College of Arts & Sciences Contemporary Media and Journalism

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Overview

Our Goals are to:
  1. Provide students with the necessary skills to compete for entry-level positions.
  2. Offer principles and strategy courses that enhance the students prospects for later career progression to management and leadership.
  3. Develop student understanding of the role of mass media in society.
Nationally-Accredited Program 

Our mass communication programs are Accredited (and have been since 1997) by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). This means that outside reviewers came to Vermillion to review our facilities, budget, faculty, course requirements, relationship with alumni, and many other factors. We were found in complete compliance with all 12 national standards. Only 25 percent of mass communication programs are accepted!

Facilities

The Department is housed in the state-of-the-art Al Neuharth Media Center. The facilities include classrooms, offices, computer labs, TV and radio studios, and a lecture hall. The facility is also home to USD's student newspaper, The Volante. In addition, the local offices of the Freedom Forum - the largest philanthropic media organization in the nation - and the offices and production studios of South Dakota Public Broadcasting are located in the Center. This extraordinary partnership of media entities ensures the most comprehensive media program in the region, and it puts USD's CMJ grads on par with grads from the nation's most prestigious journalism schools. 

Get Active!

A number of student media activities and organizations offer fellowship, fun and practical experience: