Why journalism schools and students must continue to evolve

By Laura Davison

There has been lots of discussion in recent months by media thinkers and journalism funders about the relevance of getting a degree in journalism.

But not everyone agrees. Emory University announced earlier this fall that it plans to close its journalism program, saying it is a “pre-professional program” and therefore “not an easy fit” in a liberal arts environment. Poynter, on the other hand, has defended journalism education as a way to teach students to develop curiosity.

Important to note is that these thinkers aren't saying the skills learned in j-schools are irrelevant. Rather, they argue many journalism programs aren’t keeping up with the demands of a continuously changing industry.