If you are a current UMass student and want to declare the journalism major, please schedule an appointment with your to-be advisor. John Ciampa advises students with last names A-K, and Beth Wallace advises students L-Z. Students may make an appointment via this link.
We encourage you to meet with your advisor at least once a semester to make sure you’re on the right track. Here are some of the things your advisor can help you with:
- Course registration and choosing classes based on your interests and requirements
- Navigating SPIRE and going over what you still need for Gen Eds and college requirements
- How to get involved in campus media
- Any problems you might be experiencing that impact your coursework (stress, mental health, illness)
- Referrals to various resources on campus
- Brainstorm interests for your required minor and/or secondary majors
Students can also meet with one of our Peer Advisors, who are available to help students learn more about the concentrations we offer, how to get involved on campus, assistance with scholarship applications, what courses to take next semester, and more. Their office is in ILC S408 and their hours and other information about them can be found here.
We encourage our students to do internships to gain field experience, and we’re proud that approximately 80% of our students graduate having completed at least one internship. If you’re a major interested in applying for internships, please review these resources.
We meet with prospective Journalism students, too. If you are in high school and thinking about majoring in journalism, visit this page for more info and to set up a tour.