Journal of Schooling

Getting a Graduate Degree in Journalism

September 28, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

2011 Commencement

Image by Lower Columbia College via Flickr

Obtaining a graduate degree in the field of journalism can be a wise decision for a recent college graduate or experienced journalism employee such as a reporter. With this type of degree, you will be able to expand into other areas of journalism and move into upper management roles. Here is some information to help you get started.

Admission

In order to enter a graduate journalism program, most colleges will require you to complete an application. Although the admission requirements will vary, you will need to at least have a bachelor’s degree in a similar major to apply. In addition to a bachelor’s degree, you may also be required to submit transcripts, letters of recommendations, writing samples, and test scores. Some colleges also prefer to do an admission interview before making a final decision on your application.

Degree Options

Based on the college you select, you can obtain a graduate degree in journalism with an emphasis in a certain field. Some of the options available are radio, television, newspaper, and reporting. The courses in the graduate program are designed to give you a more in-depth knowledge on topics such as journalism and media laws. Courses on topics such as writing and advanced research will help you cover national and international stories such as Kazakhstan Democracy.

Job Outlook

Although the job outlook for those who wish to work in the newspaper industry has been declining, there are still some good job opportunities in other areas for journalism. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market for journalism is growing in the print and online publication industry. By having a graduate degree in journalism, you can increase your chance of getting a better job.

Filed Under: Education

Steps to Becoming a Medical Professional

September 16, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

SARTHE, HAITI - MARCH 01: Jean Bertrand, 19, ...

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Medical professionals work with many types of people who have health or physical anomalies they want corrected. Medical professionals do not work in isolation. Each one must work with other professionals for the benefit of the patient. Becoming a medical professional requires additional education past high school.

Medical professionals typically need an associate’s degree or higher. For physical therapy employment, you will need a bachelor’s or a master’s degree specific to physical therapy. Radiological technicians need an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, depending on the career level they want to pursue.

Most medical professional courses require extensive studies in math, science, physics and biology. Take as many of these high school level courses as possible so when you enter college you will have laid a solid foundation of understanding. Apply for top quality certified schools that are recognized by the chosen association of medical professionals for the field you will enter. Maintain a high grade point average, because the field is highly competitive and only the best will receive choice employment offers.

Once your education is complete, you will be required to take a licensure exam. Every state has their own requirements for licensure. If you are going to consider relocating, determine if the licensure committee in the new state recognizes the school you plan to attend.

To find employment as a medical professional you will need positive interpersonal skills. Working tolerantly with patients during emotionally stressful situations is a must for any of the medical fields you enter. If you are unsure about which medical profession you wish to pursue, talk to local rehabilitation centers, hospitals and established professionals to inquire about hiring predictions and needs.

Filed Under: Careers Tagged With: Health care provider, Medical Professional

How to Learn a New Language

July 23, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Language is not the easiest thing to learn, yet there are many benefits to mastering a second language. Use the language on vacations or as a skill that may be valuable to employers. Whether English is your first language and you want to learn something more exotic, or you are attempting to learn English as a second language, you can benefit yourself significantly by learning a language other than your own.

Learning a New Language

There are many ways that you can go about learning a new language. Many high schools and colleges teach language, but it can take many courses before you have a solid proficiency in the language. You can also find a wealth of books, CDs and courses that are sold commercially. These promise excellent results when you want to learn a new language. There is also plenty of help for ESL students out there who are trying to develop an understanding of the English language.

Once you know what language you are interested in learning, the next step is to decide what instruction method to choose. Bookstores generally carry a wealth of products that can help you learn a language. Traveling to where the language is spoken and experiencing it first hand is another way to go, especially if you want to fully immerse yourself in the language.

Do some research on the language and find out how other people have successfully learned. Consider the cost, time frame and amount of time you must invest for all the options you have discovered to learn another language and make the choice that’s best for your situation.

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: English as a foreign or second language, English language, First language

Step in a New Horizon of Learning

July 19, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Completing a college degree can be the most influential and rewarding moment in your life. Whether you’re going back to school for job performance improvement, taking a new job or building your own business, your new degree can help you to be successful in the endeavor. Your degree may even take you to new places you never thought possible.

If you are going back to school, make sure you consider all your options. Some people find that continuing education is harder than they thought. You may find it difficult to make classes on time due to your job. Others don’t plan for the increase in travel expenses to go from work to school. You may even be uncomfortable with a younger crowd.

However, there is another option to attend school without ever having to set a foot on campus. Online courses have become the wave of the century. The Internet has allowed people from all over the world the chance to take classes online. Many people with full-time schedules are able to attend classes virtually, complete homework and graduate. This option is perfect for stay at home moms or dads because they can do everything from home.

You’ll find other advantages for online learning. One is the variety of degrees you can get. Most virtual colleges offer associates degrees, but you can find programs that will offer a Ph.D. The school you pick will depend on your career goals. If you feel you’ll benefit more from receiving a graduate degree as opposed to an undergraduate, then continue with your education until you succeed.

With online education, you can step into a new horizon of learning that will allow you to fit your education into your life.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Careers Tagged With: Academic degree, Associate's degree, E-learning

Writing Courses Offered Online

July 19, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

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If you are interested in obtaining your master degree, you may be concerned about how much your degree will cost you in terms of time and money. Luckily, there are many online learning opportunities to help you in your quest for a graduate degree. There are several writing courses offered online that may count as credit for your degree. These courses will help you to improve your writing skills and your understanding of the various types of writing required for those earning an advanced degree.

Basic Grammar Class

There are very few people that would not benefit from an online grammar class. Whether you take this course as a continuing education credit or as a more formal education credit, it will help you in writing the thesis required for your master degree . A firm grasp of grammar will make this a far less painful process. You may find that your current employer will pay for a grammar class, especially if written communication is one of your employment requirements.

