Broadcast Journalism at UCF: A Comprehensive Overview

The University of Central Florida (UCF) offers a robust broadcast journalism curriculum through its Nicholson School of Communication and Media. This program aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the rapidly evolving landscape of electronic and digital media. For aspiring reporters, photographers, anchors, and broadcast sports journalists, UCF provides a specialized and comprehensive educational experience.

Program Overview and Admission

The Journalism B.A. program at UCF is a limited-access degree, meaning that interested students must submit a separate application directly to the Nicholson School of Communication to be considered for admission. This competitive admission process ensures that only the most promising and committed students are selected for the program. A strong commitment to the field, demonstrated through prior coursework, memberships, workshops, published work, internships, and other practical experience, is crucial for prospective students. The average GPA of admitted students tends to be around 3.3 or above. Students interested in majoring in journalism are encouraged to meet with an academic advisor in the Nicholson Academic Student Services Center (NSC 143).

Curriculum and Focus Areas

The UCF journalism program offers a curriculum that combines hands-on skills with a strong theoretical foundation. Students delve into topics such as multimedia storytelling, investigative reporting, visual communication, and media law and ethics. The program offers two focus areas:

Digital News: This track prepares students for careers in online journalism, focusing on digital storytelling techniques and platforms.
Electronic News: This track is designed for students who aspire to work in broadcast news as reporters, photographers, anchors, or broadcast sports journalists.

The curriculum is designed to provide students with a wide range of skills, including photography, videography, search engine optimization (SEO), and web design. This comprehensive approach ensures that graduates are well-prepared for the diverse demands of the modern news media industry.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

UCF emphasizes practical experience as an integral part of its journalism program. Students have access to a variety of on-campus organizations, including student-run news publications (Nicholson Student Media), a radio station (WNSC), and a television station (WUCF-TV). These organizations provide valuable opportunities for students to develop their skills, build their professional portfolios, and network with industry professionals.

Nicholson Student Media: UCF boasts a myriad of opportunities for practical experience alongside the journalism curriculum, such as the student-run news publications.

WNSC Radio Station: UCF boasts a myriad of opportunities for practical experience alongside the journalism curriculum, such as the radio station (WNSC).

WUCF-TV Television Station: UCF boasts a myriad of opportunities for practical experience alongside the journalism curriculum, such as the television station (WUCF-TV).

Internships

Internships are essential for journalism students, providing them with professional newsroom experience and the opportunity to earn academic credit. UCF's location in Orlando, a thriving media hub, offers numerous internship opportunities at print, online, broadcast, and radio outlets. Students have secured internships and jobs at renowned companies like iHeartMedia, Disney, Sirius XM, and FOX.

To receive credit for an internship, students must have a 2.5 GPA in their required major courses. Students can enroll in a maximum of three hours of internship credit, with each internship requiring approval and supervision by a Journalism faculty advisor. It is strongly recommended that an internship candidate meet with a journalism faculty advisor prior to interviewing with the prospective internship provider. Internship candidates must submit their internship paperwork in person to the faculty advisor. The Journalism faculty strongly recommend that majors work for a student news outlet. Journalism majors may obtain an off-campus internship with a news organization. Students with less than a 2.5 GPA will not be given academic internship credit. Students can enroll in a maximum of three hours of internship credit. However, the internships must be with different employers. Each internship must be approved by and supervised by a Journalism faculty advisor.

Read also: Journalism Career in Boston

Facilities and Resources

The radio-television studio and production facilities opened in 1999 as a centerpiece of the new $14 million communication building. The facility was equipped with state-of-the-art analog and digital technology through a combination of public and private funding. A unique partnership with Panasonic Broadcast Systems along with a major donation from the Harris Corporation facilitated the outfitting of the facility. Financial contributions from Darden Restaurants, WOFL-TV, WFTV-TV, Cox Radio and WESH-TV were also critical. In the summer of 2012, major upgrades happened in the NSC studio and newsroom. The multimedia newsroom project created a new learning laboratory for news students in the radio-television and journalism areas. Phase 1 of the project focused on adding new computer equipment and editing facilities for students in both capstone news experiences. The HD upgrades to the NSC studio included HD cameras and a new digital switcher in the production control facility.

Faculty and Their Impact

Students have reported that the faculty at UCF's Nicholson School is knowledgeable and well-qualified, often bringing years of industry experience into the classroom. They appreciate the mix of theory and practical application in the curriculum, which helps them develop a strong foundation in communication principles along with hands-on experience. Many classes involve group projects and real-world assignments that allow students to practice their skills in realistic scenarios. Jeff, a UCF grad with a bachelor’s in radio and TV with a broadcast journalism concentration, is an example of the program's success. His involvement with the UCF student radio station, where he became its sports director and assisted with live broadcasts of athletic events, allowed him to overcome his anxiety about speaking on television. He later worked as a video producer and host for UCF’s athletic department and even announced at Orlando Magic games.

Portfolio Review and Graduation Requirements

Journalism majors must complete a portfolio review at least one semester prior to graduation. At least 75% of the work must be produced while at UCF. A portfolio of representative work must be submitted to, and approved by, a faculty committee at least one semester before graduation. Co-op or internship credit cannot be used in this major without prior approval. Students should consult with their Academic Success Coach (ASC). The School residency requirement consists of at least 24 semester hours of regularly scheduled 3000-4000 level courses taken from the UCF Nicholson School of Communication and Media.

Ethical Standards

The Journalism program follows the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. Students who violate the code (plagiarizing, cheating or fabricating, for example) may be removed from the program. All prerequisites of courses taught within the College of Sciences will be enforced. Courses designated in 1 (General Education Program) and 2 (Common Program Prerequisites) are usually completed in the first 60 hours.

Student Experiences and Outcomes

Many students have a positive experience in the University of Central Florida's journalism program. The Nicholson School of Communication and Media within UCF offers a comprehensive curriculum that combines hands-on skills with a strong theoretical foundation in topics such as multimedia storytelling, investigative reporting, visual communication, and media law and ethics. The on-campus organizations are highly engaging and pave the way for professional portfolios and networking opportunities within the media industry. UCF's location and strong connections within the media industry provide access to several opportunities for you to expand your skills further and secure internships and post-graduation positions. Remember that your experience in the journalism program and securing internships will highly depend on your own initiative and drive to seek out these opportunities.

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