<p>I am most likely headed to UC Berkeley in the fall, and it has one of the best political science programs in the country. I have always wanted to be a journalist, and I have been planning on majoring in political science and a language (probably Arabic) while getting experience with internships and writing for the college newspaper. I also think I would enjoy this more than majoring in journalism. Is this a better route to take in order to become a journalist, or is majoring in journalism a safer bet? I feel like majoring in something other than journalism would give me a broader base in order to be a more knowledgeable journalist. Also, I feel like a language would do wonders for my job opportunities. I have also heard that having a portfolio and experience in journalism is really the most important thing, but I am still worried about not majoring in journalism. Thoughts?</p>
<p>Journalism is a very open field. To answer your question, I think majoring in political science and a language is a fantastic combination 
As you said, you can get journalism experience through internships and writing for the college paper. In those internships you’ll learn, first-hand, some of the ethnics, practices, and methods of journalism and also build your portfolio. You definitely don’t need to be a journalism major to be a journalist. Of course down the road you can deepen your journalism study at Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. :)</p>
<p>But take advantage of the undergraduate programs at Cal while you’re there, and have fun! Good luck</p>
<p>I agree that it’s very important to have a deeper understanding of the field you hope to cover, as well as the marketability of a second language, but there are a few other things I would keep in mind. First, writing ability is CRITICAL to all fields of journalism (even broadcast) so make sure you build this skill. There’s no point in being an expert in political science if you can’t clearly communicate a complex idea or event in 400 words or less. And yes, the portfolio is the biggest key to getting a job after graduation. It’s not just about showing good writing and knowledge–it’s also proof that you can do all that under a tight deadline, get it right, know AP style, and can get the right people to talk to you. More than half the battle in journalism is getting the information, not just writing it. I know lots of journalism students who double major in the field they hope to cover (poli-sci, wildlife bio, etc).
I know this didn’t provide a clear cut answer for you, but I hope these thoughts are helpful.</p>
<p>I would agree with this - majoring in both poli sci and Spanish for example gives great advantages…</p>
<p>If I were you, I would take a good look at the Master’s in Specialized Journalism at the University of Southern California. You can specialize in any kind of journalism and acquire skills to compete in the digital age of Journalism. It’s a 9 month, very intensive program according to the description.</p>
<p>This is the program I intend to apply to and they are recruiting me. I would email Dr. Allyson Hill, Assistant Dean of Admissions. She will give the necessary information and will likely tell you if you would make a great applicant or not.</p>
<p>You will probably face rather long odds in getting a journalism internship if you’re not a journalism major. Try to have a poli sci internship as a back-up, just in case. </p>
<p>But, other than that, I think you’re making very sensible plans. Good luck.</p>
<p>I would not even think about borrowing tens of thousands of dollars for a master’s degree in journalism at a time when the journalism job market is absolutely godawful and the jobs that are out there pay so poorly. The average starting salary for a sportswriter is $23,000.</p>
<p>Yes, I am a slightly disgruntled journalism graduate, now working in a totally different field (park ranger) but still using many of the same skills. If you are interested in communicating, I would still recommend a journalism program. Just be very realistic about the job market and be very flexible about how you’re willing to use your degree.</p>
<p>Also, you can’t major in journalism at UC Berkeley. They do not have an undergraduate journalism program and haven’t since the 1970s.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t borrow that much either. I took way too many out for my undergraduate degree and it was a mistake. </p>
<p>Instead, I would opt for an assistantship or as many scholarships and grants as I could get.</p>
<p>It really doesn’t matter as long as you have internships to back up what you want to do.</p>
<p>Read my posts in this thread:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/journalism-major/1150685-dying-field-not-worth-majoring.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/journalism-major/1150685-dying-field-not-worth-majoring.html</a></p>
<p>It’s definitely better to major in something else, but just make sure your writing skills are good if you wish to do journalism.</p>