Changing Education for Journalism and the Communication Occupations

This book provides a unique perspective on journalism and communication education, drawing on extensive, detailed data across time to examine the evolution of education for journalism and related communication occupations such as public relations and advertising. It demonstrates how journalism and communication education adapted to forces within the university as well as forces from outside the university. Particular attention is given to the impact of the labor markets to which journalism and communication education is linked. The analysis shows dramatically how dependent employers are on journalism and communication education, how educational institutions have changed to accommodate female and minority students, and how the labor market has responded to the graduates produced. Part history, part sociological analysis, this book will change the reader’s understanding of education for journalism, public relations, advertising and the related occupations. It also offers insights about what the future of education in these fields holds.

Lee B. Becker earned his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Georgia. He received the Paul J. Deutschmann Award for Excellence in Research Award from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. His publications include The Training and Hiring of Journalists.

Tudor Vlad earned his doctorate from Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. He is Director of the James M. Cox Jr. Center for International Mass Communication Training and Research at the University of Georgia. He has written on evaluation of international media assistance programs, media systems in emerging democracies, and journalism and mass communication curricula.