Journalism & Media Studies


Get the Inside Scoop on a Great Career!
Study Journalism and Media Studies at Cerritos College.

Are you passionate about storytelling and ready to make an impact in the media industry? With a degree or certificate in Journalism and Media Studies from Cerritos College, you can turn your passion into a rewarding career. Our award-winning programs have a proven track record of success, with alumni thriving in local, state, and national media.

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Why Study Journalism & Media at Cerritos College?

  • Award-Winning Programs: Our comprehensive instructional media production programs have earned dozens of national awards, showcasing the quality of education we provide.
  • Guided Pathways: We offer tailored pathways for every degree and certificate, helping you achieve your career and educational goals.
  • Transfer Opportunities: Earn a transferable AS-T degree in Journalism or Film, Television, and Electronic Media to continue your education at a four-year institution.
  • Hands-On Experience: Gain practical training at our campus paper, which prints 4,000 copies and distributes to 13 off-campus community sites.
  • State-of-the-Art Facilities: Our broadcast media facility is designed to equip you with valuable real-world experience.
  • Global Opportunities: Broaden your horizons with the chance to study abroad in Japan!

The Mission of the Department is to:

  • Instill an appreciation of the mass media, including the free speech/free press provisions of the First Amendment, both as consumers and as potential practitioners
  • Train students as future practitioners using hands-on laboratories, terminating in certificates, associate degrees and/or transfer to university programs
  • Provide the campus with student media outlets

 Programs Offered

Journalism

  • Associate of Arts
  • Associate of Arts for Transfer
  • Certificate of Achievement

Film, TV & Electronic Media

  • Associate in Science for Transfer

Public Relations

  • Certificate of Achievement

The department offers three types of courses:

  • Traditional lecture courses for general education;
  • Skills courses for their respective majors; and
  • Production courses that result in a media product for campus and public consumption and provide students with hands-on training.

 Program Highlights

  • Comprehensive Curriculum: Learn the fundamentals of journalism, media ethics, reporting, editing, and multimedia production.
  • Hands-On Projects: Work on real stories, develop your portfolio, and gain the skills needed for a successful career in media.
  • Networking Opportunities: Connect with industry professionals and alumni to help you navigate your career path.
 
 

Several well-renowned journalists got their start at Cerritos College, including:

Elizabeth Aguilera: An award-winning multimedia journalist who covers health and social services for CalMatters and Southern California Public Radio/KPCC 89.3.

Chad K. Uyeno: A photojournalist published in the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and the San Francisco Chronicle, among others.

Eric Draper: President George W. Bush’s chief photographer, who served throughout his presidency, photographing him daily in his activities at the office, abroad, and in his personal life. Eric was Cerritos College’s commencement speaker in 2019.

Erick Galindo: An award-winning writer, producer, and journalist. His work has appeared in Hispanic Link News Service, Yahoo!, Time Warner Cable Sports, Pasadena Star-News, San Jose Mercury News, and La Opinión. He has covered everything from plantain bandits in Puerto Rico to the collapse of the housing market in Los Angeles, and is also an alum of the prestigious New York Times Student Journalism Institute.

Leslie Berestein Rojas: A longtime radio journalist who has spent nearly a decade and a half at Southern California Public Radio (89.3 KPCC) as a reporter and editor. Berestein Rojas is also an associate professor of professional practice and director of audio news for the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

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