Journalism & Public Relations

If you're excited by the power of storytelling, media influence, and communication strategy, the IU School of Liberal Arts in Indianapolis offers the foundation to turn that passion into a profession-where your voice informs, persuades, and inspires.

Here, you’ll explore how compelling messages drive change, build trust, and respond to the world’s most pressing challenges. In an era of nonstop information and public scrutiny, communication and media-based fields are more vital than ever, and you’ll be trained to lead with clarity, credibility, and purpose.

Located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, our campus puts you steps away from real-world experience in high-impact settings-local TV and radio stations, national media outlets, top PR firms, world-class museums, iconic sports venues, and the NCAA headquarters.

You’ll collaborate with fellow students on high-impact, portfolio-ready projects in courses shaped by today’s media landscape, including sports journalism where you’ll learn to cover games, athletes, and the cultural impact of sport with integrity and insight. Through student-run media, you’ll make your mark on campus while building practical experience. With alumni at places like The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and Eli Lilly and Company, you’ll tap into a network of guest speakers, internships, and career-launching opportunities.

The Bachelor of Arts in Journalism at IU Indianapolis isn’t just a degree but a launchpad for long-term success in a media landscape that demands clarity, credibility, and adaptability. It equips you with the skills, experience, and connections to thrive in today’s fast-moving media world and evolve as new opportunities emerge.

You’ll build a strong foundation in communication through immersive, real-world learning-mastering media writing, digital production, research, and ethical storytelling. Your coursework will challenge you to think critically, communicate with precision, and engage diverse audiences across platforms.

You’ll explore key topics like media and society, visual storytelling, persuasive writing, and new media production, then deepen your expertise with hands-on courses in reporting, investigative journalism, media law, and ethics. Tailor your academic experience with electives that align with your career goals, whether that’s sports media, photojournalism, political communication, or social media strategy.

Our downtown campus is just steps away from Indiana’s media, government, and cultural hubs, placing you right where stories unfold. You’ll have direct access to newsrooms, PR agencies, sports organizations, and digital media companies. Connect with professionals, land internships, and build your industry network, all while gaining valuable hands-on experience.

When you graduate, you’ll have hands-on experience, a portfolio of work, and a senior capstone project that showcases your unique voice and career direction.

To further expand your career potential, consider a master’s program in Journalism Sports Capital Journalism, Applied Communication, or a Ph.D. in Health Communication. These flexible pathways allow you to deepen your expertise and accelerate your journey into exciting career roles across the media landscape.

An advertising minor is a smart, strategic way to elevate your journalism or marketing major-especially if you want to stand out in today’s fast-paced media world. Offered through the IU School of Liberal Arts Journalism and Public Relations Program, this minor is tailored to your academic path, with one track for Kelley School of Business marketing majors and another for students in other disciplines.

You won’t just study advertising; you’ll create it. You’ll sharpen your copywriting and storytelling skills by crafting content for radio spots, website copy, print ads, billboards, and more. You’ll learn how to write with purpose and explore how advertising drives engagement on social media and digital platforms, developing skills that are in high demand across industries.

You’ll also master the digital side of the ad world: crafting scroll-stopping Instagram ads, writing punchy captions, and building campaigns that convert. From influencer strategy to SEO basics, you’ll gain the tools today’s ad pros use to cut through the noise.

Whether you’re aiming for agency life, launching your own brand, or simply leveling up your creative edge, this minor gives you the skills to turn ideas into influence.

As media continues to evolve, organizations are taking control of their own messaging, and they need skilled communicators to lead the way. The undergraduate certificate in public relations at IU Indianapolis gives you hands-on training in PR, journalism, and mass communication, preparing you to shape stories that matter.

You’ll sharpen your writing, editing, visual storytelling, and digital media skills while building research techniques, critical thinking, and technical know-how that employers demand. With expert faculty, real-world internships, and collaborative projects like communications plans and PR campaigns, you’ll graduate with confidence-and a portfolio that sets you apart.

Modern PR is about more than a press release. It’s about building trust, managing reputation, and creating meaningful connections between organizations and their audiences. Whether you're crafting a social media strategy, responding to a crisis, or launching a campaign, you’ll be at the center of how stories are shaped and shared.

Graduates find success in PR firms, corporations, nonprofits, government agencies, health and life sciences, and beyond. Whatever career path you choose, you’ll be equipped to communicate ethically, strategically, and effectively.

What You’ll Learn

• Core principles of public relations: media, employee, and community relations
• Legal and ethical foundations of public communication
• Digital and print design basics
• Clear, persuasive writing across platforms
• How to research and evaluate PR campaigns
• Strategies for job searching in the PR field

This undergraduate certificate is perfect for students who want to explore journalism and mass communication media while majoring in another field.

You’ll get professional training in journalism and mass communication, including:

• Writing, reporting, and editing for digital and print media
• Visual storytelling and multimedia production
• Social media strategy and emerging communication technologies
• Research, critical thinking, and collaboration

Career-ready

These aren’t just journalism skills-they’re versatile career skills. You’ll learn how to break down complex ideas, connect with all kinds of audiences, and keep up with the pace of today’s media world.

• News and media: reporting, editing, photography, podcasting
• Public relations, advertising, and social media management
• Government, education, law, nonprofits, and international relations

No matter your major-business, political science, sociology, or something else-adding journalism to your skill set helps you stand out.

IU Indianapolis is home to the first graduate program in sports journalism in the U.S.-a nationally respected program built for graduating seniors, working professionals, and career changers ready to break into the field. Through our Sports Capital Journalism Program, you’ll connect with top-tier partners like the Associated Press Sports Editors, NCAA, Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Indians, and IndyCar Series.

You won’t just learn about covering sports-you’ll do it. Our students have reported from the Rio 2016 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the College Football Playoff, the Men’s Final Four Basketball Tournament, Big Ten post-season championships, and even traveled to Australia to cover the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. You’ll work in news bureaus covering major events as part of a team, building real-world experience and a standout portfolio.

You’ll learn alongside faculty who’ve worked at the highest levels of sports media and who mentor you one-on-one to help you grow. The curriculum combines hands-on skill-building with strategic insight, covering digital journalism, public relations, advertising, documentary storytelling, and emerging technologies shaping the future of sports.

Learn more

For questions about any of these academic offerings, contact the Department of Communication chair, Adam Maksl.