How to become a journalist?

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Well basically, I'm in fifth year and hoping to become a journalist when I leave school, sports preferably, soccer specifically.

Just wondering what the best way to go about it would be?

I see courses in UL and DCU(which I'm guessing are the best ones), but they're roughly around 435 points, which I have little chance of getting if I'm honest. An alternative is Journalism and New Media in Griffith College in Dublin which is 200 and something points, which I would get but I've heard bad things about the college.

Am I better off not doing a Journalism course and just writing articles and sending them to papers whilst doing a different course/working?

Any opinions at all welcome.:)

flogen

I don't know anything specific about the Griffith course but bear in mind that it comes with a hefty price tag.

I went the PLC route (which let me go on to do my degree) and was happy with it though a part of me does wish I'd done a non-journalism course to gain specific knowledge in an area of interest (like politics etc.). I'm not sure what options you'd have for sport, though.

Regardless of what route you take the important thing is that you put the work in both on the course and outside of it.

Write as much as you can, even if it's just for a blog, read as much as you can and start to think about what you want to do, what you can offer and who might be interested in taking it.

outandabout

There are plenty of courses but very few jobs but that shouldn't deter someone who is really determined to have a career in the media.


Local newspapers are a good outlet for young journalists starting out but the pay is fairly average.

speedboatchase

Hi OP. I posted a similar thread a few years ago, however it was posted after I received a diploma and degree - the job market is that competitive, so be ready for a lot of rejection before you get anywhere!

I went down the PLC route too, doing a two year Higher National Diploma in BCFE, which allowed me to move to England and do years 2 and 3 of a three year BA Degree in Huddersfield. Write as much as you can, hammer as many phones as possible, try to get work experience in the summer and work on bulking up your portfolio as best you can for now, then try head down the PLC route if you can. I've no experience about Griffith myself so I can't say how much it would cost.

jdivision

If you're not going to the DCU and UL courses (and their standards have slipped), then get a degree in something else so you have an area of specialism but work for the college media outlets and then do a Masters

FewFew

First off if you're looking at journo courses I'd have DIT in there as top of your list, but as with UL that'll be a 430+ type course. Sure your career guidance guy has told you to fill out your CAO with what you want rather than what you'll get, you never know how things may pan out, but anyhows.

You don't need a degree to be a journalist. Loads of people will say it and in a few cases, especially for more established journos, it's very true, but these days every bit helps and it's becoming more of the norm I think.

In my experience (which isn't extensive) there seems to be two flavours - the degree type and the masters/plc type. If you want to write about economics and you've a good degree in economics you should be sorted, maybe just top it off with a journo MA or if not a PLC course. Then you've got a journalism course which should teach you the basics of economics, but your knowledge will be far too broad and shallow to compete with the economics Bsc. Generally I've found those that spend years doing a journalism course develop a better "nose for news" and are just so used to how things are meant to be that they can notice errors faster. On the other hand you've got the economics lad who after his MA may know a few terms, but will often make rookie mistakes all over the place. The skills learned during a journo BA can be learned from a year on the job, you just have to survive for that year and work hard. I don't think a journo grad would ever unknowingly develop the depth of knowledge about economics, but they may very well have enough interest and skill to get by, I just wouldn't want them recommending policy measures.

Um, so... if you want something specific then specialise early and pick up the journo bits along the way. If you just enjoy writing and you're a nosey fecker with a love for grafting, then go the journo degree route.

Just my 2 cent.

Nolanger

baz2009 wrote: »

Am I better off not doing a Journalism course and just writing articles and sending them to papers whilst doing a different course/working?

Yep, get a job with a local paper and after a few years there try and get work with the larger ones. Journalism courses are a waste unless you want to become a qualified lecturer. Learn about corrrect grammar too.

Sophsxxx

Im studying journalism in UL at the min and have to agree with the above posters that the journalism course doesnt really teach you a lot about journalism. You get the benefit of the lecturers experience in the field and that but I feel that I may have been better off studying a more specific field and then doing an MA in journalism.
But saying that, I love UL and I like the course (more for the 3rd year work experience and erasmus though!), I'm just disappointed in the lack of focus there seems to be on actual journalism.
I'd recommend DIT as that seems to be the most prestigious journalism course with DCU coming in a close second!
Oh and almost forgot, UL have a sport science elective option in the journalism course might be of some benefit to you too.