Challenges and Experiences of Teaching Journalism at Private, Small Colleges, and Universities

Teaching journalism today is filled with challenges, especially for small, private colleges and universities that might not have the same resources as their larger counterparts. Regardless, faculty at these institutions are doing everything they can to provide an engaged and relevant journalism education to students. This study surveyed journalism faculty at small, private institutions (3,000–8,500 total student enrollment) about what their programs are doing to meet these challenges. Responses showcase that faculty are finding creative ways to work with declining student interest in journalism, budget, enrollment, reputation and staffing issues and build successful journalism programs.