Work Experience or Masters of Journalism???

[Kettner]

Chad, you're in my area ... if you'd like to talk about the business live, PM and I'll send you my phone number. I'll try to answer your questions as best I can.

I'm currently in Alberta (Red Deer area) as I'm still in my 4th year of undergrad. Are you in BC or Alberta?

 

[audreyld]

Don't count out TRU in Kamloops ... my best friend's husband is the chair of the department. He's formerly one of the top guns from Parliament Hill. If you can learn from him, you'll learn the business.

Wow, they look like they have a terrific program! I'm for sure going to leave my options open and apply there - really impressive course selection. Also - the Post-Baccalaureate Program looks great - done in one extra year (and 12 week internship).

I've really appreciated all the advice and am going to be working my butt off this year to get clips and freelance work - but I'm also strongly considering a 1 or 2 year diploma - more than a masters program (because I don't think my undergrad English really prepares me for Graduate Journalism).

In the program here, an astonishing number of people came into J-school (grad) with English degrees (undergrad). Just FYI.

 

[Flash]

Chad, you're in my area ... if you'd like to talk about the business live, PM and I'll send you my phone number. I'll try to answer your questions as best I can.

I'm currently in Alberta (Red Deer area) as I'm still in my 4th year of undergrad. Are you in BC or Alberta?

Chad, I'm in Calgary. I did a seven-year tour of duty in Kamloops and worked at the Sun for three years, before getting laid off in June. I have 15 years experience total in the business ... and have worked for and with some great people.

 

[Gomer]

Hey Chad, I'm a Mount Royal College grad and also in Alberta. I second everything Flash said. If you're looking for a school in Calgary and already have a degree, SAIT's your best bet. MRC is four years, though I did know some people who were able to transfer over and make it two, so that might be something to look into as well.

At the risk of being presumptuous, if all you've done is write for the Gauntlet you probably need more/different experience

As far as the master's goes, my thought has always been that if I want to, I still can. For now I'm enjoying working the day-to-day grind. If I ever get tired of it I can certainly get a master's, and if I do I'd have a much easier time getting a teaching job because of my experience in newspapers.

You want to be a journalist? Go get the $25 k job. You can always go back to school if you don't like it, but if you do the master's may end up being a waste of time.

 

[Flash]

Oh yeah, and keep checking www.jeffgaulin.com. Between now and the time you graduate, you'll be learn what employers are looking for as far as qualifications go.

 

[oldhack]

Lots of good advice here.

Two points:

1. Right now, given your background, you'd have to start on a very small daily or a weekly. You'll be four or five rungs from a metro. A masters might cut that to three rungs or even two. And you also will learn something useful, I would hope, and plug yourself into a network, assuming you pick the right school and schmooze the profs, particularly the ones with a good newspaper background.

2. No one knows what the newspaper business is going to look like tomorrow, let alone in 10 years. You might decide another line of work is a pretty good idea, in which case a masters would definitely help. Look at the "help wanted -- professional" ads and see how many require a masters degree.

 

[shotglass]

What the newspaper business is going to look like in 10 years:

(Just kidding. The workers pictured here will have accepted severance packages.)

 

[farmerjerome]

Read my respose on the falling axe thread.

That will tell you where I stand on the issue.