Journalism Degree

The journalism program at SUNY Westchester Community College prepares students for careers as a print journalist, local reporter, news editor, public relations assistant, advertising coordinate, news manager, or communication consultant. The program focuses on theory and the practice of gathering, processing, and delivering news. Program courses include: news writing and editing, reporting, photojournalism, layout and graphic design, journalism law and policy, professional standards and ethics, research methods, and journalism history and criticism. Get more details below including other New York colleges that offer journalism degrees.

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SUNY Westchester Community College (CW)

325 Central Ave, White Plains, NY

History
Westchester Community College was founded in 1946 as the New York State Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences in White Plains. In 1957, the County of Westchester bought the 360-acre John Hartford estate in Valhalla and designated 218 acres for the community college.

Enrollment
There are approximately 12,000 full- and part-time college credit students. Continuing education students bring the total number served by the college each semester to more than 20,000. Precise statistics about the college's enrollment history can be found in the Institutional Research & Planning pages.

Faculty
Westchester Community College’s faculty and professional staff have received more SUNY Chancellors Awards for Excellence than any other community college in the system. More than 98% hold masters or doctorate degrees in their fields. Student/faculty ratio is 16.1:1.  

Veteran Friendly Campus
The college, which opened in 1946 in order to train and educate veterans, welcomes those who have served our country. We are considered a "Veteran Friendly Campus" due to our extensive services for those who have spent time in the military.   

Degrees
The college offers more than 50 associate and certificate programs. We have three types of associate degrees in 36 subject areas: the Associate in Arts for students transferring to four-year institutions in the liberal arts; the Associate in Science for those transferring to four-year institutions for business, math, science or health careers; and the Associate in Applied Science for those preparing to seek immediate employment, change careers or transfer. In addition, certificate programs typically requiring between 15 to 33 credits are offered in approximately 20 career fields.

Financial Aid
Financial Aid is available to students who qualify. In addition, the Westchester Community College Foundation offers $1 million in scholarships annually. Nearly one third of Westchester Community College students receive some form of financial aid.

Library
The Harold L. Drimmer Library / Learning Resource Center contains 198,000 volumes and 600 periodical titles, as well as more than 19 million searchable records and entries from 97 electronically-linked libraries.

Career & Transfer Center
The Career & Transfer Center helps students assess career options, plan career and curriculum, take steps toward transfer to a four-year college, prepare for job interviews, and locate and obtain jobs before and after graduation.

Child Care
Virginia Marx Children's Center at Westchester Community College (Valhalla campus) provides year-round, fully licensed and accredited care for children of students, faculty, staff and other working parents. Ages six weeks - five years. 

Sports
Intercollegiate teams for men are fielded in soccer, basketball, lacrosse, golf, and baseball. Women's intercollegiate teams include tennis, volleyball, basketball, and softball. The Westchester Community College Fitness Center provides access to cardiovascular equipment, universal, nautilus, and light free weights, pool, and tennis courts. College athletics also include intramural sports.

Students Enrolled in the Journalism Program

Get more details below regarding enrollment, academics, and school demographics. SUNY Westchester Community College offers an associate's degree program in journalism.

Students by Gender (2019)

Students by Race (2019)

Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2020: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.

Career Options for Graduates

Communications Teachers, Postsecondary

Description

Teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Broadcast News Analysts

Description

Analyze, interpret, and broadcast news received from various sources.

Reporters and Correspondents

Description

Collect and analyze facts about newsworthy events by interview, investigation, or observation. Report and write stories for newspaper, news magazine, radio, or television.

Career Outlook & Projections ()

According to the BLS, reporters and correspondents employment is expected to shrink at a rate of -8.5% from 2014 to 2024

Salary & Wages

• Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 380
  • Average Hourly Rate: $18.47
  • Average Annual Salary: $38420
• Newark, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 340
  • Average Hourly Rate: $23.73
  • Average Annual Salary: $49360

Editors

Description

Plan, coordinate, or edit content of material for publication. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication. Includes technical editors.

Career Outlook & Projections ()

According to the BLS, editors employment is expected to shrink at a rate of -5.3% from 2014 to 2024

Salary & Wages

• Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 990
  • Average Hourly Rate: $34.23
  • Average Annual Salary: $71200
• Newark, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 700
  • Average Hourly Rate: $41.90
  • Average Annual Salary: $87150

Source: Job descriptions, estimated salary and wages, and projected job growth are taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).