Journalism Education in China Needs Reforms

As an emerging subject in China, journalism education needs more attention and thinking. Since the 1978 reform and opening, journalism education in China has made a large progress, also a big change. The discipline position has improved, and the scale of running school has expanded. ①But it is still not perfect enough.

To preserve journalism education's value, however, journalism education in China must be part of broader academic reforms, modeling an independent integration of theory and practice, supporting a press-literate public. Some example include The Progressive Potential of Journalism Education②tells the importance of the reform.

China' s journalism education began in the early 20th century, before the country' s founding in 1949, there were 49 journalism education institutions in China.③ But since the early 1990s, the heat of journalism education in China had been higher and higher.④Naturally, the number of graduates also became larger. So the problem existed: how can these graduates meet society's needs smoothly? If our education's integration of theory and practice had high quality, they do not have worry about that any more.

"The theory and practice are separated; it is a big problem in our journalism education." said by Li Xiguang, the professor in the School of Journalism and Communication in Tsinghua University. ⑤The problem may caused by the traditional way of education in China--Just to implant knowledge but not inspire the student.

American's journalism education system is mature; one of the most critical point is case teaching.⑥The Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri founded by Walter Williams in 1908 in the world claim to be the America's first journalism school. Since then the journalism school has become standard at most major universities. American journalism schools have paid great attention with news work experience of introducing teachers, also attaches great importance to the construction of practice base in journalism. Teachers and students in American journalism education reform media is also an important pillar.⑦

In China, non-professional journalists sometimes find better jobs instead professional journalists. At the same time, numerous of journalism graduates feel confused and doubt. Although some scholars support the view that journalism education should cultivate suitable for all kinds of industry professionals, and should not be put in the news media focus only.⑧This can't hide the fact that journalism education in China need reforms now.

To sum up, the journalism education in China has experienced a series of development, but these are not enough both in pragmatic and practical aspects. And, the internationalization degree of it should also be effectively increased--through the country, society and individual efforts. Some foreign experience is worth learning, like the