how long is a phd in journalism

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Missouri School of Journalism

University of missouri, doctoral program.

The University of Missouri was the first institution in the world to grant a doctorate degree in journalism.

A leader in journalism education and research, the School awarded the first doctor of philosophy degree in 1934. Beyond teaching and administration, our doctoral graduates add value to corporations, media entities, strategic communication firms and other organizations through their research and understanding theoretical approaches. Doctoral students:

• conduct research with world-renowned faculty ;
• collaborate with world-class scholars and professionals in journalism and strategic communication;
• gain experience as an educator alongside award-winning faculty.

Doctoral Faculty

The eight research areas of study prepare our doctoral students for careers in the academy and industry:

• Health Communications
• Journalism Studies
• Media History
• Media Law, Ethics and Policy
• Media Sociology
• Science Communication
• Strategic Communication

Selecting the right doctoral program is a major decision. At the Missouri School of Journalism, our students will have the mentorship and assistance in job placement they need. Missouri graduates are represented in colleges and universities around the world, serving as deans, chairs and professors. Recent doctoral graduates are now on the faculties of Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan State, Iowa, Colorado, Louisiana State, Georgia and other accredited journalism programs.

Admission Criteria

Here is a look at our doctoral admission and graduation by year , as well as our student’s dissertations, chairs and graduate year.

Call 573-882-4852 or email us at [email protected] to talk with an adviser or schedule a campus visit.

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Journalism and Media

Doctoral program.

Our doctoral program is among the best programs in journalism and media in the U.S.  Led by faculty with distinguished research and publication records – many with professional journalism or media experience – our program is designed to equip students with a strong theoretical grounding and versatile research methods.  Graduates of our four-year program can go on to positions in the academy, and they also may join think tanks, advocacy and non-governmental organizations and professional associations working with information and media systems.   

We offer a far-reaching array of electives and research opportunities. The faculties’ fields of interest broadly include news and media engagement; online incivility; digital media; mis and disinformation; the digital divide and information equity; media law and policy, including the impact of Artificial Intelligence and algorithms on media; journalism and democracy; global media systems; media and representation; visual communication studies; critical data studies; social media and platform studies; media economics, among other topics.  Please look at  faculty bios  and description of research opportunities  to learn more about current projects.   

Our program incorporates many opportunities to undertake research independently or to work with groups associated with research centers, institutes or research groups. We have an excellent record of participation with the major professional associations including the Association for Education in Journalism and Media Communication ( AEJ MC ), the International Communication Association ( ICA ),  the International Association of Media and Communication Research ( IAMCR ), the Association of Internet Research ( AoIR ), as well as smaller highly focused forums such as The Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy. 

Interdisciplinary Work

Our students also participate with the many interdisciplinary  Portfolio Programs  on campus.  Moody College is home to three such programs, including the  Communication, Information and Cultural Policy  program focused on media systems, directed by some of our faculty.  Additionally, summer internships with professional or research programs are sometimes sponsored by associated research institutes.  Students have taken advantage of UT’s  Archer Program , and the multi-University COMPASS program associated with the Technology and Information Policy Institute.   

Program of Work 2023-2024

Doctoral Handbook 2023-2024

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PhD: Journalism Studies

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Fall Application Deadlines

US applicants:  Jan. 15 International applicants:  Dec. 1

In the online application, select Journalism  as the department, Media Research & Practice  as the degree, and Journalism  as the subplan/track.

How to Apply

The PhD in Journalism Studies offered by the Department of Journalism is one of three separate and distinct tracks of the Media Research and Practice doctoral program within the College of Media, Communication and Information.

The PhD in Journalism Studies focuses on exploring the intersection of journalism, journalism practice and society. Students gain a solid foundation through coursework that explores the theories and methods that shape mass communication research. The multidisciplinary program examines not only traditional journalism, but also the ever-increasing boundaries of the industry, including user-generated content, citizen journalism, the audience’s impact on news production, the new technologies shaping practice, social media’s role in news, new quasi-journalistic outlets, etc.

Students research institutions, content, audiences and publics—and they can approach these subjects through a multitude of methodologies and theoretical lenses: sociological, psychological, historical, cultural, political, economic, legal and more. Students are encouraged to develop their own approach (both theoretical and methodological) to the study of mass communication and journalism, all while learning and collaborating with faculty who have a diverse range of specialties. An integral part of our doctoral students’ education is their participation in the department’s research and teaching missions through their assignments as research assistants, teaching assistants and graduate instructors.

The strategic communication and journalism studies tracks for the PhD are administered together by the departments of Advertising, Public Relations and Design, and Journalism. Students in both tracks are taught by and have access to the faculties of both departments. The curriculum includes an overview of mass/public communication literature with specific modules and courses dedicated to advertising, journalism and public relations. Classes also focus on areas that straddle each industry such as social media, political communication, ethics, media organizations, health communication and video games. We welcome and appreciate both qualitative and quantitative approaches to research. Graduates pursue teaching and research positions at universities as well as work in the private sector.

View Courses (  once on that page, scroll down to graduate-level information)

• Program Requirements
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It is expected that a student will devote her or his full time to the doctoral program and assistantship duties during the fall and spring semesters while in the program, unless other arrangements have been made with the department.

The following is a summary of minimum requirements to earn a Ph.D. in Strategic Communication or in Journalism Studies. Students will take two semesters of Proseminar, two semesters of methods, four semesters of Doctoral Professionalization Seminar and 30 credits of electives, which must include 9 credits of advanced methods electives. Students are expected to take courses numbered at the 6000 or above levels. There are some exceptions to this in which doctoral students can receive permission to take 5000-level courses.

• Proseminar in Mass Communication (6 Credits): All doctoral students are required to enroll in JRNL/APRD 7001 in their first semester of study, and in JRNL/APRD 7003 in their second semester. These courses are designed to introduce students to the major paradigms within the field of mass communication.
• Doctoral Professionalization Seminar (4 Credits): All first- and second-year doctoral students will be required to enroll in JRNL/APRD 7004. The course, which is 1 credit each semester, prepares students for life in a doctoral program and for life after one, all while providing a sense of community amongst multiple doctoral cohorts and both departments’ faculty. 
• Methods (15 Credits): All first-year doctoral students enroll in Quantitative Research Methods in the fall, and in Qualitative Research Methods in the spring. These general courses deal with a variety of research methods used within the field. PhD students are also required to take three additional graduate level courses in the areas of research methods (9 hours). These may be taken inside or outside the departments.
• Research Design (3 hours): Doctoral students are required to take JRNL/APRD 7002 in the first semester of their second year. This class is designed to bridge the gap between theory and method. Students will design multiple studies of interest during the course.
• Area of Concentration (18 hours): Doctoral students are required to take a minimum of 18 hours of course work selected on the basis of the student’s area(s) of research interest. These courses should come from a combination of both inside and outside electives. For example, for a student interested in media effects, a combination of classes from both APRD/JRNL and psychology would make sense.
• Independent study: Ph.D. students may take a maximum of two independent study courses in their course of study, either inside APRD and JRNL or outside of those home departments. Generally, these will be taken no earlier than the third semester of the program.
• Comprehensive examinations: Each doctoral student will be required to pass comprehensive examinations, consisting of four questions, which are generally administered after the last semester in which the student takes course work. The examinations are individually tailored for each student and comprise both written and oral examinations.
• Dissertation: A minimum of thirty hours of dissertation credit, MDRP 8991, must be taken. Various restrictions apply to these hours.
• No more than 10 dissertation credit hours may be taken in any one semester
• No more than 10 dissertation credit hours may be taken prior to the semester in which comprehensive examinations are taken.
• No more than 10 dissertation credit hours may be taken in the semester in which comprehensive examinations are taken.
• After passing comprehensive examinations, student must enroll for at least 5 dissertation credit hours (full time) or 3 dissertation credit hours (part time) each semester until graduation.

Typically students enroll for 10 dissertation hours in the semester they are taking comprehensive examinations and 10 dissertation hours each in the following fall and spring terms. Students must be aware of Graduate School rules regarding registration for dissertation hours.

Applicants to the Journalism track of the PhD program in Media Research and Practice are expected to hold the master’s degree or equivalent graduate work. In exceptional cases, applicants without a master’s degree may be considered for admission.

Completed domestic applications must be received by the program no later than Jan. 10 prior to the fall semester for which entrance is sought. International applications should be submitted by Dec. 1. Late applications may be considered under special circumstances.

Successful applications typically meet or exceed the following criteria:

Have an undergraduate cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.2 and a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 in previous graduate work.

International applicants must have a TOEFL score of 625 (IBT 106).

Provide three letters of recommendation..

Provide a resume or CV that includes academic and employment experience.

Provide a writing sample that exhibits the ability to undertake the conceptual and empirical studies required of doctoral students (e.g., a chapter from a master’s thesis or graduate-level term paper).

700-word Statements of Purpose should include: 

• A description of the topic of research you're interested in studying.
• A description of why you want to pursue that topic at the University of Colorado and in this program.
• What faculty members you're interested in studying under.

Meeting these criteria does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Because we accept relatively few new doctoral students each fall, we may have more qualified applicants than available openings.

For review and decision purposes you are required to upload an unofficial copy of your transcript(s) in the online application. We require one copy of the scanned transcript from each undergraduate and graduate institution that you attended. This includes community colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs. While credits from one institution may appear on the transcript of a second institution, unofficial transcripts must be submitted from each institution, regardless of the length of attendance, and whether or not courses were completed.   Failure to list and submit transcripts from all institutions previously attended is considered to be a violation of academic ethics and may result in the cancellation of your admission or dismissal from the university.

ONLY after you are recommended for admission will you need to provide official transcripts. 

Instructions for Uploading Unofficial Transcripts to Your Application  (scroll to 'Uploading Unofficial Transcripts in the Application')

FAQ  |  Online Application  |  International Students Online Application

Student Information

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Helpful Links

Center For Environmental Journalism  |  Center for Media, Religion and Culture

Research or teaching assistantships, including a tuition waiver and stipend, as well as fellowships, are available. PhD students may receive assistantships for a maximum of four years.

Phone: 303-492-7977

Email:  [email protected]

Campus Location: Hellems 96D

JRNL MDRP Program Handbook

Contact the Journalism graduate program

Journalism Armory  front desk (main floor) 1511 University Ave. University of Colorado Boulder UCB 478 Boulder, CO 80309-0478

 303-492-5007 

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PhD in Journalism

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About the Doctorate

The objective of the doctoral program is to develop an ability to conduct independent and advanced scholarly research and to integrate this skill with a depth of scholarship in journalism and mass communication. Although it is primarily a research degree, the PhD is designed to facilitate a variety of academic aims. Students must expand their intellectual horizons, gain a theoretical framework for examining and understanding communication and refine their own communication competencies.

Degree Requirements

Doctoral study in journalism and mass communication is an interdisciplinary enterprise. The doctoral program is designed by the student in collaboration with the advisor and doctoral committee. Course selections are based on the intellectual requirements of the dissertation and the teaching areas the student wishes to pursue. No courses that focus primarily on professional skills may be counted toward the doctoral program, whether taken at the master’s or the doctoral level. Courses from journalism should compose no more than two-thirds of the total credit.

