October 17, 2014
How My Sociology Major at a Liberal Arts College Helped Me Pursue Journalism
When I was required to complete my “social science” requirement during my sophomore year at Mount Holyoke, I was unsure which class to enroll in. An “Introduction to Sociology” course fit in my schedule and, thus, I decided to enroll in the class. I was unfamiliar with Sociology and wasn’t sure what the class would offer. However, a few weeks into the semester, I began to develop a passion for sociological terms, specifically the analysis of the media from a sociological perspective. Thus, I decided to enroll in a second Sociology class, which was the “Sociology of the Media.” This class exposed me to the different elements of the media industry and the various ways a news story is constructed. At the end of the course, I developed a term paper about the Western media’s portrayal of Islam. Not only did this class help me develop my research and writing skills, but it also made me realize that I wanted to become a Journalist. I have interned at various news and media organizations after enrolling in these two Sociology courses, and my liberal arts education is what helped prepare me to succeed at each of my internships.
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