Enrollments Decline Slightly and the Student Body Becomes More Diverse

Abstract

Journalism and mass communication enrollments declined slightly in 2009, following a year of very modest growth. The pattern of enrollments suggests that growth in the near future is likely to be modest. Within the subfields of journalism and mass communication education, enrollments are relatively stable. The data suggest, however, that student interest is shifting away from the more professionally focused fields of journalism and mass communication toward the broad field of communication. Journalism and mass communication programs continue to reflect the industrial divisions of the past, the data show, and while instruction in skills for the Web is now common, few programs are providing students with opportunities to learn entrepreneurial skills or how to work with mobile delivery systems. The good news is that the student body is becoming more diverse and more reflective of the overall society.