Students must develop two research tools, pass qualifying and comprehensive examinations, submit and defend a dissertation, and satisfactorily meet all other requirements of the Graduate School. Doctoral Theory and Research I ( JOURN 9000 ) , and Professional Development ( JOURN 9087 ) are required of all PhD students.

Qualifying Examination

Students are admitted to the PhD program in journalism when they have passed Doctoral Research Portfolio (qualifying examination), which must be taken the semester in which the student completes 18 hours. Graduate School regulations about comprehensive examinations, dissertations, plans of study, residency and other matters are specified in the Degree Requirements section of the catalog.

Research Method Requirements

Students are expected to take a minimum of four research methods courses during the course of their doctoral coursework. These courses include three research methods courses from within journalism with at least one being an advanced research methods course. Students are also required to take at least one research methods course from a department other than journalism. At the discretion of the student’s doctoral committee and the associate dean for graduate studies, students may substitute a course from outside the institution if it is deemed equivalent to a required research methods course offered within the school of journalism.

Doctoral students who plan to teach will participate in a teaching program. Each student’s teaching skills will be evaluated in the first year of study, at which point planning for the student’s future teaching opportunities begins. Most students will serve as teaching assistants in such classes as JOURN 1100 during their third semester in the program.

In the student’s fourth semester, he/she may have an additional teaching experience, either as a teaching assistant, co-instructor or instructor of record in a course. Depending on the student’s ability and desire, students might teach a course independently during later semesters.

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 Doctoral Admission Criteria

Fall deadline: January 15

• Minimum Academic IELTS scores:
• Minimum TOEFL scores:
• Typical successful applicant GRE scores:
• Minimum GPA: 3.0, undergraduate, 3.5, graduate

Applicants should have demonstrated interest, education or professional experience in journalism, advertising, public relations, mass communication or a related field. A degree (bachelor’s or master’s) in one of those fields or two years of full-time professional media experience is preferred. All required information must be received before the admission review can begin. Applicants may be required to participate in an interview with the doctoral faculty as part of the review process. Students who did not write a thesis in their master’s program may be required to complete a project to demonstrate their ability to do independent research.

Deadlines for application are January 15 for fall entry. Deadlines are firm, and no applicant is considered for admission until all required information is received.

Required Application Materials

Upload the following application materials into the Graduate School's online application system:

• All required Graduate School documents
• Statement of Doctoral Objectives
• An abstract of your master’s thesis (or thesis proposal, if your thesis is not yet complete)
• Unofficial transcripts
• 3 letters of recommendation (use the online Graduate School application system)

Admission Contact Information

Journalism Graduate Studies 179 Gannett Hall Columbia, MO 65211 573-882-6194 [email protected] https://journalism.missouri.edu/degrees-programs/graduate-degrees/ph-d/

Financial Aid from the Program

Doctoral students are provided assistantship and scholarship support for a maximum of six terms (three years). Contact the department for details on this financial assistance.

Published by the University Registrar, 125 Jesse Hall, Columbia, MO 65211 Phone: 573-882-7881

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Here are some common questions that we receive from Ph.D. applicants:

Q: Why is Merrill’s Ph.D. program different from all other programs?

A: There are at least two reasons. One is our location near Washington, D.C., where you will have access to a wealth of information and government agencies to conduct high-quality and cutting-edge research. The second reason is a team of dedicated scholars who work closely with you during your studies. Our published and award-winning faculty members are always working to make Merrill’s Ph.D. program the best it can be for all students who come to the program.

Q: Do I need a master’s degree to be admitted to Merrill’s Ph.D. program in Journalism Studies?

A: While we do not require a master’s degree, most of the students we admit have a master’s — sometimes in a social science, humanities, or a professional field. We are most interested in a demonstration of interest in research.

Q: What jobs can you get with a Ph.D. in Journalism Studies?

A: Most of our Ph.D. graduates teach at the university level.

About 80% of our Ph.D. graduates have found employment in research and teaching — which is an excellent placement rate for a Ph.D. program.

Q: If I am a working journalist and want to switch careers, is your Ph.D. program for me?

A: Yes, if you are passionate about research and teaching. Our high job placement rate is because many of our students have professional journalism experience and skills. This gives our Ph.D. students an edge in the job market.

Q: How long does the Ph.D. program typically take?

A: The average time to completion is about 4 1/2 to five years.

Q: Where do I send my official transcript(s)?

A: Upload a copy of your official transcript in the “Previous Education” section in the online application to the Graduate School. If you are offered admission and choose to enroll, you will need to send your official transcript (in a sealed envelope) with a literal English translation and proof of your degree to:

The Graduate School University of Maryland 2123 Lee Building University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742

Q: Who should I contact if I have more questions?

Sarah Oates Associate Dean, Research 301-405-4510 [email protected] Knight Hall 2215

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Berkeley Berkeley Academic Guide: Academic Guide 2023-24

Graduate school of journalism.

The goal of the Graduate School of Journalism is to produce professional journalists who move on to positions of leadership and influence in American journalism. The Master of Journalism (MJ) program provides intensive training in journalism skills and a knowledge of the traditions and principles of the field. A professional project is required to complete the two-year program. The program is rooted in the idea that the best possible preparation for careers in journalism is a sound liberal arts education followed by training in journalism at the graduate level. Concurrent degree programs with Law, Asian Studies, International and Area Studies, Latin American Studies, and Public Health are available.

The school offers courses in print, broadcasting, documentary film, radio, television, multimedia, and photojournalism. All students must take a focused and demanding core course that stresses reporting and writing skills. This is because members of the faculty believe that the best way to train students for careers in journalism is to place them under the supervision and guidance of seasoned journalists in small classes; give them instruction in the skills and attitudes of the craft; and introduce them to intensive practice in reporting, writing, and editing. Professors give exhaustive critiques of students' work. Students are also required to take Journalism Law and Ethics and to complete a summer internship at a media outlet.

Beyond the core course, there are courses in specific areas such as political, business, environmental, community, science, international, and cultural reporting. There are also courses that focus on different techniques such as investigative reporting and magazine reporting. The curriculum also includes courses in copyediting and photography, as well as a sequence of courses in television and radio reporting.

Another group of courses is intended to increase understanding and practice of multimedia reporting. A host of web skills and software classes are offered to give students expert level training with these tools.

Applicants for graduate study should hold a bachelor's degree comparable to that given by the University of California. Requirements and procedures are outlined in the Graduate Application for Admission and Fellowships brochure, available at the Office of the Dean of the Graduate Division, and in the  Announcement of the Graduate School of Journalism.  Complete admissions information is available on the Journalism website .

The Graduate School of Journalism also offers courses for undergraduates designed to give them insight into journalism.

Undergraduate Program

Journalism:  Minor

Graduate Program

Journalism : MJ

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JOURN 200 Reporting the News 3 - 7 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 This course is an intensive 15-week research and workshop experience. It provides the foundation for the rest of the curriculum offered at the J-School. 200 Stresses hard news reporting, writing, and editing. In small classes faculty members with extensive experience in newspaper reporting work to develop the scope and quality of the reporting and writing ability of their students. The researching, reporting, rewriting, and editing schedule is extensive and students work on a range of stories covering a broad spectrum of subjects. The aim is to produce professional level work--publishable newspaper stories--in an environment and timeline similar to a professional environment. Reporting the News: Read More [+]

Hours & Format

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3-7 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: Three to seven hours of seminar per week.

Additional Details

Subject/Course Level: Journalism/Graduate

Grading: Letter grade.

Reporting the News: Read Less [-]

JOURN 201 Advanced News Reporting 3 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Advanced study of reporting in more complex subject areas and more sophisticated writing styles. Advanced News Reporting: Read More [+]

Rules & Requirements

Prerequisites: 200 or consent of instructor

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with instructor consent.

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar and 8 hours of fieldwork per week

Additional Format: Three hours of seminar and eight hours of field work in news reporting per week.

Instructor: Platoni

Advanced News Reporting: Read Less [-]

JOURN 207 Research Methods 1.5 Unit

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023 This is a course for first-year students that will cover research techniques that can be applied in your JOURN 200 Intro to Reporting class. Topics we will cover include how work with data in the context of journalism; using spreadsheets to sort, clean, interrogate and summarize data; how to request documents from local, state and federal government agencies; understand the respective laws that govern such public records requests; how to use third-party informational services like LexisNexus to find people, information about companies, or perform clips searches on topics related to your story. Research Methods: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 8 weeks - 2 hours of lecture and 2 hours of laboratory per week

Additional Format: Two hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory per week for 8 weeks.

Instructor: Rue

Research Methods: Read Less [-]

JOURN 209 Multimedia Reporting Bootcamp 1 Unit

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 This is a required one-week intensive multimedia training workshop at the beginning of the fall semester to equip all first-year graduate journalism students with basic knowledge of digital storytelling techniques as well as the use of multimedia equipment and editing software to produce multimedia content. The objective is to train all students—regardless of their planned area of specialty—with some foundational digital skills to be applied during their reporting for the school’s local online news sites in the J200 Intro To Reporting class. The concepts and skills taught during the workshop also will be reaffirmed and expanded over the semester in the Multimedia Skills class. Multimedia Reporting Bootcamp: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 1 weeks - 15 hours of seminar and 15 hours of laboratory per week

Instructors: Hermandez, Rue

Multimedia Reporting Bootcamp: Read Less [-]

JOURN 210 News Photography 2 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Fundamentals of photography and taking news photography. News Photography: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Priority to journalism graduate students

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of lecture and 4 hours of laboratory per week

Additional Format: Two hours of lecture/discussion plus four hours of laboratory and field assignments per week.

Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.

Instructor: Light

News Photography: Read Less [-]

JOURN 211 News Reporting Laboratory 2 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2021, Fall 2020, Fall 2019 This course is an intensive laboratory course taken in conjunction with our core reporting class, 200. It is designed to simulate as closely as possible the deadline and production pressures of a modern, multi-media news organization. Students report to the newsroom during the week to receive their reporting assignments. Print, audio, and video elements are gathered, produced, edited, rewritten as necessary and then made available to pre-selected media outlets for publication. Each section will produce a themed final project. News Reporting Laboratory: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2-4 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Two to Four hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.

News Reporting Laboratory: Read Less [-]

JOURN 212 Advanced Radio 1 - 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2022 Radio students may continue to develop their news and production skills in several formats: (1) the reporting and production of the weekly "Inside Oakland" program (broadcast on KALX-FM). Each episode explores a specific theme with focus on the geographic, cultural, and political entity known as Oakland; (2) the collaborative production of a documentary program focusing on a particular topic; (3) the development and production of independent long-form pieces for broadcast on different outlets. Advanced Radio: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Journalism 275 or consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture/discussion per week.

Instructor: Manilla

Advanced Radio: Read Less [-]

JOURN 213 Documentary Photography 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 An exploration of magazine photography as applied to photo essay, day assignments and book projects, as well as content based lectures (location lighting, environmental portraiture, etc.) and critiques. Students work on in-depth assignments that include research, reporting, and photographing. Legal/ethical and business issues are explored, including fund-raising and grant writing to support extended projects. Documentary Photography: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Two hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.

