Baccalaureate Degrees
A bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ball State University will provide you with a comprehensive, hands-on learning experience that will prepare you for an exciting career in a dynamic, rapidly evolving profession. Because journalism is all about being out there in the world—covering stories and uncovering the truth—our program emphasizes immersive projects with community partners and internships.
Through our program, you’ll gain a diverse set of skills across all facets of communication while developing a deeper specialization in a single area through one of our concentrations. Ball State’s bachelor’s degree in journalism provides a comprehensive, hands-on learning environment for practicing the art of storytelling through all types of media: print, video, audio, social, blogs, apps, and more. Students gain journalistic experience in state-of-the-art facilities using the latest cutting-edge technology in student media organizations, professional student organizations, and a working newsroom lab.
In the media design and development major, you’ll master the process and art of visual storytelling using strong design, across all mediums, to deliver powerful experiences that drive audience engagement. Our award-winning faculty are agile and adaptive, embracing a fast-changing media landscape that pushes innovation and entrepreneurial learning. Through immersive projects, working in student media and at the strategic communication agency, students gain meaningful work experience in engaging audiences using the information design process, design methodology and visual presentation techniques in storytelling.
In our strategic communication major, advertising students will learn to create and distribute compelling advertising across media platforms to meet client goals. You will gain hands-on experience in research, strategy, creative design, media planning, and analytics. Public relations students will learn how to connect organizations with their audiences, driving awareness and engagement. Sports students will learn how to leverage sports-related messaging and strategies to effectively engage audiences, boost brand presence, and drive participation and loyalty within the sports industry. Our faculty employ cutting-edge technology and focus on planning, executing and assessing campaigns for both profit and non-
profit organizations, utilizing the latest metrics. This ensures the ability to influence thinking, opinions, attitudes and behaviors among target audiences.
In the teaching major in journalism, you’ll graduate ably equipped to engage your students in writing, design, and digital storytelling. We work closely with Ball State University’s Teachers College to craft a curricular experience that balances advocacy and excellence in the classroom. Because a huge part of learning how to teach is doing, you’ll take the same journalistic storytelling and multimedia design classes as other school majors in addition to spending several weeks working alongside a secondary teacher, followed by 16 weeks of student teaching.
All program areas in the school allow you add secondary concentrations to your major. In some cases, optional concentrations have enrollment restrictions. You should talk with your advisor before adding a secondary concentration area.