Journalism CA

The Certificate of Achievement in Journalism prepares students for work as a freelance or on-staff member of a news team, including reporter, photographer, editor, designer, website assistant, or promoter.  A Certificate of Achievement can be obtained upon completion of Journalism 001 and 011 and two semesters of News Production. All courses for this major must be completed with a minimum grade of C or a P if the course is taken on a Pass/No Pass basis.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate proficiency in journalistic writing, including the ability to write clear, accurate, and compelling news stories across different formats such as print, online, and broadcast.
2. Develop effective interviewing techniques to gather information from diverse sources, ensuring thorough and reliable reporting.
3. Conduct research, critically evaluate sources, and analyze information to produce well-informed and contextually rich journalistic content.
4. Understand and apply ethical principles and legal considerations specific to journalism, including issues related to accuracy, fairness, privacy, and freedom of the press.
5. Develop skills necessary for working in a newsroom environment including deadline management, collaboration, and effective communication with editors and colleagues, and using relevant technologies, software, and tools essential for modern journalism such as content management systems, digital editing software, and social media platforms.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of diversity and inclusion in journalism, reflecting it in coverage and story selection to represent a broad range of perspectives.
7. Gain proficiency in the editing and production process, understanding how to present news stories effectively through layout, design, and multimedia elements.
8. Assemble a comprehensive portfolio showcasing a variety of journalistic work, demonstrating growth and competence over the duration of the certificate program.

The mission of Solano Community College is to provide the highest quality academic, occupational, cultural, developmental, and continuing educational programs that are dedicated to the achievement ofstudents’ learning outcomes and responsive to the needs of our community. In fulfilling our mission, we are committed to a diverse educational and central campus environment that prepares our students for productive participation in the 21st century.

The goal of the Certificate of Achievement (CA) Journalism is to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to work as a freelance journalist or apply for an entry-level position in a newsroom as a reporter, photographer, assistant editor, website assistant, or sales representative. Coursework includes history and theories of mass communication; standards, practices, and ethics of journalism; elements of a news story.  Students collaborate with peers to produce the Solano College News Website which involves the following strategies and skills: identifying stories and sources, conducting independent research, interviewing subjects, editing text, designing layout to include text and images, setting and meeting deadlines, and promoting the site.  

All courses in the CA are included in the Journalism AA-T and transferrable to both UC and CSU; therefore, students completing the CA have the option to complete GE coursework and transfer to obtain a bachelor's degree in Journalism, Mass Communication, Public Relations, Advertising, or a related discipline. 

Journalism courses have not been offered at Solano since Spring 2018 and that was limited to the two content courses, Newswriting & Reporting and Introduction to Mass Communication.  The course sequence for those years is unclear, but the plan to offer one course each semester on a set rotation will accommodate the number of students who have historically taken these classes and ensure meeting/exceeding minimum enrollment requirements. The News Production class, in which SCC student journalists produced the College’s newspaper, The Tempest, has not been offered since 2014 and so the data is not available in the CCCO Datamart.  

Course Information                      2016-2017                            2017-2018

Course	Course Title	Annual # of Section	Annual Enrollment Total	Annual # Sections	Annual Enrollment Total
JOUR001	Newswriting & Reporting	1	16	1	12
JOUR011	Intro to Mass Communication	1	21	2	44

*Mostrecent information is 6+ years old

 

Although the Centers of Excellence for Labor Market Research puts Solano College in the “Bay Region,” the campus and county also has a strong connection to the Sacramento area.  For this reason, it feels appropriate to look at programs in our very immediate area (within 50 miles) that offer Journalism pathways and it is important to note that only two have an option for students to earn a Certificate of Achievement: Contra Costa College and Sacramento City.  The following report reflects the most recent program awards for Journalism (TOP 0602):

California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office Program Awards Summary Report Journalism
			Annual 2022-2023
State of California Total			363
Local Total			29
	American River Total		8
		Associate in Arts for Transfer (A.A.-T) Degree	8
	Contra Costa Total		3
		Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree	2
		Certificate requiring 16 to fewer than 30 semester units	1
	Cosumnes River Total		6
		Associate in Arts for Transfer (A.A.-T) Degree	6
	Diablo Valley Total		4
		Associate in Arts for Transfer (A.A.-T) Degree	4
	Los Medanos Total		3
		Associate in Arts for Transfer (A.A.-T) Degree	2
		Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree	1
	Sacramento City Total		5
		Associate in Arts for Transfer (A.A.-T) Degree	4
		Certificate requiring 30 to < 60 semester units	1
Report Run Date As Of : 2/14/2024 12:12:04 PM

Occupational Demand                                 

Table1. Employment Outlook for Journalism Occupations in Bay Region

Occupation	2021 Jobs	2026 Jobs	5-yr Change	5-yr % Change	5-yr Total Openings	Annual Openings	25% Hourly Earning	Median Hourly Wage
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists	933	1,118	184	20%	796	159	$19	$27
Total	933	1,118	184	20%	796	159	$19	$27
Source: Lightcast 2022.3
Bay Region includes: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma Counties

Table2. Employment Outlook for Journalism Occupations in North Bay Sub-region

Occupation	2021 Jobs	2026 Jobs	5-yr Change	5-yr % Change	5-yr Total Openings	Annual Openings	25% Hourly Earning	Median Hourly Wage
News Analysts, Reporters,     and Journalists	85	95	11	12%	65	13	$16	$22
Total	85	95	11	12%	65	13	$16	$22
Source: Lightcast 2022.3
North Bay Sub-Region includes: Marin, Napa, Solano, Sonoma Counties