Documentary Photography: Read Less [-]

JOURN 215 Multimedia Skills 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 This class teaches the fundamentals of using digital video, audio, and photo equipment, as well as editing digital files. The class is designed to expose students to what it is like to report in a multimedia environment. While primarily for students taking new media publishing courses, the class will be valuable to any student who wants to better prepare for the emerging convergence of broadcast, print, and web media. Multimedia Skills: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of workshop per week

Additional Format: Three hours of Workshop per week for 15 weeks.

Instructors: Rue, Hernandez

Multimedia Skills: Read Less [-]

JOURN 216 Multimedia Reporting 2 or 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 For journalists, the World Wide Web opens a powerful way to tell stories by combining text, video, audio, still photos, graphics, and interactivity. Students learn multimedia-reporting basics, how the web is changing journalism, and its relationship to democracy and community. Students use storyboarding techniques to construct nonlinear stories; they research, report, edit, and assemble two story projects. Multimedia Reporting: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Journalism 215 (can be taken concurrently); Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and iMovie or Final Cut Pro

Multimedia Reporting: Read Less [-]

JOURN 219 Mini-Special Topics 1 Unit

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 A mini course is a four to ten-week intensive workshop designed to accompany and enhance other courses in the program. Workshop topics vary from semester to semester, but have included: Associate Producer, Sports Reporting, FOIA Reporting, Foreign Reporting, Bias and Journalism, Social Media, Sound Design and the Journalist as Freelancer. Mini-Special Topics: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 4 weeks - 3 hours of workshop per week 5 weeks - 2-3 hours of workshop per week 6 weeks - 2-3 hours of workshop per week 10 weeks - 2 hours of workshop per week

Additional Format: Two hours of workshop per week for 10 weeks. Two to three hours of workshop per week for 6 weeks. Two to three hours of workshop per week for five weeks. Three hours of workshop per week for four weeks.

Mini-Special Topics: Read Less [-]

JOURN 220 Coding For Journalists 2 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This course is an introduction to programming concepts as they relate to the journalism industry. The goal of this course is to equip students with a foundational technical literacy to construct interactive online stories such as data visualizations, infographics, maps, multimedia packages, games or innumerable other types of projects students may conceive. Coding For Journalists: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Students must have completed the Digital News Packages class in the fall. Students who have not taken this course should contact the instructor for exceptions to the prerequisite. Basic knowledge of jQuery is highly encouraged

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week

Coding For Journalists: Read Less [-]

JOURN 221 Introduction to Data Visualization 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 This weekly three-hour course will explore the skills needed to find, clean, analyze and visualize data. The class consists of two hours of instruction and one hour of supervised lab time working on directed projects. Students will create a final project suitable for publication. The focus will be on free and open source tools that can immediately be applied to other projects and professional work. Introduction to Data Visualization: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week

Instructor: De Groot

Introduction to Data Visualization: Read Less [-]

JOURN 222 Interactive Narratives 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This class teaches students how to develop interactive online news packages using best practices in design and web development. The course focuses on story structure and production of content and will cover the following topics: Best practices in developing interactive multimedia stories online; Design fundamentals and typography for online content; HTML and CSS for designing and constructing web projects; jQuery coding for adding interactivity to online content. Interactive Narratives: Read More [+]

Instructors: Hernandez, Rue

Interactive Narratives: Read Less [-]

JOURN 223 New Media Visuals 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2015, Fall 2013 "Visual journalism" explores narratives as they are designed, produced, and consumed in various digital forms. Students will have the opportunity to explore various digital technologies, create and produce narratives, and analyze stories in digital forms. DSLR video narrative, animated visual explainers, data visualization design will all be explored and will serve as the primary areas of inquiry for this project-driven course. New Media Visuals: Read More [+]

Instructor: Hernandez

New Media Visuals: Read Less [-]

JOURN 225 Datify Your Capstone Project 1.5 Unit

Terms offered: Fall 2024 This is a seven-week graduate-level seminar course designed for journalism graduate students to learn how to find, acquire, clean, sort, parse, and visualize data for their master’s capstone projects. The course will include some foundational lessons that apply to all stories, and then delve into specific projects students are working on in order to teach them how to communicate their stories in a compelling and convincing way. The group environment of this course allows students to gain insight on how certain techniques used by others might also apply to their work. While this is primarily a seminar course, this course may also include a blend of lectures and hands-on workshops to deliver instruction as applicable to their projects. Datify Your Capstone Project: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 7 weeks - 7 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: Seven hours of seminar per week for seven weeks.

Datify Your Capstone Project: Read Less [-]

JOURN 226 Science Reporting 3 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Advanced study of methods of reporting developments in such fields as science, education, health, or the environment. Science Reporting: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: For journalism students, Journalism 200 or equivalent; for others, consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 8 hours of fieldwork per week

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture/discussion and eight hours of field work per week.

Instructor: Conis

Science Reporting: Read Less [-]

JOURN 228 Political Reporting 3 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2012, Fall 2010, Fall 2009 Study and discussion of politics and practice in reporting political events and campaigns. Political Reporting: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: For journalism students, 200 or equivalent; for others, consent of instructor

Instructor: Rasky

Political Reporting: Read Less [-]

JOURN 230 Business Reporting 3 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2020, Spring 2019, Spring 2018 Reporting and writing of business, financial, and consumer affairs. Business Reporting: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: For journalism students, 200

Business Reporting: Read Less [-]

JOURN 233 Advanced Coding Interactive Stories 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 This course teaches students code literacy. Beyond the specific skills they learn, students will have a more well-rounded understanding of crucial technologies that in influence the news industry in innumerable ways. They become better decision makers when working with technologists, and will help to forge the future of the journalism industry. This class covers prototypical object-oriented programming, an important component in many web coding languages. Topics covered include variables, typecasting, arrays, for-loops, conditional statements, comparison operators, functions, enclosures and cross-domain data requesting. This course will also cover popular data libraries like D3 and Pandas. Advanced Coding Interactive Stories: Read More [+]

Additional Format: Three hours of seminar per week.

Advanced Coding Interactive Stories: Read Less [-]

JOURN 234 International Reporting 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This course is designed for students who are interested in foreign reporting. Course will include a broad overview of the issues that need to be researched when reporting on the politics, economics, and social issues of a foreign country. Past classes have traveled to Mexico, China, Cuba, Hungary, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru. International Reporting: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor

Additional Format: Three hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.

Instructor: Chavez

International Reporting: Read Less [-]

JOURN 242 Profiles 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 In this workshop students use the profile form to develop a variety of skills that may be helpful whenever undertaking an ambitious story: figuring out what the story is and why you are writing it; interviewing; observation; background reporting; structuring material; finding your voice; describing people without resorting to cliche; crafting a lead from what seems an infinite number of possibilities. Readings will be from great magazine and newspaper profile writers. Profiles: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Journalism 200 or consent of instructor

Instructor: Kahn

Profiles: Read Less [-]

JOURN 243 Long-Form Writing 3 or 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2020, Spring 2019 This class will trace the process of writing long-form pieces: how writers choose their sources, gather information, organize their material, and decide whether or not to believe what people tell them. Students will act as an editorial board for each other. Readings include profiles, books and book excerpts, Pulitizer-winning newspaper features, and magazine pieces from a variety of outlets. All assignments are intended for publication. Long-Form Writing: Read More [+]

Instructor: English

Long-Form Writing: Read Less [-]

JOURN 254 Opinion Writing 2 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2012, Spring 2011, Fall 2009 The reporting, writing, and editing of newspaper editorials and op-ed essays. Opinion Writing: Read More [+]

Additional Format: Two hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.

Opinion Writing: Read Less [-]

JOURN 255 Media Ethics 1.5 Unit

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Media Ethics will concentrate on ethical dilemmas faced by reporters and editors. Using case studies, readings and guest lecturers, the course examines the murkier conflicts that don't necessarily make it to court but nevertheless force difficult newsroom decision-making. What should journalists do? How should they justify their decisions? This course examines key ethical questions facing journalists, many of which took root in a pre-digital era. The central premise of this course is that journalism has the capacity to challenge social injustice, which is one reason to participate in and protect the profession. At the same time, dominant journalism has regularly dehumanized marginalized communities. Media Ethics: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 7 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture per week for seven weeks.

Instructor: Ed Wasserman

Media Ethics: Read Less [-]

JOURN 256 Journalism Law 1.5 Unit

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This course will familiarize you with the basic principles of American law under which you operate as a professional journalist. Coincidentally you will also become familiar with some basic legal concepts, and how courts operate. While this is a course about law it is not a law school course; it is intended to give you enough law to recognize when you face possible legal issues and when to seek legal counsel or other help before you (or your publisher/broadcaster/platform) get into trouble. Journalism Law: Read More [+]

Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for JOURN 256 after completing JOURN 256 . A deficient grade in JOURN 256 may be removed by taking JOURN 256 .

Fall and/or spring: 8 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture per week for 8 weeks.

Instructor: James Wheaton

Journalism Law: Read Less [-]

JOURN 260 Investigative Reporting for TV and Print 2 or 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Students will be required to investigate leads that are received by the faculty, and prepare briefing papers for the class to introduce guest speakers. They will work on researching and reporting assignments related to documentary productions and print stories for different outlets. "Sources," people with informtion critical to developing a story, need to be developed. The responsibilites of a reporter engaged in developing sourses will be a constant theme of the seminar. Investigative Reporting for TV and Print: Read More [+]

Instructor: Bergman

Investigative Reporting for TV and Print: Read Less [-]

JOURN 262 Narrative Fundamentals 3 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024 This course is for students pursuing the writing track and planning to complete short-form or long-form master’s projects, which includes those who hope to specialize in short-form, feature, and/or enterprise writing in their careers after graduation. The tools taught in this class will enable you to produce reported stories employing narrative techniques that will capture and hold the attention of readers. You will learn how the structure of a narrative differs from the structure of a hard news story. You will learn how to use color, detail, characters, scenes, suspense and narrative arcs. You will also study and discuss examples of narrative ranging from the simple to the complex. Narrative Fundamentals: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3-3 hours of seminar per week

Narrative Fundamentals: Read Less [-]

JOURN 264A Open Source Investigations I 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024 In this foundational investigations course, students will use legal, reporting and digital research methods to investigate a series of human rights issues for real-world partners. The outputs will be journalistic, including a series of audio, written and/or visual stories. Students will learn the following skills: beginning and intermediary digital research and investigation methods; verification techniques for digital materials; introductory geospatial and network analysis; traditional investigative methods; relevant ethical considerations; holistic security; cross-disciplinary communication and collaboration; the collection and analysis of large datasets; how to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams; and relevant legal frameworks. Open Source Investigations I: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar and 2 hours of laboratory per week

Additional Format: Two hours of laboratory and two hours of seminar per week.

