To be a journalist

Early on, my daughter wanted to be a journalist, so we investigated the renowned journalism schools at the University of Missouri (Columbia) and Northwestern University (Chicago).   Then she did an internship with The Dallas Morning News, where everyone told her, “Don’t major in journalism.  Journalists are a dime a dozen.  Major in something else that will give you subject matter expertise, then look for a job in journalism or go to grad school in journalism.”  (That was before so many major city papers filed for bankruptcy, so the advice might be more negative now.)

So I thought it was interesting that the University of Chicago wrote my son about – amongst other things – their approach to journalism:

Students seeing to become influential journalists have a tremendous preparation in Chicago’s broad, deep, and rigorous liberal arts education with its emphasis on critical thinking and creative inquiry.  Students in the Chicago Careers in Journalism program represent 46 of Chicago’s 49 majors, and have received internships everywhere from The Economist to NBC’s Meet the Press to the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network.  Between 300 and 400 students participate in award-winning student publications every year as editors, writers, production assistants, and photographers.

Bear in mind that the University of Chicago competes directly with Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism.

I think that first sentence succinctly makes the case for a liberal arts education.