Kent State University - School of Journalism and Mass Communication
About Kent JMCNested
JMC Profile
Our Mission
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication provides professional undergraduate and master's programs within the liberal arts tradition. We teach students to gather information, to present it clearly and to think critically within a legal and ethical framework. We recognize our responsibility to serve as a resource for professional practitioners, for media consumers, and for Kent State University. This responsibility extends to the identification and inclusion of historically underrepresented communities.
Our Students and Programs
Kent JMC has established a national reputation for producing well-prepared, professional graduates. Just ask the people at hundreds of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations, and advertising and public relations agencies that hire them year after year.
Our students consistently win top honors in national competitions. Of the 105 accredited journalism schools in the country that compete in the Hearst Intercollegiate Writing Contest, the Pulitzer's of college journalism, we've placed in the top 15 for four of the last six years.
At Kent JMC, students learn by doing, and doing, and doing, and doing... Think of Kent JMC as one big laboratory, but without the test tubes. It is a place to try new formulas, to push your limits, and--yes--to make a few mistakes. Through coursework, student media, professional organizations and internships, you will have opportunities to test your skills over and over before you take your first job.
Franklin Hall
Our classrooms, labs, state-of-the-art digital facilities and faculty offices are housed in the newly renovated Franklin Hall on the Kent State University campus. The School's main office is 201 Franklin Hall, while a Reading Room, 212 Franklin, provides students with a meeting place and comfortable reading area. Kent State JMC now has some of the most advanced computer labs, digital video editing systems and electronic media production facilities in the region. All our labs are wired for high-speed connections to the Internet.
Hirsch Media Convergence Laboratory
The Carl E. Hirsch Media Convergence Laboratory, the result of the largest single gift in the School's history, is a prototype classroom of the future where students and faculty may experiment with the latest technologies for news and information gathering, editing and production. The lab features gigabit Ethernet to the desktop, nonlinear video editors and 15 laptop computers with wireless network access.
Enrollment Trends
Enrollment in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication has remained fairly constant over the years, at about 1,200 students. Our largest major continues to be News, with Advertising and Electronic Media Production/Management also proving to be very popular.
| Majors (Fall 2007) | Male | Female | Total | Minority |
| Pre-JMC | 236 |
401 |
637 |
124 |
| Advertising | 25 |
55 |
80 |
4 |
| Electronic Media (Includes Production and Management) | 77 |
30 |
107 |
12 |
| News (Includes News, Broadcast and Magazine Journalism) | 74 |
120 |
194 |
26 |
| Public Relations | 11 |
68 |
79 |
10 |
| Visual Journalism (Includes Photojournalism and Information Design) | 8 |
41 |
49 |
4 |
| Graduate Students | 21 |
27 |
48 |
11 |
| TOTAL | 452 |
742 |
1194 |
191 |
| Percentages | 38% |
62% |
100% |
16% |
Majors (Fall 2006) |
Male | Female | Total | Minority |
| Pre-JMC | 251 |
396 |
647 |
120 |
| Advertising | 43 |
63 |
106 |
11 |
| Electronic Media (Includes Production and Management) | 75 |
25 |
100 |
13 |
| News (Includes News, Broadcast and Magazine Journalism) | 82 |
134 |
216 |
28 |
| Public Relations | 10 |
67 |
77 |
9 |
| Visual Journalism (Includes Photojournalism and Information Design) | 12 |
32 |
44 |
3 |
| Graduate Students | 17 |
17 |
34 |
9 |
| TOTAL | 490 |
734 |
1224 |
193 |
| Percentages | 40% |
60% |
100% |
16% |