Research and Writing

Understanding how to research and write a graduate level paper may seem like a natural progression, but, many graduate students need a course to learn the latest research techniques and to review changes to the standard writing rules (MLA). As we move to more forms of electronic research, this class will become invaluable. Again, this is a class that will assist you when it comes time to write your master degree thesis. Often, these classes are offered as continuing education credits.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Careers, Education Tagged With: Academic degree, Continuing education, Master's degree

Proxy Support for Apps Using WiFi

July 16, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

When users need to connect to WiFi using apps on their smartphones and tablet PCs, typically they are able to connect easily and there’s no problem. However, some users need to use proxy connections in order to connect with applications, such as Skype, Google Talk, Gmail, etc. This usually occurs at places of employment or on college campuses.

Problem with Proxy Connections

There are many problems when trying to connect to WiFi in situations where proxy settings are required. Many tablets and smartphones are not equipped to connect with proxy connections because users cannot go into router settings to change the proxy settings that would allow them to connect. The default proxy settings aren’t recognized by the applications.

They can, however, connect through cell phone networks, but often these connections are slow, especially if they are on a 3G network. So even if users have an unlimited data plan through their cell phone carriers, this type of connection is not ideal because of how sluggish the network is.

Ways to Work Around the Problem

There are ways to work around this problem, however. The main way is to get an app, such as Transproxy or ASProxy, that can change your proxy settings so that you can connect your applications to WiFi. It may not work on all smartphones and tablet PCs, but it’s at least worth trying. There are other ways to work around this issue, such as rooting your device, but that typically voids your warranty, so it’s not ideal.

Filed Under: Careers, Education Tagged With: Google Talk, Skype, Wi-Fi

Is Online Education the Future?

July 3, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Education, like almost every other cultural, corporate or financial structure today, is in a state of transition. Old models of teaching and learning have come under scrutiny, as the inevitable changes wrought by new and rapidly evolving computer and Internet technology find their way into the educational system.

Today online education is becoming a major part of learning. It isn’t just happening, it’s a model that has taken hold in every part of education, most notably on college campuses. Except that some of this online learning isn’t on a campus at all—it’s happening on computer screens at homes and coffee houses and libraries. It’s happening anywhere a student, be they an undergraduate or working adult, can stop and study a course via a computer screen.

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A recent study of online education examined the pros and cons of this kind of teaching model and asked educators to weigh in on how the online model might be improved. What’s clear from the study is that online teaching is in transition.

Many educators feel that to be truly effective, online teaching should combine work at the computer with in person class meetings with instructors. Along with this increase in the ‘blended’ model of teaching, the survey also showed that an increase in funding is needed to improve the quality of online teaching as well as technical improvements in online systems.

Interestingly, more than anything, survey respondents felt that it is the quality of the teachers that matters most of all in the online class model. Finally, as always, it all comes down to people, no matter how technologically sophisticated the classroom becomes.

Filed Under: Careers, Education, Online Education Tagged With: E-learning, Education, Higher education

Evaluating College Costs: Is it Worth it?

July 2, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

As our society continues to evolve, with more and more education being required in order to stay competitive for jobs that are increasingly technical, the value—and the cost—of higher education is continually increasing. The pressure is on for young people to pursue a higher education, even as those costs increase to astronomical levels.

The price of a college education can vary greatly, depending on the kind of college a student attends. In general, the cost for tuition and fees for a four-year undergraduate education now can run approximately $9,000 at about half of the state-run, public colleges nationwide. The same fees for private colleges can start at around $35,000 and can go up from there to $50,000 or more a year. Some of these private schools do have funding for scholarships and grants from private endowments, however, which c

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an mitigate the costs for some students who qualify.

Community colleges or two-year colleges, which can give a student their general, pre-major classes and prepare the

m for a transfer to a four-year school, average $2,700 a year for tuition and fees. These schools also offer an opportunity to gain a two-year associates’ degree that can prepare a student with career skills.

Many families today are looking at these costs and asking many hard questions about education and what it is worth. With states cutting budgets everywhere, tuition costs at state schools are going up, adding to the pressure on families to come up with more money.

Still, the value of an education is becoming ever more clear as job competition heats up in our now very technically sophisticated society. More than ever, families are looking at the value attached to an education and studying carefully to make sure the education they are financing will truly benefit the student down the road.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Careers, Education Tagged With: Higher education, Public university, Student

The Evolving Purpose of Higher Education

July 1, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Like everything else these days, including jobs, money, corporations and careers, the educational system and our ideas about how education should be administered is changing.

Yes, we’re in a time of enormous social change, brought about by the incredible advances in communication technology and the Internet, as well as the economic changes currently facing the United States and the global community. What does all this mean for the future of education?

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Education is clearly in a state of transition, as many people are sorting through the educational concepts that have been used in higher education for the past several decades. Technology and the Internet are certainly changing the ways in which teaching is performed on campus, and all this is certainly impacting the public’s views of what education is all about.

A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that the public’s views on the real purpose of higher education are very much in flux. Most significantly, the public’s views on what the end result of a college education should be are split. The study found that just under half of the group surveyed felt that a college education should prepare a student for the workforce, while 39% of those surveyed felt that education’s purpose is to stimulate the intellectual growth of a student. What’s interesting is the dynamic involved in these views, with college graduates being more interested in an education providing intellectual growth. Those who did not graduate were more likely to want to emphasize work skills as the end result of an education.

As society continues to evolve, our views on education and our ways of disseminating it are sure to continue to change, hopefully for the good of those who are ready and willing to learn.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Careers, Education Tagged With: Education, Higher education, United States