State of the Baylor Department of Journalism, Public Relations, and New Media 2023-2024

The Baylor Department of Journalism, Public Relations, and New Media focuses on preparing students for success in the communications industry. It offers five concentrations: news/editorial, public relations, advertising, photojournalism, and broadcast journalism. Additionally, the department provides the American Studies program. Baylor’s JPR&NM emphasizes practical experience through internships, capstone portfolio reviews by industry professionals, and other forms of practical training. 

ACEJMC Accreditation

Baylor’s JPR&NM is one of 120 universities accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC), the agency responsible for evaluating professional journalism and mass communications programs in colleges and universities. Through accreditation, academic units undergo a comprehensive evaluation every six years based on nine standards, including the program's mission, diversity and inclusion criteria, and recruitment.

Baylor JPR&NM Sequences

• Baylor JPR&NM offers five concentrations. 
• Students may specialize in public relations, news editorial, broadcast media, advertising, and photojournalism.
• We plan to introduce a sports concentration, anticipating a minimum 5% rise in student enrollment. 
• All sequences require internships, a capstone portfolio critiqued by practitioners, and other forms of practical experience. Students graduate after completing two to three internships.

Majors

• Baylor JPR&NM currently has over 250 majors and 80 minors in our department.
• It is the eighth most popular major in the College of Arts and Sciences. 
• Each year, our majors win a significant number of student media awards.

Scholarships

• Each year, Baylor’s JPR&NM offers more than $300,000 dollars in scholarship funds to majors (more than most departments on campus).
• Another $40,000 is set aside for incoming first-year students. 

Alumni Engagement

• The Advisory Board elected an e-board for the first time. They will meet four times a year to provide updates and advice to the department. 
• During the April 2024 business meeting, the Advisory Board provided feedback to help students hone their skills and prepare for the workforce. 

Recent Endowments

• Ella Prichard funded a scholarship for The Lariat editor, who will receive $6,000 each semester. 
• The Mia Moody-Ramirez & Tom Belden Scholarship was fully funded and awarded to a student for the first time in the spring. Joy Wells, a Baylor junior, received $6,000.
• Thanks to generous donors, the Sara Stone Scholarship was fully funded last year, and we hope to begin awarding it next year.
• The family of Oscar Hoffmeyer, a 1956 journalism graduate of Baylor University, donated $10,000 in 2024. The gift will go to Prichard’s Lariat student editor scholarship fund.

Jobs & Internships 

• We have improved our career services offerings for students.
• Our department often has a 90%+ placement rate.
•  We offer Cafe Castellaw twice a month to allow students to eat, get feedback on their resumes, portfolios, elevator speeches, discuss job opportunities, and recieve other job-related help from departments such as Career Services, the Baylor School of Law, and the College of A&S.

Student Organizations

Our department's student organizations offer leadership development, networking, and exposure to industry trends.

• National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ)
• Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)

Students also have leadership opportunities through:

• Student Ambassadors 
• TIPA program

The current goals of the JPR&NM are to:

• Advocate for student, faculty, and staff growth and development.
• Maintain an accredited department (we’re up for re-accreditation in 2027).
• Continue to market, recruit, and retain top-notch students.
• Continue to offer a variety of internship experiences for students.
• Strengthen the monitoring of graduate outcomes.
• Strengthen our communication channels, internally and externally.
• Launch a 4+1 accelerated master’s degree program in 2025. 
• Launch a sports media program in the spring of 2025.