Open Source Investigations I: Read Less [-]

JOURN 264B Open Source Investigations II 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024 In this advanced investigations course, students will use legal, reporting and digital research methods to investigate a series of human rights issues for real-world partners. The outputs will be journalistic, including a series of audio, written and/or visual stories. Students will learn the following skills: beginning and intermediary digital research and investigation methods; verification techniques for digital materials; introductory geospatial and network analysis; traditional investigative methods; relevant ethical considerations; holistic security; cross-disciplinary communication and collaboration; the collection and analysis of large datasets; how to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams; and relevant legal frameworks. Open Source Investigations II: Read More [+]

Open Source Investigations II: Read Less [-]

JOURN 267 Race, Resistance, and Incarceration 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 1992 Mass incarceration has affected all of our lives. It costs $55,000 per year to incarcerate a man in a California prison. In the 1960s, tuition was free. There were fewer than 25,000 inmates and eight prisons. Now, there are more than 33 prisons and 115,000 inmates. Tuition for California residents is more than $15,000 at UC. This course will bring UC Berkeley students into a classroom setting inside a prison where their classmates will be graduates of Mt. Tamalpais College, an accredited and award-winning community college for San Quentin prisoners. The Cal students and the SQ students will read, discuss and write about fundamental aspects of incarceration, among them race, resistance, and criminal justice. Race, Resistance, and Incarceration: Read More [+]

Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for JOURN 267 after completing JOURN 267 . A deficient grade in JOURN 267 may be removed by taking JOURN 267 .

Race, Resistance, and Incarceration: Read Less [-]

JOURN 275 Radio News Reporting 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2021 Study of techniques, practices, and methods of gathering and writing radio news. Students will produce weekly live radio news programs. Enrollment is limited to 15. Radio News Reporting: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 4 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: Four hours of seminar per week.

Radio News Reporting: Read Less [-]

JOURN 276 Audio on Assignment 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Assigned stories are part of life as a professional journalist. This course teaches students how to be creative, resourceful and rigorous in pursuing a wide range of stories, of the sort students could be expected to do as public radio journalists. Students in this class will report early and often, building on their existing audio journalism skills and honing their ability tell mid-length (5-12 minute) audio journalism stories well. Guest-speakers will include award-winning audio journalists and editors, who will share tips for making audio stories memorable and impactful. Audio on Assignment: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Journalism 275 Intro to Radio, or previous experience in audio journalism

Instructor: Magistad

Audio on Assignment: Read Less [-]

JOURN 282 Introduction to Visual Journalism 3 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Study of the history and institutions of broadcast journalism (nine weeks), practice, techniques of reporting news for radio and television. Introduction to Visual Journalism: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3-4 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Three to four hours of lecture per week.

Introduction to Visual Journalism: Read Less [-]

JOURN 283 Reporting for Television 5 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Producing, directing, writing, and videotaping of live weekly television news program. Reporting for Television: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 282 and consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 5 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Five hours of lecture per week.

Reporting for Television: Read Less [-]

JOURN 284 Documentary Production 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Production of television documentary news programs. Documentary Production: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 282, 283, and consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 12 hours of laboratory per week

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture and twelve hours of laboratory/field work per week.

Instructor: Nakasako

Documentary Production: Read Less [-]

JOURN 285 Longform Video Reporting and Storytelling 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Reporting and production of television news magazine stories and programs. Longform Video Reporting and Storytelling: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Journalism 282, 283 and consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 4 hours of lecture and 8 hours of laboratory per week

Additional Format: Four hours of lecture and eight hours of laboratory per week.

Instructor: Cediel

Longform Video Reporting and Storytelling: Read Less [-]

JOURN 286 History of Documentary 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This course covers the evolution of American documentary film from 1920 to the present, with special attention to independent productions and documentaries for network television. In the works of Fred Wiseman, Henry Hampton, Lourdes Portillo, Errol Morris, Marlon Riggs, Barbara Kopple, Orlando Bagwell, the Maysles, and the network staff producers, we look at the practical problems of making documentaries for a mass audience. (Required for J-School students who are considering specializing in documentary.) History of Documentary: Read More [+]

Instructor: Lozano

History of Documentary: Read Less [-]

JOURN 290 Editing Workshop 2 or 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2020, Spring 2011, Fall 2009 It can take a lifetime of writing to learn how to critique and revise your work. Hard as writing can be, rewriting -- breaking back into your own framework, rethinking, re-imagining, and revising -- can be harder yet. Sometimes only an editor can help you gain the distance needed to view your work. No matter how good a journalist you may be, an editor can help you reach another stage in your writing process. Editing Workshop: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Journalism students only; priority to second-year students completing master's project

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2-3 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: Two to three hours of seminar and individual meetings per week.

Editing Workshop: Read Less [-]

JOURN 294 Master's Project Seminar 1 - 2 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2022 Group meetings plus individual tutorials. Methods of research, organization, and preparation of professional thesis projects. Required of M.J. candidates working on thesis projects during both Fall and Spring semesters. Master's Project Seminar: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 200 and consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-2 hours of seminar per week

Summer: 8 weeks - 2-4 hours of seminar per week 10 weeks - 1.5-3 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: One to two hours of seminar per week. One and one-half to three hours of seminar per week for 10 weeks. Two to four hours of seminar per week for 8 weeks.

Master's Project Seminar: Read Less [-]

JOURN 296 Topical Reporting in Journalism 1 - 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This seminar course will explore a topic related to current events in the media. The topic will vary from year to year. Topics may include climate change, elections and politics, public health crises, war reporting, the economy of journalistic media, international conflicts, and many similar areas. It will include readings and critical discussions on media coverage of the topic; analysis on the reporting efforts to cover stories within this topic; and discussion on the ethical dilemmas encountered both by individual reporters and the media organizations they work for, and the role they play in shaping the public’s understanding of an issue. Topical Reporting in Journalism: Read More [+]

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Students may enroll in multiple sections of this course within the same semester.

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-3 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: One to three hours of seminar per week.

Topical Reporting in Journalism: Read Less [-]

JOURN 297 Field Study in Journalism 1 - 2 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 Supervised experience in the practice of journalism in off-campus organizations. Individual meeting with faculty sponsor and written reports required. See Additional Information, "Field Study and Internships." Field Study in Journalism: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of fieldwork per week

Summer: 6 weeks - 1-2 hours of fieldwork per week 8 weeks - 1-2 hours of fieldwork per week

Additional Format: Field study.

Field Study in Journalism: Read Less [-]

JOURN 298 Group Study - Special Topics 2 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Specialized seminar topics in reporting and writing. Group Study - Special Topics: Read More [+]

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.

Summer: 6 weeks - 5-7.5 hours of seminar per week 8 weeks - 1-3 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: Two to three hours of group meeting per week.

Group Study - Special Topics: Read Less [-]

JOURN 299 Individual Study 1 - 3 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2024 First 6 Week Session, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Supervised individual study and research. Individual Study: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week

Summer: 6 weeks - 2-5 hours of independent study per week 8 weeks - 1-3 hours of independent study per week

Additional Format: Individual study.

Individual Study: Read Less [-]

JOURN 601 Individual Study for Master's Students 1 - 8 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Fall 2021 Individual preparation or study in consultation with faculty adviser. Study ultimately leads to the completion of the Master's Project/Examination. Units may not be used to meet either unit or residence requirements for a master's degree. Individual Study for Master's Students: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Course is restricted to journalism students

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with advisor consent.

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-8 hours of independent study per week

Summer: 6 weeks - 2.5-20 hours of independent study per week 8 weeks - 1.5-15 hours of independent study per week

Subject/Course Level: Journalism/Graduate examination preparation

Individual Study for Master's Students: Read Less [-]

Contact Information

121 North Gate Hall

Phone: 510-642-3383

Fax: 510-643-9136

Geeta Anand

[email protected]

Associate Dean

Koci Hernandez

[email protected]

Student Affairs Advisors

David Thigpen & Daniel Marquez

Phone: 510-643-5058

[email protected]

Print Options

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School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Ma/phd in mass communication faq.

Q: How many applicants do you accept each year into your graduate program?

A: We typically accept 3-6 PhD and MA students each year.

Q: How long does the program take to complete?

A: Most of our MA students complete their degree in 2 years. Most of our PhD students complete their degree in 4 years.

Q: What funding opportunities exist for PhD students?

A: Most PhD students receive teaching assistantships within the School. Funded PhD students are given four years of funding. In addition, the Graduate College offers several fellowship opportunities that can be found on their website.

Q: What funding opportunities exist for MA students?

A: Admitted MA students are eligible for up to two years of funding. Most funded MA students receive teaching assistantships within the School. In addition, the Graduate College offers several fellowship opportunities that can be found on their website.

Q: Am I able to transfer credits or grades from other institutions into the program?

A: Students entering the PhD program who have completed a relevant master’s degree may transfer up to 30 hours of graduate credit from academic courses, including up to 3 credit hours for their thesis. Transfer courses must be relevant to the student’s PhD plan of study and may not include professional skills courses. All transfer work submitted to the University of Iowa is subject to approval by the Graduate College.

Q: What are the program's areas of strength? 

A: The School offers several areas of strength to support graduate student research in both traditional and digital media:

• Critical and cultural studies
• Sports media
• International/development studies
• Health communication
• Journalism studies
• Digital media

Q: In addition to coursework, what mentorship opportunities are available to graduate students? 

A: Our program size allows for dedicated mentorship with the School’s internationally recognized faculty. Our graduate students frequently collaborate on research projects with faculty and each other.

Q: Does the University of Iowa offer graduate certificates ? 

A: The University offers more than 20 graduate certificates. Below are a few certificates of particular interest to our students, but the full list can be found here .

• African American Studies
• College Teaching
• Gender, Women's & Sexuality Studies
• Online Teaching
• Public Digital Humanities
• Public Health

Q: Where do you place your doctoral students after graduation ? 

A: Alumni of our doctoral program can be found at a number of institutions of higher education as well as in industry-leading positions outside of academia. An abbreviated list includes:

Questions about Iowa City

Q: What is Iowa City like?

A: Iowa City consistently ranks near the top of lists about best college towns and most liveable cities . It has been designated a “City of Literature” by UNESCO – one of only 20 in the world.

Q: What is there to do in Iowa City?

A: There are lots of options for dining, entertainment, and nightlife in Iowa City. You can read more about graduate student life here .

Q: Where do graduate students live while they are in your program? A: Depending on their preferences and budgets, our students live all over the Iowa City/Coralville/North Liberty area. The university’s Off-Campus Housing page is a great resource to learn about housing options in the area and even find a roommate.

Questions about applying

Q: When is the application deadline?

A: The application deadline is January 1st for the following academic year.

Q: How do I apply?

A: You must apply using the Office of Admissions application portal . Once inside the portal, you will apply to the program through the Graduate College.

Q: What is the name of the program in the Graduate College admissions site?

A: The MA and PhD programs are listed under “Mass Communication.”

Q: What materials are required with the application?

A: In addition to personal and educational information, you must submit the following:

• A statement of purpose
• A sample of your academic writing
• An up-to-date CV or résumé
• Names of three individuals who will provide letters of recommendation
• An unofficial transcript from previous institution(s) (if admitted, official transcripts will be required before enrollment)

Q: What is the application fee?

A: The application fee is $60 for U.S. residents and $100 for international applicants.

