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I'm a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism, so I can answer questions about the Annenberg program.
The journalism school is very reputable, especially on the west coast. It's considered one of the more difficult programs to get in to at USC and the school is well known for its faculty and resources. An extensive network of Annenberg alumni can also help students land their first job out of school.
I would characterize the workload as very light freshman year. There's an optional "Introduction to Journalism" class, as well as a required "History of News in America" course. I didn't find either of these especially straining.
Sophomore year, the curriculum picks up speed. All journalism majors must take news writing classes in both the broadcast and print format. In the spring semester, students are given video cameras and assigned broadcast stories on campus. Each class is also assigned an L.A. community that they cover for the term. Students are expected to visit the area once a week, and write articles covering a variety of beats.
While this isn't necessarily the most challenging work, it's incredibly time consuming. A lot depends on your ability to do news in both formats. There are print majors who dread being near a camera, while many broadcast students have to work for the nuance and complexity expected in some print stories.
Junior and senior year, the majors begin to specialize. Print majors take classes pertinent to newspaper and magazine production, while broadcast majors do more on-camera work and newscast producing. By that point, students are usually sure of their major and dedicated to their classes.
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