Graduate Degree Requirements
Political Reporting – Master of Science in Journalism
Students who would prefer to focus their MS degree on political reporting will be expected to complete 12 courses (48 credits) designed to achieve three major goals:
- Mastery of the basics of journalism and a full understanding of the history, principles, ethics, laws and practices of the profession;
- Working knowledge of political reporting;
- The ability to work in more than one format or medium.
The cornerstones of the political reporting concentration are the Washington and State House programs. These are exceptional opportunities that combine classroom and newsroom experiences and allow students to develop a portfolio of clips.
In the Washington Program, students live and work in the nation’s capital. Typically, they are assigned to cover Washington news for a newspaper or broadcast outlet in the Northeast and attached to a second media organization in Washington, where they work as an intern. The practical work is supplemented with classroom lectures.
The Boston State House Program also combines work for newspapers or broadcast outlets with classroom instruction.
Core Requirements (3)
| COMJO525 – Media Law and Ethics |
| COMJO721 – Journalism Principles and Techniques |
Choose One from the Following
| COMJO503 – Jo Research |
| COMJO807 – Advanced Journalism Research |
Subject Area Requirements (Washington or State House)
Washington
| COMJO502 – Journalism Special Topics |
| COMJO737 – Broadcast Journalism Internship |
| COMJO954 – Directed Study: Broadcast Journalism |
| Plus one subject-area CAS-Political Science electives |
State House
| COMJO511 – Covering Government and Politics |
| COMJO546 – Statehouse Program |
| Plus two subject-area CAS-Political Science electives |
Other Electives
Choose Two or Three from the Following
| COMJO500 – Media Criticism |
| COMJO502 – Journalism Special Topics |
| COMJO506 – Columns and Editorials |
| COMJO516 – Foreign Reporting |
| COMJO535 – INVESTIGATIVE AND PROJECT REPORTING |
| COMJO545 – Reporting Military Affairs |
| COMJO724 – Science in the Crosshairs |
Electives: Formats
Choose One or Two of the Following
| COMJO513 – Advanced Photojournalism |
| COMJO519 – Narrative Radio |
| COMJO534 – Broadcast News for Nonmajors |
| COMJO538 – Feature Writing |
Some courses have prerequisites which are not listed above. All Journalism requirements, prerequisites and course descriptions are listed on the Boston University Academics website.