Q: Is the G RE exam required?

A: We do not require applicants to complete the GRE exam. We recognize the limitations and biases of standardized testing. Applicants can submit GRE scores if they so desire, but applicants who have not taken the exam or do not wish to submit their scores will not be penalized.

Q: Are international students required to take an English proficiency exam?

A: International applicants that do not meet the requirements for a waiver are required to submit English proficiency scores. Applicants will be given a waiver if they are a citizen, or have earned the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree, Master's degree or Ph.D in the United States, or any of the countries listed on the Graduate College website .

Q: Do I need a master's degree to apply to the PhD program?

A: Most applicants without a master’s degree will be considered for admission into our MA program. However, in special cases where an applicant has a particularly strong academic record or exceptionally strong professional experience in the field, a student without a master’s degree may be admitted directly to the PhD program.

Q: How are applications evaluated?

A: Candidates are evaluated on the following criteria: statement of research goals, alignment with research strengths of the School, motivation and preparation for graduate school, writing ability, and potential for teaching. These should be your points of emphasis when putting together your application.

Additional Questions?

If you have any questions about the program, the application process, or need assistance with a requirement listed above, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies:

Brian Ekdale School of Journalism and Mass Communication Director of Graduate Studies / Associate Professor E324 Adler Journalism Building (AJB) 319-384-3605  [email protected]

NOTICE: The University of Iowa Center for Advancement is an operational name for the State University of Iowa Foundation, an independent, Iowa nonprofit corporation organized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, publicly supported charitable entity working to advance the University of Iowa. Please review its full disclosure statement.

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The Complete Guide to Postgraduate Journalism

03 rd February 2023

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Journalism is an exciting, diverse and competitive career. It can offer a route into work for students with a wide variety of skills, including writing, interviewing, researching, public speaking, camera work and more. Studying journalism at a postgraduate level will help students to build their talents in their respective fields, and some courses will even be accredited by relevant journalism bodies like the NCTJ, the PTC or the BJTC. If you’re considering taking a journalism course but aren’t sure where to start, this subject guide will give you all the information you need. 

CONTENTS  

• Why do a journalism degree?
• What qualifications can you get?
• What jobs can you do with a journalism degree?
• What are the journalism degree entry requirements?
• What journalism courses are there?
• What topics does a journalism degree cover?
• What do you learn in a journalism degree?
• How will you be taught and assessed?
• How long is a journalism degree?
• Where can you study journalism?
• What similar subjects are there to journalism?

Why do a journalism degree? 

A postgraduate degree in journalism can help students to achieve lifelong goals of entering the industry, particularly after studying a subject that isn’t related to journalism or after working in a different industry. Employers in journalism value the depth of knowledge and analytical and writing skills gained by students studying another subject at university. 

There are also many skills that journalism courses can develop which will be advantageous when looking for work in the industry. Whether you have an interest in film, photography, radio, the internet, magazines, books, interviews or many other avocations, there are options to develop them into journalistic strengths via postgraduate education.  

What qualifications can you get? 

A variety of postgraduate qualifications are available in journalism, allowing students from all kinds of educational and employment backgrounds to hone their craft. Shorter courses like the PGDip and PGCert will often be taken by people looking to retrain and change their career paths.  

There are many different taught master’s courses which let students focus on a particular element of journalism, like Sports Broadcast Journalism or International Journalism. Alongside these courses, there are also general journalism programmes which give students more broad training in several different areas.  

If you’re looking to delve deeper into journalism, there are research-based courses like PhDs and doctorates available too. These programmes will offer students freedom to explore an aspect of journalism and help the development of the industry. 

What jobs can you do with a journalism degree? 

Journalism courses can build on existing proficiencies, which students can use to propel themselves into a desired career. The programmes can also uncover skills that open new options in terms of careers. Journalism jobs can include... 

• Journalist 
• Reporter 
• Sub-editor 
• Editorial assistant 
• Social media executive 
• Researcher 
• Producer 
• Scriptwriter 
• Presenter 
• Magazine designer 

What are the journalism degree entry requirements? 

Though entry requirements will vary between universities and courses, many programmes will expect you to have at least a 2:2 bachelor’s degree, though some may ask for a 2:1 grade. Conversely, some may not require you to have a university degree at all and will accept you on the course if you have relevant work experience. It’s best to get in contact with the university providing the course to find out specifics about entry requirements. 

What journalism courses are there? 

An attractive prospect of studying journalism at postgraduate level is that you can take a course which either offers generalised skills development in the area, or focuses on a particular aspect that you are interested in. Here are a few examples of journalism courses available... 

• Investigative Journalism MA 
• MA Journalism: Social Justice Journalism 
• MA International Journalism for Digital Media 
• MA/PGDip Documentary Journalism 
• MA Global Football Journalism 

What topics does a journalism degree cover? 

The topics that students learn while taking postgraduate journalism courses can vary between universities. To get an idea of what you could be studying, take a look at these modules which are featured on various journalism courses... 

• Creating Magazines: Content and Context 
• Sport and the Media 
• Multi-Platform Journalism 
• Journalism Ethics 
• Writing and Producing News for a Digital Audience 

What do you learn in a journalism degree? 

Journalism courses will provide students the opportunity to undertake different tasks spread across a variety of mediums, genres or topics, developing a skillset that will benefit them when trying to begin their career in the industry.  

Not only will students hone these skills in the classroom, but there are many courses which include work placements. This lets the students see what a job in journalism could really be like, and allows for portfolio building and networking, which will also be useful when finding work. 

Alongside the expected skills involved in creating journalistic pieces, students will also learn about the laws and ethics involved in journalism.  

How will you be taught and assessed? 

Journalism courses can be taught via lectures and workshops, but many will also include lots of practical work. Universities will often invest in specialised facilities for journalism students like radio broadcast booths, television studios and filming equipment to help develop skills that will transfer immediately to real journalism workplaces. 

Assessments on journalism courses with often be portfolio-based, alongside dissertations and presentations. 

How long is a journalism degree? 

Journalism degrees can be different lengths depending on what qualification they award. Shorter courses like PGCerts and PGDips can be under a year, while master’s degrees can last between a year to two years. Doctorates and PhDs can last up to four years if studied full-time. Courses can take twice as long if studied part-time. 

Where can you study journalism? 

There are universities across the UK that offer postgraduate courses in journalism which award various qualifications. To find out where you could study this subject, use our handy course search tool, which can be filtered by start date, qualification and location. 

What similar subjects are there to journalism? 

If journalism isn’t exactly right for you, there are many other postgraduate courses that would be worth looking at, including... 

• English literature 
• Creative writing 
• Media production 
• Photography 
• Performing arts 

Next: Search for postgraduate journalism courses

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Media and journalism mres, bangor university, ma broadcast and digital journalism international, university of east anglia uea, publishing (distance learning) ma or pgdip or pgcert, oxford brookes university, ma publishing, manchester metropolitan university, ma post production editing, bournemouth university, your next steps.

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Journalism and Communication

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Course Overview

Our MPhil/PhD programme in Journalism and Communication invites you to submit a proposal for research on the journalistic and communicative dimensions of agenda-setting, cities, conflict, ethics, media ownership, mis- and disinformation, professional ideologies, race and related topics.

An MPhil/PhD is an advanced postgraduate research degree that requires original research and the submission of a substantial dissertation. The MPhil thesis is not more than 60,000 words; the PhD thesis is not more than 100,000 words. This programme also welcomes practice-based PhD theses, the requirements for which vary according to the nature of the research and should be discussed with the admissions tutors. Both the MPhil and the PhD are assessed by a viva voce examination.

We offer an exceptionally stimulating environment , where your journalism and communication research will flourish in a wider interdisciplinary context. We have critically engaged research clusters working on cultural policy, creative labour, curatorial practice, digital aesthetics, digital politics, essay film, film exhibition, journalism and democracy, media reform, mediated spaces and television studies.

Our aim is to offer a programme of seminars, lectures, conferences, workshops and reading groups that not only help you build your research skills, but generate a sense of intellectual community, based on dialogue and mutual support. You will also be offered training sessions at all levels of the College, including at the  Birkbeck Graduate Research School (BGRS).

At Birkbeck, you are initially registered on an MPhil and you upgrade to a PhD after satisfactory progress in the first year or two (full time). You need to find a suitable academic supervisor at Birkbeck, who can offer the requisite expertise to guide and support you through your research. Find out more about undertaking a research degree at Birkbeck .

Key information

Journalism and communication mphil/phd: 7 years part-time, on campus, starting 2024-25.

• October 2024
• January 2025

Journalism and Communication MPhil/PhD: 4 years full-time, on campus, starting 2024-25

Find another course:

• This MPhil/PhD in  Journalism and Communication is offered as part of a range of competitively awarded PhD studentships funded by support from UK Research and Innovation, charities, government and external partners.
• The award-winning  Birkbeck Cinema  is central to our research culture. The 70-seat cinema is equipped with 35mm and state-of-the-art DCP projection. Our  Birkbeck Institute for the Moving Image  (BIMI) runs a busy, intellectually stimulating programme of events, including conferences, screenings and film-related events of all kinds, including at our cinema.
• You will have the opportunity to participate in and attend the  Essay Film Festival , jointly run by BIMI and the  Institute of Contemporary Arts  (ICA), with free admission to events hosted at Birkbeck. You will also be able to take advantage of practical film-making opportunities offered through the  Derek Jarman Lab .
• The Vasari Research Centre for Art and Technology integrates a wide range of digital culture research at Birkbeck, while making available equipment and systems to students, interns and academics. In addition, the  Birkbeck Interdisciplinary Research in Media and Culture (BIRMAC) provides a unique space for reflective critical inquiry on media and culture, where researchers from different disciplines can gather and participate in a sustained intellectual conversation in a truly interdisciplinary context.
• As well as the Birkbeck Library , you will have access to the nearby Senate House Library , various libraries of the University of London colleges, the British Library , as well as other specialist collections and institutions in central London, including the British Film Institute library.
• Birkbeck was ranked as one of the top four universities in the UK for its Art and Design research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. Birkbeck’s research excellence overall was  confirmed in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework  with 83% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

Entry Requirements

A good degree in journalism, media, communication, cultural studies, or other related areas in the social sciences, humanities or political science. Depending on your background and research experience, a BA might be sufficient. Generally we recommend that you apply with a good MA degree.

You will also need to submit a specific indication of research interests with your application, and a 2000-word proposal.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this programme is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 7.0, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement,  we offer pre-sessional English courses, foundation programmes and language support services  to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our  English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country .

Visa and funding requirements

If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

• Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
• Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).

For full information, read our visa information for international students page .

Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country .

Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

Journalism and Communication MPhil/PhD: 7 years part-time or 4 years full-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25

Academic year 2024–25, starting october 2024, january 2025, april 2025.

Part-time home students: £2,539 per year Full-time home students: £4,786 per year Part-time international students : £7,525 per year Full-time international students: £14,885 per year

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy .

If you’ve studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a discount on the tuition fee of this course.

Fees and finance

PhD students resident in England can apply for government loans of over £26,000 to cover the cost of tuition fees, maintenance and other study-related costs.

