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A student from Drake's Magazine and Brand Media program works on a laptop near a group of student publications

Magazine and Brand Media Major

Learn to tell the stories that keep audiences returning for more in Drake’s Magazine and Brand Media program.

School of Journalism & Mass Communication | On-Campus

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What You'll Learn

Media and technology are constantly evolving. But the essence of a captivating story transcends both time and technology.

In Drake University’s Magazine and Brand Media program, you’ll start by building a foundation in the basics of journalism. In addition to becoming a better writer, you’ll also learn to communicate using video, audio, photography, social media, and mobile apps.

Then, you’ll have the opportunity to explore various methods for creating and broadcasting short- and long-form narratives, such as entrepreneurship, mobile applications, advanced social media strategies, documentary, studio production, sports production, and public affairs reporting.

Because samples and experience pave the way into the media, branding, and publishing world, you’ll begin to build your résumé (and might jump-start your career) as a student—first for campus publications and productions and then in the real world. By the time you graduate, you’ll have the connections (and talent) you’ll need to tell stories for media companies, established and emerging brands, and nonprofit organizations.

About the Magazine and Brand Media Major

  • The Magazine and Brand Media major is among a handful of four-year magazine programs at a private college in the U.S.
  • Graduates prepare to become magazine writers, editors, and creative directors.
  • Work at People Inc. (formerly Dotdash Meredith Corp.), the largest digital and print publisher in the country, during an exclusive apprenticeship program.
  • Your faculty mentors will be there for you long after you graduate: We take pride in nurturing your career.
  • Accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

Program Facts

  • On-campus; some classes available online
  • 120 total credits; 65 credits for the major
  • Four years to completion
  • Part-time study available

Program Options

Drake’s Magazine and Brand Media program gives you professional experience while you’re still a student: You’ll have the chance to earn bylines in professional publications, create website content and branding campaigns, and contribute to our department’s suite of award-winning print and digital magazines.

B.A.J.M.C. in Magazine and Brand Media

Create compelling stories that inform and inspire, learn to act ethically in the journalism profession, and understand how to identify an audience's needs and interests to deliver valuable information across multiple formats. Toward this goal, Magazine and Brand Media majors take core SJMC requirements plus courses in video production, editing, media planning, and reporting.

Magazine and Brand Media Minor

Learn to tell meaningful stories, deliver reliable information, and communicate effectively with an audience. In addition to basic magazine writing and editing, you can study web page design, video production, and feature writing for an overview of content and media creation.

Open JMC Major

Open JMC majors jump in on Day One to explore classes in any of the specialized areas offered by the School of Journalism and Mass Communication before determining their direction forward. Throughout, you’ll have access to the faculty, internship opportunities, and horizon-expanding liberal arts classes that allow you to customize your experience.

Meet the Faculty

The faculty in our Magazine and Brand Media program teach from experience: Before coming to Drake, they were writers and editors themselves, contributing to magazines, newspapers, radio, and other media.

Jennifer Wilson

Jennifer Wilson

Peggy Fisher and Larry Stelter Chair, Magazine and Brand Media; Associate Professor, Journalism

Jeff Inman

Jeff Inman

Associate Professor, Magazine and Brand Media

Catherine M. Staub

Catherine M. Staub

Dean, School of Journalism & Mass Communication

All Faculty Members

Outside the Classroom

Being a storyteller—whether conducting interviews or capturing a defining moment on video—is a thrilling experience. As a Magazine and Brand Media major at Drake, you’ll edit and write for publications, meet professionals in the field, and grow your network from day one.

Interns from Drake's Magazine and Brand Media program work on assignments in the People Inc. office

Internships and the People Inc. Apprenticeship Program

Top students can land a year-long apprenticeship at the Des Moines headquarters of People Inc. (formerly Dotdash Meredith Corp.), the largest digital and print publishing company in the U.S. You’ll earn a paycheck while producing portfolio-quality work. In addition to this opportunity, internship coordinators help you find placements locally and in the country’s top media markets.

A view of Times Square, the location of the New York trip for Drake's Magazine and Brand Media program

New York Spring Trip

Head to the media capital of the world, where faculty introduce you to top editors and alums. In a typical trip, you’ll visit dozens of publications, websites, news organizations, and PR firms.

In a campus computer lab, a student from Drake's Magazine and Brand Media program examines a series of images on a laptop screen while sitting near a larger monitor

Brand Media Planning

Ready to pitch yourself to a client? In the Brand Media Planning class, you’ll build a detailed rebranding strategy for a real-world client—recently, we collaborated with NAMI Iowa (National Alliance for Mental Illness).

Students from Drake's Magazine and Brand Media program gather around a table to listen to capstone presentations

Multidisciplinary Capstone

Every year, seniors specializing in journalism and content creation build a website showcasing rich multimedia content. Students make all the decisions, from which stories to cover to orchestrating social media and other promotional strategies.

A layered arrangement of student publications, like The Times-Delphic and Drake Mag, open to Drake students

Campus Media

Edit or contribute to award-winning student publications such as The Times-Delphic, Drake Mag, and Drake Political Review, as well as streaming radio offered by the Drake Broadcasting System.

Three journalism students from Drake smile while standing in front of a black building with long windows

Scholarships

Entering first-year students are eligible for several journalism and mass communication awards, including the E.T. Meredith Scholarship, the SJMC Dean Team, and the Katherine Futch Scholarship.

Experiential Learning

Careers & Skills

You’ll find Drake alumni around the country creating compelling stories for publications, developing engaging website content, or building brands for organizations, among other prominent endeavors.

The skills in writing, editing, web design, and video and audio production you’ll learn here are transferable and enduring. Beyond traditional journalism pathways, you can begin a career in publication management and marketing, social media strategy, mobile application development, or communications for corporations, educational institutions, or nonprofits.

Employers

  • Seventeen
  • People
  • Advertising Age
  • HBO.com
  • Major League Baseball
  • Sony Music Entertainment

Skills

  • Writing and editing.
  • Communication and storytelling through video, audio, photography, social media, and mobile apps.
  • Critical thinking and problem solving.
  • How to manage multiple deadlines.
A student in Drake's Magazine and Brand Media program reviews a large textbook in a campus media lab, with a camera and coffee mug situated on the table top

Salary & Growth Outlook

$

Brand and Content Marketing Manager salary as of 2025. (Salary.com)

“The Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication is really very special, in that the professors who lead it are enormously talented. They're caring, they're experienced professionals who have actually worked as journalists and as editors. They understand the practical, real-world aspects of communications and publishing. The skills that they taught me gave me a strong starting point from which I grew professionally, and I'm certain it made me a stronger candidate for the positions and the opportunities that I pursued later.”
Nate Granzow, JO‘10

Related Programs

Each of the programs in Drake’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication will give you the skills, connections, and confidence you’ll need to build a career telling stories using tools you’ll find in the field.

Multimedia Journalism, BAJMC

Learn to report, tell, and produce stories for traditional and digital media platforms in a major that prepares you to become an effective journalist.

Sports Media and Communication, BAJMC

Get in the game with a major that prepares you to communicate effectively across multiple channels and build expertise in researching, concepting, and creating dynamic stories and strategic projects that meet media or sports organizations’ goals.

Digital Media Production, BAJMC

Learn how to tell compelling stories through video, audio, still photography, and text in Drake’s Digital Media Production major.

Take the Next Step

From prominent bylines to connection-building opportunities at some of the most recognized publications to a supportive alumni network, your career in magazine journalism and brand media kicks off at Drake.

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Two Drake Magazine and Brand Media Majors collaborate on a project in front of a computer monitor