Welcome to Journalism

Program Description

Students majoring in journalism learn about the American news media in all forms — newspapers, magazines, television, radio and the Internet -— as the basis of a liberal arts education. Students also become media “practitioners” as every journalism class offers a unique opportunity to develop publishable work for The Channels, SBCC’s award-winning student newspaper and online service.

The Journalism Department is an active part of the School of Media Arts, and we offer all students the opportunity to collaborate with those from the disciplines of film, video production, multimedia, photography and graphic design.

Journalism study at Santa Barbara City College provides students with the theory, practical skills and experiences that serve as a foundation for their personal lives, intellectual pursuits and professional endeavors in the mass media.

Journalism majors are required to take 10 units of required courses. They then choose electives in an area of emphasis based on their interest in writing and editing, photojournalism and page design, or broadcasting. Students completing the college requirements will earn an Associate Degree; those seeking journalistic specialization can earn an 18-unit Certificate. These awards, along with completion of a journalism internship, can be a student’s first step toward a career as reporter, editor, photographer, editorial assistant, technical writer, advertising copy writer, public relations specialist, biographer, critic, newscaster, online news writer or teacher.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Use news judgment to select, produce and publish journalistic content.
Practice standard reporting and newsgathering techniques.
Identify the best medium by which to convey journalistic content.
Develop journalistic content in multiple media forms.
Identify and practice the role and principles of a free press in a participatory democracy:
commitment to accuracy, sound ethics, fairness and context.

Faculty and Offices
Patricia Stark, Chair and Channels Adviser
(CC-124, ext. 2378)

Degrees and Certificates
Associate in Arts: Journalism: Emphasis in Broadcast Journalism
Associate in Arts: Journalism: Emphasis in Visual Journalism
Associate in Arts: Journalism: Emphasis in Writing and Editing

Certificate of Achievement: Journalism: Emphasis in Broadcast Journalism
Certificate of Achievement: Journalism: Emphasis in Visual Journalism
Certificate of Achievement: Journalism: Emphasis in Writing and Editing

Skills Competency Award: Web Journalism

Honors and Awards

The Channels was established in 1957 and has evolved as a professional-quality college newspaper, each year becoming stronger than the year before. Today, it enjoys a national reputation for excellence.

Semester after semester, The Channels has won top awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Association and the Journalism Association of Community Colleges. Individual Channels staffers, who include School of Media Arts students from all disciplines, are also consistently among the top award winners in regional and statewide journalism competitions.

The Channels’ award-winning work is the direct reflection of Santa Barbara City College’s insistence on excellence in updated curriculum and technology and faculty leadership. As important are the high quality and intense dedication of the hard-working men and women who join the paper’s staff.