Journalism
Associate in Arts for Transfer
Program Details
The Contra Costa College journalism program provides students the opportunity to learn the writing, reporting, research, editing, production, digital, critical thinking and ethical analysis skills required for employment in the news media or related fields and for transfer to a four-year college or university. Pursuing a journalism degree will help students develop media literacy as consumers and producers of media, engage with and critically assess current events, and research modern issues thoroughly. The journalism major provides a valuable foundation for students planning careers in journalism – including at newspapers, radio stations or podcasts, online news organizations, magazines, television and broadcast stations, documentary filmmaking studios and other forms of media – as well as careers in research, government, law, politics, education and other fields that require strong writing, research and critical analysis skills. The Associate in Arts Transfer Degree in Journalism is for students who plan to complete a bachelor’s degree in a similar major at a CSU campus. Students completing the AA-T in Journalism are guaranteed admission to the CSU system, but not to a particular campus or major. Students transferring to a CSU campus that accepts the degree will be required to complete no more than 60 units after transfer to earn a bachelor’s degree. This degree may not be the best option for students intending to transfer to a particular CSU campus or to a university or college that is not a part of the CSU system or for students who do not intend to transfer. Some courses in the major satisfy both major and Cal-GETC requirements. Some variations of requirements may exist at some four year colleges, so students who intend to transfer should refer to the catalog of the prospective transfer college and talk to a counselor. Pursuant to SB1440, section 66746, a student must complete the following requirements in order to earn an AA-T in Kinesiology: • Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of degree-applicable courses, • Minimum overall grade point average of 2.0, • Minimum grade of “C” (or “P”) for each course in the major, and • Completion of Cal-GETC requirements.
Journalism Pathways
Pathways listed below are for the catalog year 2025-2026. Maps for previous years are available on each pathway page. What is a catalog year?
Featured Careers
Find your calling. Explore high-earning careers with entry-level data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary
Master's degree, Doctoral degree
- Job growth: Stable
- Low salary: 47,100
- High salary: 160,210
- Average salary: 77800
Editors
Bachelor's degree, Master's degree
- Job growth: Declining
- Low salary: 36,200
- High salary: 140,840
- Average salary: 75260
- Job growth: Declining
- Low salary: 34,590
- High salary: 162,430
- Average salary: 60280
All Careers in Journalism (6)
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | Master's degree, Doctoral degree | Stable | 77,800 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editors | Bachelor's degree, Master's degree | Declining | 75,260 |
| Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers | Bachelor's degree, Some college | Stable | 72,270 |
| Writers and Authors | Bachelor's degree, Some college | Stable | 72,270 |
| News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists | - n/a | Declining | 60,280 |
| Proofreaders and Copy Markers | Bachelor's degree, Associate's degree | Declining | 49,210 |
Program Pathways Mapper incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes help you work towards your educational goals.
- Students will be able to apply their journalistic skills, ethics and decision-making abilities to performing their journalistic duties in media when they transfer to four-year universities and as media professionals.
- Students will be able to effectively judge the “news value” of information concerning events and issues in contemporary society for the reading, viewing and listening public.
- Students will be able to gather news and other information according to the ethical guidelines of the Society of Professional Journalists.
- Students will be able to produce (write, photograph, video, design, etc. — depending on a student’s specialty) news, feature and opinion pieces that adhere to basic standards of accuracy and clarity, and in the style dictated by the Associated Press Stylebook.
