Journalism?

emerjane08

Hi, does anyone on here know if I will need to be really good in leaving cert English because I have a terrible teacher to become an investigative reporter/journalist or can I learn the majority in college?

Also if I take a course in communication studies in DCU could that lead to a career as an investigative reporter/ journalist

Thanks.

Cavehill Red

A dying industry laying off jobs left, right and centre, with people prepared to work for free or as interns on no wages.
I'd seriously advise rethinking your career options. That said, good command of English is essential as a journalist, and while many of the relevant skills can be taught in courses such as those at DCU or Griffith College, the specific skill-set of investigative reporters is something that is partly innate and partly can only be learnt on the job in a newsroom.

Huckster

I agree 100% with the above. I would strongly advise you to consider less 'obvious' careers which also require strong writing skills such as PR or marketing.

However, if you are EXTREMELY intent on becoming a journalist I can tell you now that your leaving certificate means very little if nothing at all in the grand scheme of things. Once you have a good grasp of grammar and how to articulate yourself well in writing, you're ready.

I have a friend currently doing a masters in journalism and he said it's been a total waste of money because he hasn’t been taught anything he didn't already know. There's no one degree which will lead you to a career in journalism and if you research the backgrounds of successful journalists you'll notice that they come from a variety of backgrounds.

The most important thing to do now is to build up an extensive portfolio of published articles and letters to editors. You need to be very driven and self-motivated in order to succeed, as it's a highly competitive job market. You may also want to put more thought into how you will gain an edge in your specialty which you say is investigative reporting.

Nicole.

Hey, I wanted to do the exact same course last year but opted out of it due to reservations I had about career prospects. I have to say that I don't regret it one bit. I decided to do arts instead doing English, History, Geography and Politics as I wanted to be a secondary school teacher too. I chose these subjects because they interest me and I chose them because they would help me if I ever change my mind that I want to be a journalist.
After this degree I could do a masters in Journalism in DCU or where ever. They accept candidates from many different courses you just need a minimum of a 2.2 degree which is 50-58% and many require an interview. I know you're more interested in the communications courses but I don't know much about them.

I did work experience at a local newspaper and the editor told me that he can only hire candidates with a college degree now even though he didn't have a degree when he started out. I also went to a journalism talk in UCC and while some major journalists said that they needed bright, new journalists many other major journalists said to steer clear. If you really are intent on it, I would have a backup plan like other posters have said.

Going to college is a very expensive but rewarding experience but most of us only have one shot at it so make it count.