College unveils specialized business journalism major for fall 2016

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College will launch a business and financial journalism major this fall. The new offering is a cooperative program between the Department of Media, Communication and Public Relations and the Arthur McGonigal Department of Business Administration and Accounting.

This joint venture includes a variety of courses in journalism, media law, communication ethics, accounting, business management, marketing, economics and other topics.

“With nearly 1,400 daily newspapers and online business reporting sites that get millions of view each month, journalists with business knowledge are in demand,” said James Pedas Professor of Communication and Department Chair Dane S. Claussen, Ph.D.

Business journalism programs are rare, with only the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offering a business journalism major, Claussen said. During his research to establish the program, he found of at least five other U.S. institutions offering a business journalism program; but in each case, it is not a stand-alone major, he said.

“Between metro daily newspapers, weekly metro business journals, trade magazines, news services such as Bloomberg, newsletters, cable television, and websites, business journalism employs a huge number of journalists in the country,” Claussen said. “Thiel College’s major will prepare students excellently for such jobs. Unlike others, our major doesn’t include only a few business courses, but the equivalent of nine business courses without the student needing to double major in journalism and business.”

The business and financial journalism major is the latest new offering from the Department of Media, Communication and Public Relations. The department recently became one of the only schools in the country to offer a religion communication major. The religion communication major offers tracks that will train students to cover the religion beat for media channels or work in the religion broadcasting field. For more information, visit the religion communication major page. The department is located in the James Pedas Communication Center. Opened in 2014 and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified in 2015, the 20,000-square-foot Pedas Center offers access to state-of-the-art radio, television and communication technology. The academic spaces in the $6.8 million building include the amphitheater-style Stamm Lecture Hall, flexible classrooms and collaborative areas, and a 24-hour computer lab with more than 20 computers. 

The business and financial journalism major pairs the Department of Media, Communication and Public Relations with Thiel College’s largest department. The Department of Business Administration and Accounting has a proven track record of success. All of the department’s 2014 and 2015 accounting graduates had accounting jobs within three months of graduation. The department’s faculty have more than 200 years combined experience at Fortune 500 companies and the Big Four audit firms. Many also have extensive entrepreneurial backgrounds.

Related Stories

• Thiel College takes ‘bold step’ with specialized religion communication degree (April 7, 2016)
• Claussen appointed to prestigious Communication Department role (July 16, 2015)