saying, "so if you aren't set on choosing a major that directly deals with print journalism, then maybe you should consider botany/zoology/physics/hotel management as potential majors instead of shooting them down because none of their concentrations deal with print journalism."</p>
<p><em>edit</em></p>
<p>
[quote]
major in English..... you've pretty much answered your own question.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That wasn't my question =/</p>
<p>I mean, I came into this topic with communication already crossed off my list "unless I [was] missing something." I was hoping you guys could either tell me what I was missing about communication (if anything) that made it more like a traditional journalism major, or give me some other major ideas.</p>
<p>Not really.. the CMS concentration seems pretty damn related to general media, which must include journalism as well in some way, shape or form. </p>
<p>Like I kept on saying, it's stupid to seek advice on an internet forum for such a specific question, and expect the exact answer you're looking for.</p>
<p>It almost seems as if you're trying to be bitter about the fact that Cornell's majors don't cater to your needs. Maybe Columbia or NU would have been a better school to go to.. I don't know.</p>
<p>
[quote]
It almost seems as if you're trying to be bitter about the fact that Cornell's majors don't cater to your needs.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Maybe Columbia or NU would have been a better school to go to.. I don't know.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I didn't even look at Northwestern and I'm pretty sure that none of the Ivies have undergrad programs in journalism.</p>
<p>Figure out what area of journalism you think you want to be in: international? domestic? sports? business? current affairs? science? economics?</p>
<p>Your basic skills as a journalist are writing and researching.</p>
<p>Your helpful skills can be content knowledge in the areas you are writing about.</p>
<p>So take writing courses (probably in English) and content courses: economics, science, politics, law, whatever.</p>
<p>Communications seems like a total waste, but I've never taken a communications class so I am admitting to bias against it.</p>
<p>And otherwise, learn on the job. Work for the school newspaper, intern at a daily.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Figure out what area of journalism you think you want to be in: international? domestic? sports? business? current affairs? science? economics?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I'm just tossing around the idea for now; I'm sure my interests will change once I'm exposed to new things.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Your basic skills as a journalist are writing and researching.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I know there are writing courses to take, but without a journalism department, what courses would teach you to follow a lead?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Your helpful skills can be content knowledge in the areas you are writing about...[s]o take writing courses (probably in English) and content courses: economics, science, politics, law, whatever.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I just want to make sure I'm following you completely. Are you saying that I'd have to choose and study a specific journalistic interest in college (such as politics or economics)? Do you think I could just work on becoming a good writer and researcher, rather than a specialist in a particular field? I guess I'm asking if you think it would be better to major in something broadly useful and applicable, like English, or in something specific that I want to write about, like, say, biology.</p>
<p>
[quote]
And otherwise, learn on the job. Work for the school newspaper, intern at a daily.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Already covered:</p>
<p>
I'm checking in with the Sun's offices first thing after settling into my room.
</p>
<p>=D</p>
<p>
[quote]
Do you think I could just work on becoming a good writer and researcher, rather than a specialist in a particular field? I guess I'm asking if you think it would be better to major in something broadly useful and applicable, like English, or in something specific that I want to write about, like, say, biology.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Firstly, learn how to write. English Lit. would be good for this. Secondly, follow your interests and identify a field that you become conversant in and eventually an expert in, if you want to really do well as a journalist. This could mean a double major in something like biology, a minor in something like international econ. or business, etc.</p>
<p>Here's a link that explains further what I was getting at:</p>
<p>Be sure and read the link that is embedded in that link, to get some perspective.</p>
<p>IMO, don't major in journalism or communications. Learn to write -- probably an English major -- and identify some topic or domain in the world that interests you: economics, business, politics, cooking, science, etc. And become really well-versed in it. If it's something international, you might learn a related language. Etc.</p>
<p>Here's one quote from within that embedded thread:</p>
<p>
[quote]
The most successful journalists have something to write about. I went to an IR grad school with an econ. and Asian studies focus. There are some first rate journalists who went with me, and now work for the likes of WSJ, Fortune, etc. The thing they all have in common is that they didn't go to J-school, but learned about economics, the world, etc. Thus, if she gets into one of the joint programs for a Master's and truly wants to be a journalist, suggest she go there. One of my best friends went to Columbia's IR grad program took 2-3 journalism classes there and now is a bureau chief in a large country for a famous magazine (not saying which). It helped more that he had the knowledge and basic writing ability than that he had journalism classes under his belt.</p>
<p>The other thing is: I thought journalism school entrance was about clips, ie articles already written. The scores your daughter received are more than sufficient. The question is has she done any journalism?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>So you think a double-major in, say, English and international relations (just for example) would beat majoring in either English or international relations specifically?</p>
<p><em>edit</em></p>
<p>If that's the case, what happens if I decide not to write about international relations? Will that double-major help or hinder me (or do neither)?</p>
<p>^^^^^</p>
<p>First question: yes, but in addition to the English major you could also put together a broad-based range of coursework in politics, political economy, economics, IR for example or if you wanted to study business something like economic history, and marketing, and accounting. Just examples.</p>
<p>Second question: Anybody who switches focus in college risks having studied something they don't ultimately apply. Chalk it up to general education. The most important thing for you to do is to keep curious, let your curiosity range, and at the right moment focus on what it is you find you have the passion for that can also be a vocation for you. It may not turn out to be journalism at all, but if you keep curiosity, focus, and passion as active guides and you really do your homework, nothing will have been wasted.</p>