The world’s first School of Journalism was established in 1908 at the University of Missouri to strengthen the effectiveness of public communication in a democratic society. The school’s first dean, Walter Williams (who went on to become president of the University in 1930) wrote the Journalist’s Creed, which stresses the profession’s rights and responsibilities as a public trust.

The faculty is committed to educating students in the responsibilities and skills of the professional journalist. It also has a broader commitment to advance the profession of journalism through scholarly research, analysis and criticism and through special programs to serve practitioners. The school also prepares students for careers in corporate communication through its strategic communication emphasis area. Students in that area typically pursue careers in advertising or public relations or in strategic communication, a combination of those fields.

The Missouri Method assures a journalism student will graduate with a broad, liberal education essential for a journalist whose work may span many segments of today’s complex society. In addition to a liberal arts education, students complete practical laboratory work in a variety of settings, including a public radio station, a commercial daily newspaper and a network-affiliated television station. The school offers the Bachelor of Journalism, Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees, along with cooperative programs with other divisions in the University. It was the first school in the world to offer all three of those degrees.