Career Guidance Books Assess the Value of Journalism Education

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"Newspapermen are born, not made," Julian Ralph wrote in a posthumously-published 1903 book describing his own reporting career and the rewards of journalism careers generally (Ralph 1903, p. 175). The highly respected New York Sun writer defended news writing courses then offered at Cornell. Ralph encouraged would-be reporters to read and write on their own, for "constant practice is a fine teacher" (p. 7). But he spoke for many journalists in declaring that no schools, including journalism schools, could teach the skills and aptitudes journalists need. While the terms have shifted, the value of journalism education is still debated.

This study looks at the advice about …