AMES, Iowa—Iowa State’s Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication continues to place students in positions in Iowa, the nation and world, with 95% of Advertising, Journalism and Public Relations degree-holders finding employment within six months of commencement.
In 2015, 160 majors graduated, and of those, 153 responded to the placement survey, for a 96% return rate. Of those who responded, 145 were employed or going on to law or graduate school.
For the past five years, between 95% and 99% of Greenlee graduates have found employment, with 47% of those remaining in Iowa in the latest surveys.
For the second year, Public Relations majors enjoyed a 100% placement rate, with 20 of 21 graduates responding to the survey. Of those, 7 remained in Iowa and 6 went out of state, with the rest not disclosing job location. Advertising graduates had a 94% placement rate, with 51 of 54 graduates responding to the survey and 24 of those remaining in Iowa with the rest finding work elsewhere.
Journalism graduated 85 majors; 82 responded to the survey with only four not yet employed. Moreover, 36 graduates remained in Iowa; 25 relocated out of state; 2 went abroad; and the rest did not report location.
Director Michael Bugeja praised the faculty, staff, alumni, benefactors and internship providers for the continuing high placement rates, especially in journalism. “Today’s reporters and editors are working in a variety of outlets, including newspapers, magazines, broadcasting and online. And many have found work writing for blogs, companies and tech firms.
“With today’s technological tools,” he added, “the practice of journalism takes many forms. We are also pleased to place many of our graduates in community newspapers and local stations, as well as national outlets such as The Des Moines Register, Time Magazine and other well-known venues.”
Another key feature in high placement is timely graduation. The School’s curricula features lower and upper core courses with most other courses serving as electives with as few pre-requisites as possible, to facilitate graduation. Incoming students must submit four-year graduation plans and master grammar, style and other basic skills. That also helps prepare them for future coursework.
Latest exit surveys show that seniors needed an average 7.75 semesters to graduate, or less than 4 years.
With more than $200,000 in scholarships and internship support, many graduates are able to focus on their studies and work for student media, including the Iowa State Daily, which won the Society of Professional Journalists’ best student newspaper award last year.
Bugeja also noted that Greenlee “majors” also graduate with degrees in the discipline. “If you major in Public Relations, that—rather than ‘journalism and mass communication’—will appear on your diploma. Same with Advertising. In other words, the name of the profession is listed on the diploma.” Many other competing programs offering these majors only cite the discipline on transcripts.
Another reason for high placement is the 400-hour, required, capstone internship, supervised by a faculty member. “Our interns work at national as well as Iowa outlets and even around the globe,” Bugeja noted. For more than a decade, the School has had internship support from the [Meredith Apprenticeship Program](/career-planning/internships/meredith-apprentice-program/) and the [Scripps Howard Foundation](/).
The [internship experience](/career-planning/internships/) is enhanced by our [Jump-Start Internship and Networking Fairs](/), scheduled each semester. Typically, 40 or more employers visit Iowa State to recruit Greenlee majors. The School also has an internship coordinator and office, further preparing students for the workplace.
Last year the School set an enrollment record with 844 majors, up from 612 in 2011. Enrollment has increased each year. In 2016, Advertising enrollment was 215; Journalism, 346; and Public Relations, 283.
You can find more statistics about the Greenlee School on its [transparency website](/) and see the [full College of Liberal Arts placement report](https://iastate.app.box.com/s/dustnbvtb45pfyvkjvt6i5dsx5jb6rre).