Flexible finance: pay your fees in monthly instalments at no extra cost . Enrol early to spread your costs and reduce your monthly payments.

We offer a range of studentships and funding options to support your research.

Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

International scholarships

We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. Discover if you are eligible for a scholarship .

Our research culture

Our research encompasses journalism, film and television, artistic practice and arts management, and digital media, culture and design . Our work is critically engaged, challenging conventional assumptions about the functions and influence of media and culture, scrutinising institutions, organisations and work practices in the creative industries, and rethinking what media can mean and do.

We place particular emphasis on practice-based research, in which ideas and issues are investigated through activities such as creative film-making and digital design. The research of our academic staff is thoroughly interdisciplinary, and incorporates both historical research and contemporary explorations of our rapidly changing media landscapes.

In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework for Art and Design research Birkbeck was ranked 4th nationally with world-leading achievements for environment (90%), impact (67%) and outputs (65%).

We work with a wide range of partners, including the  V&A , the  Institute of Contemporary Arts ,  University of Pittsburgh ,  BFI ,  Science and Media Museum ,  Lux Cinema ,  Tate Britain ,  Media Reform Coalition ,  Action on Armed Violence  and  Electra , and the facilities available to staff and students include the  Vasari Research Centre , the  Birkbeck Cinema , the  Peltz Gallery  and the  Derek Jarman Lab .

Teaching opportunities

As part of our commitment to professional development, you have the opportunity to gain experience in teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. There is also a 10-week lecture series, Teaching in the Arts, which is designed to prepare students for teaching humanities in higher education.

Follow these steps to apply to an MPhil/PhD research degree at Birkbeck:

1. Check that you meet the entry requirements, including English language requirements, as described on this page.

2. Find a potential supervisor for your MPhil/PhD research. You can look at the Find a Supervisor area on this page for an overview, or  search our Experts’ Database  or  browse our staff pages  for more in-depth information. You may also find it helpful to  view the research projects of our current students .

3. Contact the academic member of staff - or the department they teach in - for an informal discussion about your research interests and to establish if they are willing and able to supervise your research. (Please note: finding a potential supervisor does not guarantee admission to the research degree, as this decision is made using your whole application.)  Find out more about the supervisory relationship and how your supervisor will support your research .

4. Draft a research proposal of up to 2000 words (excluding references). This needs to demonstrate your knowledge of the field, the specific research questions you wish to pursue, and how your ideas will lead to the creation of new knowledge and understanding.  Find out more about writing a research proposal .

5. Apply directly to Birkbeck, using the online application link on this page. If your research proposal meets our entry criteria, and we have an appropriate academic to supervise you, we will invite you for an interview, in person or by telephone. All research students are initially registered on an MPhil and then upgrade to a PhD after making sufficient progress.

Find out more about the application process, writing a research proposal and the timeframe .

Application deadlines and interviews

You can apply throughout the year for commencement in October or the following January.

If you wish to apply for funding, you will need to apply by certain deadlines. Consult the websites of relevant bodies for details.

Apply for your course

Apply for your course using the apply now button in the key information section .

Finding a supervisor

A critical factor when applying for postgraduate study in journalism and communication is the correlation between the applicant’s intellectual and research interests and those of one or more potential supervisors.

Find out more about the research interests of our  academic staff  and their areas of research.

Related courses

• Film and Screen Media (MPhil/PhD)
• Cultural Policy and Management (MPhil/PhD)
• Digital Culture and Communication (MPhil/PhD)

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Careers in Science Journalism and Writing 1

Science journalists cover some of the most complex, exciting, and important issues of our day, ranging from the impacts of climate change to emerging infectious diseases. They use words, sounds, images, and graphics to create compelling stories about science that appear in newspapers and magazines, in print and online, on the radio and TV, and in podcasts and videos. The field is undergoing rapid change, which presents both challenges and opportunities. The migration of readers and advertising to the internet and digital platforms has led to declining sales of print publications. This means that jobs are now scarce in traditional print media, but that there are growing opportunities to produce digital content.

Science writers use words, sounds, images, and graphics to communicate complex and important scientific issues to broad audiences. Job opportunities for science writers continue to grow, particularly in the online realm.

Science journalism as a career is hard work and is unlikely to make you rich; it is also varied, fascinating, and rewarding. It combines the creativity of writing and media with the intellectual fascination of the scientific field. It is very satisfying to have your story read or watched by perhaps tens of thousands of people, and even—at its widest reach—have an influence on policy or on society at large. It is also an important profession, because it involves investigating, analyzing, and communicating issues that are crucial to society, such as pollution and human health. There is arguably an urgent need for outstanding science journalists and communicators who can help translate and analyze these issues, as well as hold science and scientists to account.

If all of this sounds appealing, then the best way to take a step into science journalism is to have a go at it. Write something, record some audio, and shoot some video. Although there is no set route into the field, many people in the United States do attend science journalism programs, which can help build skills, establish contacts, and open doors. It is competitive, but very talented people can find a unique and highly rewarding career in science journalism.

Science journalists and writers cover subjects ranging from contentious developments in embryonic stem cell medicine, to the discovery of planets in remote solar systems, to arcane advances in quantum physics and gene regulation. Science journalists also provide analysis, context, and perspective by, for example, exploring a discovery's social and political implications.

Science journalism serves as a major route by which sometimes-complex scientific issues are communicated to a broad audience. Journalists cover issues in which science impacts on society and policy, such as climate change, energy, pollution, genetically modified crops, medicine, nuclear proliferation, and natural disasters. Journalists also hold scientists and the scientific process up to scrutiny. They examine questionable statistics or overinflated claims; they investigate scientific misconduct, conflicts of interest, and ethical breaches. At their best, they can be cool, objective critics of science.

In many ways, science journalism is very similar to research. Journalists, like scientists, find an aspect of science that fascinates them and that they may know little about. Journalists ask questions and look to evidence to provide answers. But rather than dedicating several months or years to researching a question, a news journalist spends somewhere between two hours and two weeks—depending on the deadline—researching it and turning it into a story using writing, sound, or video. Then—unlike some academic science—the story is quickly published or broadcast and, with any luck, a significant number of people read or watch it. Some of those people may comment that they like it or hate it, or that it had an impact on their thinking, or even on their life or on science policy. (By then, of course, our news journalist will be researching and writing about something else.)

For the journalist, all this makes for an endlessly fascinating, constantly changing, and intellectually stretching profession. For the audience, it hopefully makes for an enlightening, stimulating, informative, influential, and entertaining article or program.

The Spectrum of Science Communication

There is a wide range of careers involving science writing and communication. Within that, many people in the profession make a distinction between straight science journalists and those who communicate science for the purpose of publicity. Those in the latter category might call themselves science writers, science communicators, science publicists, or public information officers (PIOs). This article uses the term science publicists.

Science publicists typically work for universities, research institutes, museums, government agencies, charitable bodies, or private foundations—any organization with an interest in science. They typically write, or produce other media content, about the science and scientists being supported by the organization for which they work. This content may appear on the institution's website and in its print publications, or form part of a press release sent out to the media. This is largely done to promote the organization and its work.

Science journalists, by contrast, typically work for newspapers, magazines, TV and radio stations, digital news outlets, and other commercial or not-for-profit media organizations. They conventionally do more reporting, critique, and analysis of the subject for their readers than a science publicist.

The following example illustrates the difference. Imagine that scientists at Prestige University (PU) are about to publish a paper in a top-tier journal reporting a link between a type of cancer and a common viral infection. Science writers in the communication office of PU put together a press release summarizing the work and send it out to various media. They also interview the scientists and write a story about the paper and its potential implications, which is then published on PU's news website. The aim is to increase the profile of PU and communicate its findings widely.

The journalist who wants to cover the story, however, typically digs a bit deeper. They call the scientists who did the work, as well as a handful of other researchers in the field, including the author's main competitor, and a patient advocacy group. (Is the link plausible? Do the data look sound? Is the interpretation reasonable? Who funded the work? How far is it from being clinically useful?) The journalist might end up writing an article saying that the work is being embraced by patient communities but raising eyebrows among scientists, who question the rigor of the data and analysis. The journalist is writing about the same paper as the science publicist, but it is reported and analytical.

Some people view science publicity as a different—and even slightly lesser—pursuit than science journalism because it can have less depth of analysis and the author has less freedom to write objectively. (“You don't own your story,” says writer and author Ann Finkbeiner, who served as Director of the science-medical writing graduate program at Johns Hopkins University.) The boundaries between journalism and publicity are increasingly blurred, but it is still worth having an appreciation of the difference. In this article, however, the terms science journalist and writer are used fairly interchangeably to cover the spectrum of science journalism, publicity, and communication.

This article attempts to outline a few important things to know before taking the leap into science journalism as a career: what science journalists do, how to dip a toe in the water, and what qualities and skills it takes to succeed. It focuses on writing about science, because that is the area that I know best; it also focuses on the United States, although much of the content is also relevant to those elsewhere in the world. In researching this article, I interviewed the leaders or directors of several major science journalism and writing programs in the United States: at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of California–Santa Cruz, Johns Hopkins University, Boston University, New York University, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison, as well as a handful of other experts in the field.

Journalism is in a state of rapid transition—a bust following a boom. In 1978, the launch of The New York Times science section kicked off a decade-long expansion of science journalism. Many other newspapers followed suit, and several popular science news magazines, such as Discover , started up.

Today, the landscape is different and in flux. The New York Times and The Washington Post are unusual in maintaining a weekly section dedicated to science, although other major national and regional papers still have reporters devoted to covering science, health, technology, or the environment. A cluster of major science news magazines caters to the science-interested public, and they are increasingly focused on digital content. These include Scientific American , Science News , New Scientist , Wired , MIT Technology Review , and National Geographic . There are also well-known specialist publications that maintain news sections and whose main audience is working scientists and engineers, such as Science , Nature , The Scientist , IEEE Spectrum , and Chemical and Engineering News.

The reason for changes in science media lies in the internet and digital publishing platforms, which are causing a profound and rapid change in the media as a whole. A 2013 report by the Pew Research Center showed that in 2004, 24% of people surveyed had consumed the previous day's news from the internet; by 2012, that figure had risen to 39% and some 50% had consumed news from some kind of digital source. Social media such as Facebook and Twitter are now many people's primary source for news. The “old” media—including newspapers, magazines, books, TV, radio, and anything else predating the internet—is sometimes referred to as legacy media.

All of this means that print circulations of newspapers and magazines are decreasing as readers migrate to the internet and mobile devices to consume their news; at the same time, print advertising revenues have dropped. With readers and income decreasing, many print outlets for science journalism have shrunk, or closed. According to one analysis, the number of U.S. newspapers with a science section dropped from 95 to 34 between 1989 and 2005. Of the roughly 2300 members of the National Association for Science Writers (NASW), the professional body for science writers and journalists in the United States, only 3% were staff newspaper reporters in 2011. (In Europe, decreasing circulations are also creating problems, but the situation is not quite as acute; in the United Kingdom, for example, there has been a slight decrease in the number of science journalists since 2005.)

