Journalism is a popular field and there is always a flock of students eager to get out in the world and make a difference through the written word. But take the scandals in this field in the recent past, and combine them with the way this field has changed due to the new, online media, what are some of the things a budding eJournalist can do to ensure success? Better still, how can Journalism schools help aid new students to make it big in today’s world?

One way is to emphasize specialization. Today, eveyone is aiming for a niche and news is getting more and more specific. J-schools should aim at training students to gain specific skills and experience and build capacity in niche areas. Media Schools around the world are adding sections like Online Journalism and Journalism Ethics to their programs in an effort to ensure that tomorrow’s journalists do not repeat the mistakes of those that came before, nor fall in the same traps. And those niche areas are getting more and more emphasis.

One of the most valuable resources available to eJournalists today is the many online courses that are offered by schools, both large and small. Take for example the University of Los Angeles (UCLA) Extansion’s journalism and writer’s programs. Here are niche topics, covered by professionals who’re not only hands-on but in the field as they teach. Most US schools have similar online programs and courses that not only teach the basics but also venture into specialities. A quick look at UCLA Extension’s course catalog reveals courses that cover topics like “Investigative Journalism” and “Travel Writing” to “Entertainment Writing” and “How to be a Successful Freelancer”.

This is not only a great way to hone your skills as a journalist while adding to your arsenal of knowledge, this is a wonderful opportunity to meet and interact with an international group of like-minded individuals who are juggline similar problems and issues. At the end of the online courses I completed at UCLA, what I took with me was not just the knowledge and list of books to read - I became part of a world-wide journalist’s Yahoo group (one that constantly argues and surges with the electricity of new ideas) and made some friends in places like China and Madagascar, besides finding out exactly what it is that an eJournalist needs to do in order to make it in the big WWWorld of today: the ability to adapt.

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