Journalism

Journalism student taking interview notes
Bachelor's Degree in Journalism

The need for ethical and accurate reporting is stronger than ever, and journalists play a vital role in a democracy. They hold leaders accountable, advocate for justice, and help the public make informed decisions about our changing world.

Journalism student taking interview notes

Bachelor's Degree in Journalism

The need for ethical and accurate reporting is stronger than ever, and journalists play a vital role in a democracy. They hold leaders accountable, advocate for justice, and help the public make informed decisions about our changing world.

Apply »  |  Degree Requirements »  |  Sample Schedules »  |  Courses »  |  Faculty and Staff »  |  Internships »  |  Visit Us »

Apply » |  Degree Requirements » |  Sample Schedules » |  Courses » |  Faculty and Staff » |  Internships » |  Visit Us »

Propel Communities to Action with a Degree in Journalism

Learn how to tell the stories that inform and inspire individuals and communities. As a journalism undergraduate at the SOJC, you’ll get access to state-of-the-art gear in our broadcast/photo and podcast studios and social and immersive media labs. You’ll have ample opportunities to build the storytelling skills employers look for while mastering the emerging tools of our evolving media landscape, from solutions and engagement journalism to augmented and virtual reality.

Learn from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and bestselling authors alongside a tight-knit community of passionate peers at the only comprehensive accredited journalism program in the Pacific Northwest. You will prepare to join the legions of journalists who are protecting democracy by telling true, impactful stories that serve the public good.

Jasmine and Bernice at the anchor desk for Duck TV
Student taking a photo with a Canon camera
Kira Hoffelmeyer in the Duck TV broadcast room

 

375+
Journalism Majors
15
Pulitzer Prizes won by faculty and alumni
8+
UO Student Publications and Media Outlets

 

What You Can Do with a Journalism Degree

The media landscape is rapidly shifting, but the need for ethical and accurate reporting remains constant across all platforms and technologies. As a journalism undergraduate, you’ll build crossfunctional and transferable skills that can translate to a career in any medium, from digital and multimedia storytelling to documentary filmmaking. You’ll also develop an entrepreneurial mindset that will allow you to evolve with the industry, with many potential paths to success. See what three of our graduates are up to now:

Three SOJC students filming for Duck TV
Hands-On Learning, 
Real-World Experience

We believe the learning process isn’t complete until you practice your skills out in the world. As an SOJC journalism student, you'll get to hone your practice in the field with hands-on learning trips, student publications, internships, and other opportunities. For example, you could:

Check Out Hands-On Learning Opportunities

Beth Maiman holds her Emmy

What Our Alumni Say

The SOJC provided a strong foundation for me to learn the basics and principles of journalism, media ethics, media law, interviewing, and reporting.... The opportunities I had in school definitely helped me get to where I am today.
Beth Maiman '15, Sports Digital Producer, Emmy Award Winner

Read about Beth's Job

Seth Lewis gestures to a student while seated in his office
Meet Seth Lewis
JOURNALISM AREA DIRECTOR AND SHIRLEY PAPÉ CHAIR IN EMERGING MEDIA

How does misinformation affect public perception of pivotal events like the pandemic or the U.S. presidential election? How do people experience news when AI algorithms decide what headlines they see? Technology is changing the relationship between journalists and their audiences, and Seth Lewis wants to understand how. His award-winning research explores the intersection between technology and journalism.

Read about Seth's Research

Meet the Journalism Faculty

Seth Lewis gestures to a student while seated in his office
Meet Seth Lewis
JOURNALISM AREA DIRECTOR AND SHIRLEY PAPÉ CHAIR IN EMERGING MEDIA

How does misinformation affect public perception of pivotal events like the pandemic or the U.S. presidential election? How do people experience news when AI algorithms decide what headlines they see? Technology is changing the relationship between journalists and their audiences, and Seth Lewis wants to understand how. His award-winning research explores the intersection between technology and journalism.

Read about Seth's Research

Meet the Journalism Faculty

Lori Shontz in class
Meet Lori Shontz
Professor of Practice, Journalism

Punishing hours, rigorous deadlines, and sweltering heat are just a few of the challenges Lori Shontz’s students have endured to cover some of the world’s biggest track and field events—including the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. Affectionately known as “Mama Lori,” the journalist and former newspaper editor is a tireless mentor who has helped her students publish more than 630 stories in 38 news outlets. She still finds time to conduct research on the coverage of mass shootings and trauma, a project funded by the Agora Journalism Center.

Read Lori's Story

Lori Shontz teaches a class at the SOJC
Meet Lori Shontz
Professor of Practice, Journalism

Punishing hours, rigorous deadlines, and sweltering heat are just a few of the challenges Lori Shontz’s students have endured to cover some of the world’s biggest track and field events—including the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. Affectionately known as “Mama Lori,” the journalist and former newspaper editor is a tireless mentor who has helped her students publish more than 630 stories in 38 news outlets. She still finds time to conduct research on the coverage of mass shootings and trauma, a project funded by the Agora Journalism Center.

Read Lori's Story

a student with an outstretched hand pilots a drone, which appears to be hovering above their hand. They are standing outside in front of lush green foliage.
Hit the Ground Running

Attention, SOJC journalism students! Now you can earn a master’s degree within a year of completing your bachelor’s degree in journalism at the SOJC!  With our one-year accelerated Multimedia Journalism Master’s program based at SOJC Portland, you’ll learn all the storytelling and technical skills you need to stand out in the field, from immersive media and virtual reality to podcasting, explanatory storytelling, drone journalism, and 360 video.

Contact the Program Director for More Info

Jake Swantko filming a cyclist
Where Our Alumni Are Now

First he helped expose Russia’s athletic doping program. Then he got a seat at the Academy Awards. Now with an Oscar under his belt, documentary filmmaker Jake Swantko ’11, one of SOJC’s Eric Allen Outstanding Young Alumni, is contemplating what risk to take next—all because an SOJC instructor put a camera in his hands.

“When you pick up a camera, the lens and light speak adjectives and verbs for you. You start to become a more visual storyteller. The camera started to speak for me. If not for the school, I don’t know exactly what I would be doing.”

Read about Jake's Career

portrait of Brent Walth taken outdoors
Meet Brent Walth
Journalism Assistant Professor, Pulitzer Prize Winner
Co-Director, Catalyst Journalism Program and Co-Coordinator, Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism

Brent Walth ’84 has come full circle. The son of teachers, Walth is an assistant professor at his alma mater. With over 30 years of experience as a reporter and editor—including sharing a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service—Walth now teaches investigative reporting to budding journalists.

“I always felt like journalism was a form of teaching. You immerse yourself and attempt to become an expert in the thing you're trying to communicate,” Walth said. “Then you have to figure out a way to explain it, break it down, and communicate it in a way that encourages people to see the world differently. Not any particular way, but just in a new, enhanced way.”

Learn about Brent’s Career