The internet and other forms of digital media are also leading to a proliferation of new outlets for science news. There is a growing ecosystem of specialist science news websites. The internet also partly explains the expansion of science media and communication offices run by research agencies (such as the National Institutes of Health or NASA), universities, research foundations (such as the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Simons Foundation, and others), and other science-related organizations (such as the American Geophysical Union, American Chemical Society, and Society for Neuroscience, to name just a few). Rather than writing news releases, as they might have done in the past, these organizations reach their audience directly by writing and publishing their own material. Some nonprofit organizations are running substantial science news outlets in their own right.

Meanwhile, the broadcast media have been more stable. Several established outlets such as Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) produce science news and programs, as do smaller production companies. There is also a diverse, thriving world of science podcasts. Some of these are produced by scientists; some are spin-offs from other media; many break with the model of standard science journalism and are trying innovative forms of communication, exemplified by NPR's Radiolab . Newspapers and magazines are increasingly producing podcasts or short videos, creating another hybrid between old and new media.

JOBS: WHAT DO SCIENCE JOURNALISTS DO?

Reporter, editor, staffer, freelancer, author.

Many people in journalism today started out as reporters. Reporters find stories, interview sources, and then write them up for publication in a newspaper, magazine, or other outlet. They write short news stories over a period of hours or days—and longer features, which can take weeks or months to report and write. Most journalists have a specialty, or “beat,” such as biomedicine or physical sciences. Broadcast journalists tell the same stories using scripts, audio, and video.

Staff reporters are typically employed full time by a media organization. Freelancers, by contrast, effectively run their own business, writing or producing content for many outlets. Staff positions provide a steady wage and benefits and can be relatively secure (depending on the financial health of the employer, of course); on the other hand, staff reporters answer to editors who can tell them to drop everything at 6:00 p.m. and cover a breaking story. Freelancers have more autonomy to pursue stories that interest them and to manage their own time, but they often have less financial security and may have to work harder to get the attention of an editor. There is a thriving community of freelance science journalists and writers.

Editors oversee the process. They typically commission stories from staff and freelance reporters. They might commission stories they have identified, or ones the reporters have pitched to them. An editor will edit the story, which might involve anything from tweaking a few words to rewriting most of the piece. They also oversee the printed pages or the website, coordinate pictures and graphics, and plan special issues or collections—themed around gene editing, human migration, or single-cell biology, to point to a few examples from Nature . Copy editors check stories for accuracy and grammar, after editing and before publication. Digital editors or digital content managers typically oversee the posting of content and curate the site; they might also be dealing with a news organization's social media streams and other efforts to engage the audience.

A communication office at a university might have a similar structure, made up of science writers and editors, overseen by a head of communications. These often have the advantage of being secure, relatively well-paid jobs.

Salaries for journalism and writing positions vary enormously: A junior reporter might earn $20,000–$50,000 per year; a senior reporter at a national newspaper or a senior magazine editor could earn more than $100,000 per year. Freelancers typically earn a minimum of $1 per word, but word rates can be considerably more and depend on the publication and on a writer's experience.

A Word on Blogging and Social Media

The last decade saw a rapid proliferation of science blogs, some of which became part of major blogging networks—such as those hosted by Scientific American (see http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/ ), Wired (see http://www.wired.com/category/science-blogs/ ), and National Geographic (see http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com ). The blogging ecosystem is a diverse, interesting mix between old and new media. Scientists are blogging for themselves and on newspaper or magazine websites, and blogs have also helped to develop and launch many science journalists.

Bloggers write online about what interests them, without having to answer to bossy editors or stick to word limits. Easy-to-use platforms such as WordPress mean that anyone can quickly start a blog. Some bloggers report their entries and write much like a journalist; others are known for opinionated commentary. Some blogs are very high quality and build major followings; the boundaries between blogs and conventional opinion columns are increasingly blurred.

Twitter has become an essential part of many science journalists' toolbox as they find it an invaluable way to find stories and contacts and to communicate directly with their audience. Some journalists tweet prolifically, build up a huge following, and use the medium to help establish a reputation and increase their readership. News sites run Twitter, Facebook, and other social media feeds to discuss and promote content and to engage their audience. There are all kinds of other experiments in digital science media going on all the time.

However, it's almost impossible to make a living from blogging and tweeting alone. Most writers blog for free because they love to write, it helps to build a reputation and online presence, and because it allows them to interact closely with their readers. Some bloggers who are part of the big science blogging networks are paid a small amount, based on their number of page views.

The Multifunctional, Multimedia Journalist

The boundaries between different roles in journalism are blurred and people move from one to another. A freelance writer might run his or her own blog, Tweet avidly, write for newspapers and magazines, and also pen books. A video journalist might record a story, and then produce a written version to accompany it on the web. When considering a story, editors increasingly decide whether it makes most sense to cover it as written news, or using video or audio. All of this is leading to a demand for multimedia journalists who are comfortable producing content using text, graphics, digital media, audio, and video—although most journalists end up specializing to some extent.

The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Working in Science Journalism

Science journalism is never dull, because journalists move onto new stories quickly and are always learning. It is exciting to be writing about the frontiers of research and to see the big questions. It can also be very satisfying to work hard on something and know that many people will read or watch it, and perhaps be influenced by it or respond to it. Many journalists build name recognition and a reputation among their readers. Some journalists, presenters, and book authors achieve more widespread fame: for example, Rebecca Skloot, whose book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks topped the The New York Times bestseller list, and freelancer Carl Zimmer, who writes regularly for The New York Times , has written a string of books and has built an extensive following on social media.

On the downside, journalism can be stressful. Journalists work to constant, immovable deadlines. They may have as little as an hour to write a story. They have to quickly get to grips with complex subjects about which they may know very little, and translate those into more accessible language. They have to file well-written copy, on time, having interviewed sources and double-checked the facts. “The day by day journalism is to get it out quick, and get it out fast,” says Marcia Bartusiak, Professor of the Practice of the Graduate Program in Science Writing at MIT.

Many journalists who have held onto their jobs during the recent hard times are also facing increasing workloads. In a survey of science journalists for Nature in 2009, 59% of science journalists said the number of pieces they worked on in a week had increased in the last five years ( Brumfiel 2009 ). Journalists who were once dedicated to print are now asked to produce content for online news, podcasts, and social media. A 2009 report on the state of science journalists in the UK found that, faced with limited time, journalists were becoming overreliant on easy-to-digest press releases written by science publicists at journals, universities, and other organizations (see Williams and Clifford 2008 ). They can find it hard to carve out time to pursue an exclusive, investigative story or feature. “The critical nature of science journalism is blunted,” says Andrew Williams at Cardiff University, UK, who wrote the report and studies science media. “There is a corrosive dependency on sources because of the availability of well-crafted PR,” he says.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

There is no set route into science journalism. Some people in the field today attended a journalism program, and later specialized in science. Many others went from science to journalism. A fair few gave up on their PhD partway through when they realized that writing was for them, and never looked back. (Science journalist and author Ed Yong compiled an excellent collection of minibiographies from science writers about how they got into the field [see http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2010/07/29/on-the-origin-of-science-writers/ ].) At Nature , the news team contains a mix of people with all these backgrounds.

In the past, many journalists entered the profession by finding a junior reporter position at a newspaper or other media organization. They learned their skills on the job and worked their way up. (That is what I did.) A few people still get in this way, but the contraction of so many media organizations means that those entry-level positions are highly competitive and hard to come by.

Many people coming into the field today have attended a science writing or journalism course. There are more than 50 courses in the United States that train students in communicating science to the public and a growing number in other countries. A subset of these is focused on professional science journalism, in which students learn essential skills such as finding stories and reporting, and gain experience in a range of media, from writing a lengthy feature article to reporting, shooting, and producing a short documentary. “You learn the field systematically and get all the tools at the outset,” says Douglas Starr, codirector of the science journalism program at Boston University.

Is It Necessary to Take a Science Journalism Course?

It is not essential to have completed a science journalism course, but it can ease your way into a competitive field.

Course directors acknowledge that some people have no need for a postgraduate course. These include highly motivated students who have some hands-on experience in science and are ambitious enough to have secured science journalism internships, people who start out blogging or freelancing and establish a reputation and a writing career on the back of that work, and a handful of working scientists who are also lucky enough to be highly gifted writers. These people can skip further training.

For everyone else—scientists without any “clippings” of their written or recorded work, for example—a science journalism course has advantages. As well as building skills and confidence, a course helps open up a network of contacts. For example, many science journalism programs have established links with science media organizations and help set up internships there. ( Nature has found a string of talented interns from the University of California–Santa Cruz [UC Santa Cruz] science communication program and others; graduates from the Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting Program [SHERP] at New York University [NYU] tend to dominate the internships in New York.) These help to make contacts for future freelancing and open the door to jobs.

The disadvantages of a science journalism course are the time, commitment, and expense. Such programs can cost tens of thousands of dollars for tuition alone. The course directors strongly recommend that prospective students carefully research the program and examine whether and where recent graduates have landed jobs. “Find one that reflects the reality of the marketplace that exists now and 10 to 20 years from now,” says Dan Fagin, who heads SHERP. Competition for the top science journalism courses is also stiff: The MIT program, for example, gets some 70–80 applications for eight places.

Do You Need a PhD?

No. It is more important to be a talented reporter or writer (see discussion of skills and qualities, below) than to have a PhD or postdoctoral experience. But having one will not do you any harm, and in some cases might help.

Some of the top science journalism courses do look for in-depth experience in science. Entry to the UC–Santa Cruz program requires at least six months research or professional experience and about two-thirds of those entering the program have a master's or PhD. NYU likes to see significant experience in science, such as a science major or a master's degree, in students wanting to attend SHERP.

Having research experience can provide you with expertise in a particular field. This could give you confidence interviewing scientists—and having a niche, such as infectious diseases or genomics, can be an advantage when editors are looking to assign a story. “It's really important to establish yourself as a source of information that can't be easily obtained elsewhere,” says Fagin. “Make yourself the go-to person in a particular subject.” Research experience can also give you insight into the research process and community that you will be writing about.

On the other hand, a PhD is often no help at all. Many of the best science journalists have little to no research experience. The research from a PhD quickly becomes out of date. (My PhD in developmental biology was of little help when writing about the science leadership of Harvard University, for example). I hardly ever advertise my PhD to people that I interview, because it is usually irrelevant to the topic I am writing about. It can also cause them to assume I know more than I do, when I actually need them to explain their work to me from scratch.

What Skills and Qualities Do You Need?

To be successful in science journalism, there are many qualities that are more important than any qualification. When I receive a story pitch—a note from a freelance journalist outlining a story they would like to write for Nature —I do not look at the writer's resume or academic qualifications. I read the pitch to see if it is a great idea, well written and researched, and of interest to Nature 's readers. I also look to see if the author has written outstanding feature stories that demonstrate that he or she can carry out high-quality reporting and writing.

The directors of the science journalism courses—experts at screening through applications—say that they look for some of the following skills and attributes in aspiring science journalists.

