Earn a Teaching Credential or Jumpstart Your Career with an Online Journalism Education Certificate
Journalism is an exciting field that affects nearly everyone. A journalist can report on news from the local to the international level, including some of the most uplifting or devastating stories. If you have a desire to inspire young people to pursue journalism, or you would like a job as a journalist yourself, we have the program for you. Liberty University’s 100% online Journalism Education Certificate can provide you with the credential you need to help meet your career goals.
Upon successful completion of Liberty University’s Virginia state-approved Journalism Education Certificate program, you may apply for the add-on endorsement in another state through reciprocity, which may or may not result in additional requirements based on your state’s Department of Education regulations.
Are you a licensed teacher or currently pursuing your teaching license?
If you are interested in teaching journalism classes to middle or high school students, our certificate can help provide you with the journalism education requirements needed for add-on endorsement. This can give you a credential in addition to your teaching license so you can mentor future journalists and provide guidance on student newspapers.
Are you interested in becoming a full-time journalist?
If you are interested in starting your journalism career, but you’re not quite sure about pursuing a full degree in journalism, our certificate may be the right program for you! This online certificate focuses on 6 journalism-specific courses so you can learn your craft and jumpstart your career without committing to an associate or bachelor’s degree.
Potential Careers with a Journalism Education Certificate
Our Journalism Education Certificate can help you prepare for several career paths. Depending on your current knowledge, education level, and experience, there are many different positions that could benefit from our accredited certificate:
Broadcast journalist
High school journalism teacher
- Middle school journalism teacher
- Newspaper reporter
The writing and investigative reporting skills that you gain from our certificate in journalism education can be an asset as a journalism teacher and increase your marketability. Additionally, this certificate can help you gain a broad base of knowledge that can help you if you wish to pursue a career in journalism. Take the next step towards your personal and professional goals with a Journalism Education Certificate from Liberty University.
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, High School Teachers, 2020 (viewed online June 16, 2021). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.
Why Choose Liberty’s Journalism Certificate Online?
At Liberty University, our mission is Training Champions for Christ. Because of this mission, we strive for excellence in all that we do. Here are some of the benefits of choosing to pursue your certificate in journalism education with us:
- Each of our courses is integrated with a biblical worldview to ensure that you can graduate as an ethically grounded professional.
- Your certificate courses are offered in a flexible, 100% online format, allowing you to continue to dedicate time to your work, family, and community.
- Each of your professors has professional experience as an educator with specialized knowledge in the area of journalism so you can be confident you’re learning from the best.
What Will You Learn in Our Online Journalism Certificate?
Our Journalism Education Certificate can help provide you with the knowledge you’ll need to teach journalism courses to middle and high school students, sponsor a school yearbook or newspaper, or start your own career as a journalist. Courses that you take cover several foundational topics that are important to teach or pursue journalism.
You can learn about different writing styles in journalism, including writing for social media, news, magazines, features, and technical subjects. You may also learn about editing, reporting, layout, publishing, and strategic communication.
Required Courses
- DIGI 190 – Media Industry and Ethics or JOUR 356 – Social Media Writing
- DIGI 220 – News Writing and Reporting I or JOUR 225 – Writing for Media
- JOUR 354 – News Writing and Reporting II or WRIT 400 – Editing for Publishing
- JOUR 374 – Writing and Editing for Digital Magazine and Features or STCO 307 – Strategic Communication
- JOUR 485 – Investigative Reporting or WRIT 403 – Technical Writing
Highlights of Our Journalism Certificate
- We are recognized by multiple institutions for our academic quality, affordability, and accessibility. Our commitment to excellence also helped us rank in the top 10% of Niche.com’s best online schools in America. Earning your online certificate from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field.
- Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
- You could complete this certificate in journalism education in as little as 1 semester!
- If you are a licensed teacher or currently pursuing your license, this certificate can provide you with add-on endorsement in journalism education.
Journalism Education Certificate Information
- This program falls under the School of Education.
- Download and review the Certificate Completion Plan.
- View the Undergraduate Communication and the Arts Course Guides (login required).
Military Benefits for Our Online Undergraduate Programs
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe. Whether you are a current service member, discharged or retired from service, or the spouse of a service member or veteran, we are here to support you every step of the journey.
As a thank-you for your dedication and service to our country, Liberty is honored to serve and support you in your pursuit of online education by offering the following benefits:
- Tuition discounts – $250 per credit hour for undergraduate courses
- 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
Admission Requirements for Undergraduate Online Certificates
Applicants must have a 1.5 or above cumulative GPA for admission in good standing. Please visit our admission requirements page for more detailed admissions-related information.
All applicants must submit the following:
- Admission application
- Application fee*
- Official college transcripts**
- Official high school transcripts or official GED test scores are required for an official admissions decision
- Students may be allowed to enroll in up to 12 credit hours with Liberty with the submission of an unofficial high school transcript and our High School Self-Certification form
*There is no upfront application fee; however, a deferred $50 application fee will be assessed during Financial Check-In. This fee is waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required.
**Please note: You cannot be accepted into this program until Liberty has your official transcripts.
