The journalism program at Oklahoma City Community College has launched an accelerated three-course journalism sequence for the spring 2022 semester aimed at developing journalists for immediate placement. 

The “journalism bootcamp” program provides training and placement assistance for those seeking to become entry-level journalists.

The reporting basics coursework focuses on simple repetitive skill set building to be utilized for any media output.

For those who truly seek a career in media OCCC’s reporting basics classwork offers an opportunity to produce real news in a lab environment with the opportunity to begin practicing right away.

The program aligns with the bi-weekly print edition of the Pioneer as well as daily publication on the Pioneer’s website (https://pioneer.occc.edu).

Courses offered in spring 2022 semester include the below:

• News writing – 3 hours

• Feature / Magazine writing – 3 hours

• Special Topics in Journalism – Multimedia journalism – 3 hours

The nine hours of coursework from mid-January to mid-May will include weekly assignments for the college’s media production outlets.

Students will learn the basics of news reporting in a real-time atmosphere from veteran practitioners.

Frequent guest speakers in the classes will include local media newsroom leaders and representatives from four-year journalism programs. 

To better meet student needs classes will be offered in all formats — in-person, hybrid and online. 

The journalism basics reporting program is applicable to all students seeking to become journalists whether those who already hold a degree and are seeking a career change or refresh to students eager to learn the basics of reporting and journalism who may not be ready to commit to an entire Associate of Arts degree. 

Journalism majors are welcome but degree declaration is not required. 

Program participants must apply for paid reporter jobs, internships or scholarship programs in the field as a capstone of a successful four-month intensive course study.

Past students have gone on to become writers for newspapers and producers for TV programs upon successful completion of similar practical programs taught by the same faculty. Others have secured five-figure scholarship and fellowship payouts and entrance into some of the most prestigious journalism programs in the country and have become journalism educators themselves.

As part of the coursework student work is submitted for awards to the Oklahoma Press Association.

Outstanding students may be offered hourly paid positions with the Pioneer.

Those interested in advisement or who would like to enter the journalism reporting skills “bootcamp” can contact Professor of Journalism, Kyle Barnett, at kyle.j.barnett@occc.edu for more information on the journalism program for the spring semester.