Journalism Assessment Site

Introduction to the Journalism Program 

The journalism major allows students to learn newsgathering best practices, and how news can be distributed through newspapers, magazines, television, social media, and the Internet.

Our journalism degree program focuses on current practices and methods, while also advancing new and journalistic trends for this rapidly changing digital age.

This major gives all students a broad interdisciplinary introduction to the media and their place in a free society. In addition, each journalism major completes a sequence of courses intended to develop practical skills related to a potential career area.

We offer students laboratory production experience appropriate to their interest area through Pepperdine Graphic Media, which includes the students newspaper The Graphic, Currents magazine, Gnews and podcasting; and live television news programs through NewsWaves and Good Morning Malibu. Students also gain training in a professional environments through internships.

About the Journalism Program 

Our journalism degree provides a solid foundation in writing, research and inquiry. The journalism major is ideal for those considering a career in law, teaching and numerous other endeavors. Our program fosters ethically trained, conscientious and fair professionals who help readers to learn the news they need to know in order to participate in their communities, churches and civic groups.

History of the Journalism Program 

Dr. James Smythe recommended the journalism major be established in 1966. The major separated from the English major, which had offered journalism courses. The influence and diversity of news media have grown dramatically since the major was instituted. Now more than ever the profession and the nation need value-centered communicators. Hundreds of Pepperdine journalism alumni are fulfilling that role today in leading newspapers, magazines, online and broadcast outlets. Throughout the major’s history, course content and offerings have adjusted in recognition of the changing needs of the profession, the audiences and the technology. The most recent revision took place in 2015, where the program removed the division between print/online and video/online journalism majors. Now all students are cross-trained across all mediums, while preserving a strong liberal arts education with an outside concentration of courses unrelated to the major.