(Source: Columbia University)It's a fundamental question that plagues schools of journalism: Do you need to study journalism to become a journalist?



Given recent changes at many J-schools, including those at what some would call the leading program, Columbia, the debate promises to heat up. Columbia is adding a second-year option to its curriculum, enabling students to study issues in depth. The university's president is pushing the school to instill rigor, to elevate journalism education to the level of legal or medical studies. Fat chance.

On the other side of the issue are practicing journalists who claim there's no substitute for on-the-job training. They look askance at J-schools (especially those who didn't attend) and question the need to spend one or two years studying something you should be learning by doing.

And does a journalism degree help you on the job market? I suppose that depends on who's hiring and the side of the debate he or she favors.

But J-schools certainly stand out among professional schools because they're not respected by many in the field their graduates hope to join.