In the era of digital and mobile media, traditional news organizations are struggling for their share of the marketplace. Increasingly, journalism graduates are being called upon to contribute new ideas and help develop new economic models to strengthen and reinvent media.
Recognizing the need for students to be innovative and entrepreneurial, West Virginia University’s P.I. Reed School of Journalism and College of Business and Economics will launch a new blended minor in Media Entrepreneurship in Fall 2012.
The Media Entrepreneurship minor will build upon the existing College of Business and Economics’ entrepreneurship minor to support emerging industry trends in journalism and new media entrepreneurial development. Created specifically for School of Journalism students, courses will allow students to explore such areas as new economic models for publishing, audience building and social media, content monetization, technology trends in media, new media marketing and mobile opportunities.
The new minor will significantly enhance any of the current School of Journalism majors, providing students with an edge in today’s competitive marketplace and broadening their career opportunities. School of Journalism Dean Maryanne Reed said the Media Entrepreneurship course of study will give students a stronger foundation for a career in the media industry.
“In today’s evolving media landscape, it’s not enough for journalists and professional communicators to know their craft,” said Reed. “They also have to be enterprising and entrepreneurial and able to develop new projects, applications and platforms that will attract audiences and revenue in an increasingly crowded media marketplace.”
This minor is the second blended program the School of Journalism has partnered to create at WVU. In 2009, the School of Journalism and WVU’s College of Physical Activity and Sport Science launched a blended minor in sport communication to offer WVU students the opportunity to gain practical skills as professional communicators in the multibillion-dollar sports industry.
College of Business and Economics Dean Jose Sartarelli says the Media Entrepreneurship minor is an opportunity to expand the College’s popular curriculum to an external audience.
“I am very excited about this initiative between our two colleges,” Sartarelli said. “To be able to ‘turbo charge’ students’ careers as they prepare to enter the marketplace is beneficial all the way around.”
The program of student requires 18 credits hours (6 courses), which can be completed in three semesters. By summer 2013, all courses will be offered online.
Additional program information is available on the School of Journalism’s website.
-WVU-
cv 3/20/12
Check http://wvutoday.wvu.edudaily for the latest news from the University.
Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.
CONTACT: Kimberly Walker, School of Journalism
304-293-5726