JobPostings in Bay Region and North Bay Sub-Region

Table3. Number of Job Postings by Occupation for latest 12 months (Jan. 2023 - Dec. 2023)

Occupation	Bay Region	North Bay
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists	337	43
Source: Lightcast

A brief survey was conducted via GoogleForms, with the advice and help of the Associated Students of Solano College.  The initial results show that the majority of students are interested in one or more classes in the program and all students expressed interest in “reading a student-run news website that focuses on stories about Solano College and the local community.”  Half of the students said they would like to contribute news or reviews while more than 75% were interested in photojournalism.  Perhaps surprisingly, a quarter and a third of participants indicated that they would like to help with the layout design and copy-editing work, respectively.  

COMPLETER PROJECTIONS

The college has not offered an interdisciplinary certificate of this nature, but the evolution of journalism and mass media, more generally, means that the courses therein and a multimedia curriculum are conducive to a wide variety of career paths.  Because the certificate requires a minimum of 24-units, it will need to be promoted and the Counseling Department will need to be kept up to date of course offerings and planned sequences.  Looking at similar-sized colleges with 16-30 unit certificates, it is likely we will only have 2-4 students completing the Multimedia Journalism CA in any given year.

The decision to (re)establish a journalism program at Solano College is driven by several compelling reasons, all of which consider the unique characteristics and needs of community college students.  The SCC Journalism program will serve the entire county, giving students a chance to provide coverage of local events, issues, and stories directly affecting the community which benefits students by offering practical reporting opportunities but also addresses the need for local journalism in the immediate and surrounding communities while fostering a sense of civic engagement and responsibility.  The accessibility and affordability of community college means that introducing this program at Solano will make quality journalism education available to a broader range of students, including those who may face financial constraints or geographical limitations, as many SCC students do.  The diverse student body at Solano can bring a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to a journalism program which, in turn, provides a pathway for underrepresented groups to enter the field, fostering diversity in the media industry.  

The Certificate of Achievement in Journalism is only 12-units and intended to support the College’s workforce development goals, emphasizing practical, hands-on learning and essential skills such as writing, reporting, editing, and multimedia production, preparing students for entry-level positions in the journalism industry.  However, the Certificate will also provide a solid foundation for related fields such as communications, public relations, and media production, broadening the educational pathways available to students.  In particular, the LMI report indicates an undersupply of entry-level journalists in the local job market, which was a factor in the decision to create a variety of pathways for students and, as much as possible, to align the curriculum with the needs of regional media outlets in order to contribute to the workforce development of the community.  Journalism 001 Newswriting and Reporting and Journalism 060/061 News Production will offer opportunities to bring in working reporters, editors, photographers, and experts in related fields, helping students establish strong connections with local media outlets and professionals.  

While the CA offers a one-year, part-time pathway, all of the courses are applicable to the Associates Degree for Transfer and transferrable to CSU and UC, allowing students to apply these credits contemporarily or at a later date, should they decide to pursue a degree.

Faculty teaching Journalism will have the education and/or experience necessary to support students with course content, practical experience, and networking opportunities.  Further, industry professionals will serve as advisors to faculty to ensure relevancy and currency of curricula and the overall program.

Opening a newsroom requires securing a dedicated space with the appropriate equipment, including desks, computers, software, and various subscriptions, but also branded materials such as pens, notepads, mousepads, etc, and furniture that encourages collaboration such as tables and couches.  These are all being addressed with campus facilities and through multiple funding streams, including Perkins and Strong Workforce Development.  However, after an initial modest investment in the program, the only ongoing expenses will be related to the subscription for the website platform and any relevant software licenses (which, most likely, have been purchased by the college, already).

A Certificate of Achievement in Journalism can be obtained upon completion of Journalism 001 and 011 and two semesters of News Production. All courses for this major must be completed with a minimum grade of C, or a P, if the course is taken on a Pass/No Pass basis.

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
JOUR001	Introduction to Reporting and Newswriting	3	S1
JOUR011	Introduction to Mass Communication	3	S2
JOUR060	News Production and Publication	3	S1
JOUR061	News Production and Publication II	3	S2

The LMI report does not include the Sacramento Region, but many of our students feel a connection to that area as much as, or more than, the Bay Area; for example, more students transfer to Sacramento State than Cal State East Bay, San Francisco State, or Sonoma State. For this reason, future inquiries could/should include Sacramento. A quick search on Indeed.com shows 24 “entry level” postings for “Reporter” within “50 miles” of Sacramento. Based on the data included in this report, there is a small annual “oversupply” of four (4) students in the Bay region with 159 annual openings for the Journalism occupational cluster and 163 annual (3-year average) awards from community colleges and other educational institutions. In the North Bay Sub-Region, there is a small annual “undersupply” of four (4) students, with 13 annual openings and nine (9) annual (3-year average) awards from community colleges.

It is generally understood that our immediate service area includes Napa Valley College (NVC) and maybe Contra Costa and Los Medanos Colleges, but those last two are on the other side of a bridge with $7 tolls. Of those, only Contra Costa offers a Certificate of Achievement, not just the AA/AAT, and it is 27 units, identical to the AA. Notably, NVC, the closest district does not have a Journalism program nor offer courses specific to Journalism.