• A talent for writing, with an appreciation of the difference between academic and science writing. When course directors read application letters, essays, and clippings they look for a spark that makes the writing stand out. “I look for that flair of voice,” says Robert Irion, former director of the UC–Santa Cruz science communication program. “It might be raw and untamed but there needs to be a spark—rather than a dry academic voice.”
• Evidence that an applicant has tried writing or journalism by, for example, blogging; writing for an institutional newsletter, website, or local newspaper; or taking a class (see next section, Getting a Foot in the Door).
• Evidence that a candidate has carefully studied the field and is committed to a career in it. “We want people who have done their research and feel certain that this is really what they want to do,” says Fagin.
• Some life experience. Many course directors say they prefer students who have done more than trodden the straight and narrow academic path. “If they've lived and experienced the world then it leads to better journalism,” says Irion, who says that most of his students had had challenging jobs or traveled abroad.
• Other qualities that make a good reporter and writer: a sense of what makes a science story; a fearlessness in talking to new people (journalists have to cold call the people they want to interview); the ability to quickly read and synthesize a mass of scientific information; a healthy skepticism; and the ability to chase a story down. “They need a certain type of sharkiness, to go after a story and get it,” Finkbeiner says.

GETTING A FOOT IN THE DOOR

Is science journalism for you.

You may already have a strong feeling that science writing or journalism is for you. It is fairly common to meet science journalists who started out doing a PhD or studying science in some capacity, but felt that they were out of place, lacked a passion for bench research, or found (as I did) the focus on one sliver of science unsatisfying. “When our class gets in the room for the first time and look at each other, there is this spark of recognition—you too?” says Starr. “When they find us there is sometimes a sense of relief: at last I can be me.” Irion says that another sign of a wannabe journalist is an insatiable appetite for news. “If you pick up Nature and Science and scan the front of the magazine before the back, it's a good sign you want to communicate.”

However, few people feel comfortable making major career choices on the basis of intuition alone. There are many other ways to communicate science, such as teaching, which might suit you better. So the best way to work out if science writing or journalism is a good career choice is simply to try it. Take small, practical steps that allow you to try out a little writing, or other media, without sucking up all your time. You could start a blog. You might ask at your institution's communication office if you could write for them, or record an interview. You might write for the university magazine, newspaper or website, or volunteer to write for a newspaper in your town. Perhaps you could sign up for an evening class in nonfiction writing. Any of these activities can help you get a feel for what is involved and help you work out whether you like it. Whether you end up applying to a science journalism course or for a job, these will also demonstrate your commitment and provide you with some work to show.

Aside from this, there are other ways to start informing yourself about the industry, and integrating yourself into it. Read newspapers and magazines voraciously. Research the field, by talking to people who are already working in it about how they started out, and what it is like. Most science journalists love what they do, and are happy to talk to others about it.

There is a thriving community of scientists, science communicators, journalists, and others passionate about science that is very active online, and integrating yourself into this community is an excellent doorway into the field. Twitter and other social media encourage anyone to join the conversation and establish a presence for themselves online, if they have something interesting to say.

At the minimum, you should get online, become familiar with science media outlets and the science journalism community, and dive into Twitter, Facebook, and other social media if you have not already.

Internships

Science journalism and writing internships, which are offered by many science media organizations, are an excellent way to gain experience and contacts. Some of these are advertised on the NASW jobs list. Competition for some of the most prized internships can be stiff, however, and you may be up against top candidates coming out of science journalism programs. The annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)—one of the big professional get-togethers for science writers—hosts an internship fair for recruiters and those seeking internships who are members of the NASW. There is also a mentoring program at the meeting which pairs up students with working journalists or science publicists.

There are other opportunities to get a taste of the media. The AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellows Program offers 10-week summer placements at media organizations for graduate and postgraduate science students (see http://www.aaas.org/programs/education/MassMedia/ ). In the U.K., the British Science Association Media Fellowships provide similar opportunities (see http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/media-fellows ).

Does the World Need More Science Journalists?

No one really knows, particularly with such rapid change in the way news is being consumed. With so many U.S. science writing programs but a contracting workforce in legacy media, some science journalists do worry that the job market is saturated or heading that way. Even so, many course directors say that the majority of their graduates are going on to get good jobs within months of graduating. The best science journalism courses are transparent about exactly where all of their graduates are working, so make sure that you do your research.

CAREER PROGRESSION AND THE WAY OUT

The career choices and paths of recent graduates from science journalism programs reveal where the employment opportunities now lie. (You can get a more detailed picture of this by looking at the course websites, many of which show the paths of their alumni.)

According to the course leaders, only a small fraction of graduates are now finding work as science journalists in newspapers. “You can count on one hand the number of jobs available at newspapers for students,” says Irion. (Employment at magazines, TV, and radio has been more stable.) The shortfall from print, says Irion, is made up by online news sources. Some are writing for the digital news operations of established magazines such as New Scientist or Scientific American ; others are finding jobs in smaller, more specialized news websites.

Most course leaders said that around half of their graduates find work in science publicist positions in universities, research institutions, and science-related organizations. And a substantial fraction of graduates are making it as freelance writers, by producing material for established science news providers and the many online outlets. Of graduates from the MIT science writing program since 2003, approximately half are supporting themselves as freelancers.

Like entry points, career paths in science journalism vary. My news colleagues from Nature have gone on to diverse positions in TV, radio, national newspapers, and research foundations, and several have become excellent book authors and successful freelance writers. Science journalists who are looking for variety during their career can take on freelance work or write books on the side. Some also take up journalism fellowships, which offer bursaries to pursue in-depth projects.

The traditional divide between promotional and journalistic writing can be hard to cross, however. Someone in a promotional position could well find it hard to do freelance journalism on the side, as there is a perceived conflict of interest in, for example, reporting on the type of science that is being carried out at the institution that is paying your salary. Finkbeiner warns those who choose a science publicist position to only remain in it for a short time if they are interested in returning to journalism. In Finkbeiner's experience, “anyone who stays there for more than a few years stays there for good.”

An individual with a broad understanding of science who can also write or speak lucidly about it, has skills that can prove valuable in many career paths. In fact, these are some of the qualities that make for an outstanding researcher—should you decide to return to the bench. “There's nothing lost—a scientist who learns to be a communicator is a good thing,” says Deborah Blum, a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and professor of journalism at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

My Experience

When I was about 15 years old and at British high school, I completed a career questionnaire. I filled in answers to numerous questions about my likes and dislikes, which were sent off and plugged into a computer. About a week later, my ideal career came back: quarry manager. (Yes, that is someone who manages quarries.)

This did not really appeal, so instead I took a pretty conventional path into science. I went to the University of Cambridge to study Natural Sciences, and specialized in genetics. Toward the end of the course, I still did not know what to do. I had an interview with MI5, the British Intelligence Agency, but I cannot tell you much about that. I took a year off, continuing my Cambridge undergraduate laboratory project for a few months and then traveled in Central America. Then I started a PhD in developmental genetics at the University of Edinburgh, an amazing city with grim weather.

It is no reflection on my excellent supervisors, but I did not have the passion that it really takes to succeed in research. I had to hold the edges of my chair to keep from running out of seminars. I had wondered whether writing or some other form of science communication was for me—but, lucky for me, my PhD studies and living expenses were fully funded by the UK's Medical Research Council, and I figured having a PhD would not hurt if I eventually took a different route.

And that is what I did. Toward the end of my PhD I was offered an internship at New Scientist magazine. (I had to write a trial article and I swotted up like crazy before my interview so that I was armed with story ideas.) But I was told that I had to start the internship immediately, before I had finished writing up my PhD, so I turned it down. Instead, I wrote the thesis and joined London's Science Museum, where I wrote educational materials and eventually got to work on a fast-turnaround “science news” exhibition. Meanwhile, I had also developed the confidence to pitch and write a few freelance news stories for New Scientist .

Those clippings were enough to get me a position as an online reporter at Nature in 2001, when it was just looking to expand its online news team. I was thrilled and terrified to get the job. The deadlines were relentless and I lived on adrenaline for at least a year. (On the other hand, I could now walk out of a dull conference seminar without looking back.) After 18 months, I moved to Nature 's New York office, to continue reporting there.

I went to New York for what I expected to be two years, and came back to London after eight years, with two children and running the features section of Nature . This meant that I commission, edit, and oversee the feature-length stories in the magazine. I will be honest; editing features for a weekly magazine is more compatible with family life than writing news to daily deadlines. But I have also come to love writing and editing longer-form stories because they allow me to explore subjects and people in depth, and spend more time crafting the words. I have been fortunate enough to pick up a few journalism awards for my own writing, and I embarked on a book that spun off from one of my Nature features.

As an editor, I have the advantage of seeing the bigger picture: commissioning stories that cover all areas of science research, science policy, and the scientific community. At Nature , I am also surrounded by an incredible brain trust of people who know science inside out. It is never less than really hard work, and never dull. But like many editors, I struggle to find time to write. I am really happiest when I have finished reporting a story, close my notes, and sit down to write it. However, it is possible I would have loved managing a quarry more. You never know.

Ten Dos and Don'ts

Some condensed tips for those wanting to enter the profession.

• Do get some practical experience in science journalism and writing: Start a blog, write for your institution's communication office, take an evening class.
• Do research the field, the job prospects, and the challenges, so that you have an accurate idea of what you are getting into, before quitting science. And do research graduate schools, if you decide to take a course.
• Do not read a science article and assume that writing it was easy. You do not know what went into reporting that story—sometimes many months of work.
• Do read voraciously. Work out your favorite science writers, magazines, and media outlets.
• Do join the NASW. This active professional society of science journalists and communicators has lots of excellent information, resources, an annual meeting, discussions lists, and a great jobs list that includes internships. Other excellent groups include the Society of Environmental Journalists and the Association of Health Care Journalists.
• Do not assume you need a PhD, a Master's, or specialist training in science. Talent and hard work are more important.
• Do get online and use social media to become familiar with the community.
• If you apply to a science journalism course, do write a beautifully worded application and check it carefully for accuracy. Sloppiness or spelling mistakes will not do. Do not send in a research paper or anything written for academic colleagues.
• Do not assume you are going to educate people about science, or that you are a cheerleader for science.
• Do persevere, if this is what you really want to do.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to Alexandra Witze and Dan Fagin for their helpful comments on the draft.

Editors: Kaaren Janssen and Richard Sever

Additional Perspectives on Career Options for Biomedical Scientists available at www.cshperspectives.org

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Blum D, Knudson M, eds. 2005. A field guide for science writers: The official guide of the National Association of Science Writers , 2nd ed Oxford University Press, New York. [ Google Scholar ]
• Hayden T, Nijhuis M, eds. 2013. The science writers' handbook: Everything you need to know to pitch, publish, and prosper in the digital age . Da Capo Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. [ Google Scholar ]

WWW RESOURCES

• http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2010/07/29/on-the-origin-of-science-writers  Yong E. 2010. On the origin of science writers.
• http://casw.org/casw/guide-careers-science-writing Council for the Advancement of Science Writing: A guide to careers in science writing.
• http://theopennotebook.com  The Open Notebook: Tools and resources for science journalists at all experience levels.
• http://www.nasw.org/faq-new-and-aspiring-science-writers  NASW: FAQs for new and aspiring science writers.