What Is Graphic Journalism?
A broadside I created for a graphic design project.
This was the never ending question at college.
I was asked this by at least every person who asked what my major was. No, it's not taking graphic pictures of war-torn places, or writing graphic stories about crimes. It's...not nearly that exciting.
I was fortunate enough to study this at Grand View University, where it opened my opportunities to careers in writing, design, and technology. I chose it because originally, I wanted to study creative writing, but I wanted a major that would give me a wider range of career paths.
It was my mom who suggested I look into graphic design. But I knew I wanted to do both. Every school I looked seemed like I would have to double major in writing and graphic design. And with my goal of graduating in four years with my B.A....well, it just didn't seem feasible. The closest I could come to was communication design, but that didn't seem to fit exactly what I was looking for.
So when I stumbled across Grand View's graphic journalism major, I knew that would be the perfect fit for me. I could do a little bit of both in one major without having to choose one over the other. And better yet, I was able to get an interactive media major and my badly-wanted English minor.
To me, graphic journalism is best suited for magazine or newspaper editorials. Ideally, because you could write the stories, shoot and edit the photos or videos, and layout the graphics for a whole story or publication. But it's also great for website design and copy and almost any creative field. More companies seem to want their employees to do a little bit of both anyways, or know how to at least, and I believe it gives me a higher edge than some of my peers. Knowing how to write and design is beneficial in any setting and it helps your work be stronger overall.
According to Grand View University's website though, they describe graphic journalism in this way:
“The Graphic Journalism major actively combines the skills needed to write effective communication and to design visual materials in an aesthetic and communicative manner. You’ll prepare for ever-expanding career opportunities in communications firms, public relations departments, advertising firms, and on in-house publications. Coursework in the areas of computer graphics, graphic design, writing, and editing make this a unique combination. You’ll become proficient in computer software applications for graphic design and in writing ... and produce a professional portfolio of samples that combine talents from both writing and graphic design.”
Although I wasn't able to take all the classes I wanted, (mostly several communication classes that were no longer taught by the time I could have taken them or they didn't fit in my schedule), I feel that my major has successfully prepared me for my career. But I guess I'll get back to you on that in several years, just to know for sure.
