Take the Fast Track to a Journalism Career If you already have an education in a post-secondary diploma or degree program but you’re looking for a career change, Centennial College’s fast-track Journalism program may be for you if you enjoy writing, talking to people, and asking questions. Journalism is an exciting profession that includes jobs in magazines, newspapers, TV, radio and even online. Centennial College’s Journalism (Fast-Track) option takes just four semesters to complete and requires applicants to submit an official transcript demonstrating proof of successful completion of a postsecondary diploma or degree program. Also considered will be applicants presenting a combination of partial post-secondary education (minimum - two years) and relevant work experience. In addition there will be a four-part writing test, as well as a portfolio and resume submission. Journalism Schools train students stringently. During your four semesters in the fast-track journalism program, you will learn everything from covering breaking news to exploring human-interest stories in a tactful way. This is done through courses such as News Reporting, Introduction to Online News, Magazine/Freelance Journalism, Radio News, Beat Reporting, Journalism Career Management and much more. As you can see, Centennial College’s fast-track journalism program touches on all aspects of journalism so that you may discover your niche. Experienced faculty members conduct all fast-track journalism courses in a professional newsroom. Whether you want to work in radio or at a newspaper, you will learn to tell stories in an energetic and dynamic way while developing a portfolio of published stories and photos. These stories are published in a real community paper called The East Toronto Observer and its online edition, The Toronto Observer. The readying of a portfolio will also help to prepare you for your final semester placement. This job placement sees you working alongside journalists and editors to apply what you’ve learned and gain new skills. Please note that students are responsible for finding their own field placement. Upon graduation from Centennial College, journalism jobs are available across Canada. However, journalists must be willing to move where the job takes them, as many journalism positions are temporary with a possibility of leading to full time. Some journalists choose to freelance for a variety of publications. This allows them to work a wide range of areas such as local and international news,
crime briefs, lifestyle and entertainment, arts and culture and much more. Those who choose the broadcasting option often start out as “chase producers”, setting up interviews for the reporters and eventually moving into the reporter or anchor roles themselves. With Canada’s respected and objective view of today’s current events, journalism is a great industry in which to find a long-lasting career.