Oct. 13, 2015

The disinterest in general education and elective courses is something I’ll never understand. Why would you want to live in a world where college graduates aren’t educated about different cultures, have a solid background of standard knowledge or have a well-rounded education? I know I wouldn’t, and I wouldn’t trust every person to attain that knowledge on their own before they enter the work force.

I think taking elective courses outside the departments desired majors are important, and introductory journalism courses should be heavily considered.

I say this because journalism is an essential part of the world, and a lot of people don’t know how it works or how it affects them. Journalism, in all forms, does more than just tell stories. It serves as a watchdog for the government and the community by uncovering and exposing truths.

I’ve written for the Royal Purple since my freshman year, so as I start my fourth and final year, I’ve heard my fair share of criticism of our (read: award-winning) paper.

As a journalism major, you learn to accept, and even welcome harsh criticisms of your work. However, a large portion of criticisms this paper receives are largely based on ignorance to how journalism works – or should work anyway.

I find myself wishing people understood the journalistic process, the different types of journalism (most notably the difference between columns and news content) and the skill it takes to research, interview and compile a story.

The principles and ethics of journalism extend far beyond the field and can apply to all areas of life.

I’m not here to reiterate my own introductory journalism classes, but I’m here to urge you to consider journalism as an elective. Not only will a course improve basic understanding of the news, it will also teach you to remain objective, tell the truth, see all sides of a story and be diligent in your research.

And, if anything, maybe an introduction to journalism class will teach someone out there to check the source before sharing a satirical article on Facebook thinking it’s real.