MS in Journalism

Good journalism is harder to produce than it’s ever been – and more necessary. Boston University’s MS in Journalism is built for this reality.

We don’t do classroom simulations. You’ll step into newsrooms, work on strict deadlines, and produce multiplatform stories for actual audiences. BU COM faculty and alumni have won 21 Pulitzer Prizes. That’s not a credential we mention in passing; it’s the standard of excellence that defines our program.

In three intensive semesters, you’ll master reporting across every digital, broadcast, and print platform that matters, building a professional, publication-ready multimedia portfolio. This program welcomes recent undergraduates and career changers alike, from any undergraduate major or background — turning your unique perspective into your greatest reporting asset.

What makes the BU COM Journalism master’s different

• Professional production facilities—Train inside TV Studio West, using the same high-end equipment, control rooms, and workflows found in major network newsrooms.
• The Newsroom Initiative—Beyond our campus labs, this signature initiative bridges the gap between study and industry. We connect you with an in-house editor and place you directly within active, professional news organizations across New England to gain real-world reporting experience for credit.
• Flexibility to specialize—Tailor your degree to your career goals. Choose electives in investigative reporting, sports journalism, broadcast news, photojournalism, documentary journalism, data journalism, arts and entertainment, and more.
• Global + national reporting bureaus—Move your reporting far beyond campus lines:
  • Statehouse Program: Cover breaking political news directly from the Massachusetts State House.
  • The Washington, D.C. Program: Spend a full semester reporting from the nation’s capital.
  • The Conflict & Crisis Reporting Course: Travel to Padua, Italy, for an immersive summer field assignment covering global crises.
• The Pulitzer Center partnership—Secure sponsored investigative assignments through COM’s partnership with the Pulitzer Center and Program on Global Health Storytelling. Details below.
• Power of Narrative conference—Gain access to our annual conference which brings together top narrative practitioners and long-form storytellers from around the world.

Boston: the birthplace and future of American journalism

Boston is the historic birthplace of American journalism—home to the nation’s very first multi-page newspaper, The Boston Publick Occurrences, published here in 1690. Today, that pioneering spirit drives one of the country’s most competitive, influential top-10 media markets.

For a graduate student, this means access to an ecosystem spanning legendary newspapers, powerhouse public radio networks, commercial television networks, investigative nonprofits, and digital bureaus. The Boston Globe, Axios, Politico, WBUR, GBH News, a bustling State House news bureau, and five major commercial television newsrooms are all right here.

Your internship and career opportunities are not hypothetical. They are walkable.

Where do MS in Journalism graduates go?

Our graduates work across local, national, and international news organizations, public media capitals, documentary production houses, and elite digital content strategy roles.

Employers by speciality

• Investigative & National News: The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Guardian, ProPublica, CNN, ABC News, Bloomberg, NBCUniversal, US Department of State.
• Public Media: NPR, PBS, WBUR, GBH News.
• Sports Media: ESPN, FOX Sports, USA Today Sports, The Boston Globe, the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers.
• Documentary & Long-form: CNN, PBS, WBUR’s Kind World, Condé Nast International.

Roles alumni hold: Reporter, correspondent, producer, director, documentary filmmaker, photojournalist, editor, broadcast news analyst, data journalist, technical writer, communications manager, film and video editor, web developer, and more.

Active student publications + platforms

Our graduate students run and report for active, COM-sponsored publications that serve the greater Boston metro area:

• BU News Service (BUNS) (Multiplatform digital news)
• BUTV10 (Award-winning television broadcasts)
• WTBU (Live student radio)
• The Daily Free Press (BU’s legendary independent student newspaper since 1970)

BU offered an incredible hands-on lab setting, all in the heart of one of the most beautiful cities in the country. I loved that it would afford me more time for internships, training, and networking to really curate a graduate school experience for myself. I looked at my time in Boston as a time period where I was totally redefining my trajectory, and BU was the perfect setting for that story to unfold.

Ashley Davis, Alumna and Senior Producer at CNN

What You’ll Learn in the MS in Journalism

In three semesters (12 courses), the MS in Journalism combines foundational reporting skills, specialized coursework, and a professional-quality capstone designed to prepare you for today’s journalism landscape.

• Semester 1: Fall—Master the fundamentals. Your classwork focuses on core journalism building blocks: advanced news judgment, investigative writing, audio/visual gathering, media law, ethics, and multiplatform digital production in an active newsroom environment.
• Semester 2: Spring—Select your specialization. Dive into advanced elective tracks. Take specialized courses in investigative reporting, data-driven journalism, sports broadcasting, documentary, and more. Gain local field experience through COM’s partnership with Boston Neighborhood Network Media and the Newsroom Initiative that connects students with news organizations across New England.
• Semester 3: Fall—The Master’s Capstone Project. Produce a professional-quality, long-form piece of deeply reported journalism under faculty mentorship. This enterprise project serves as the centerpiece of your portfolio—the definitive work you present to hiring editors.

Explore our curriculum and courses.

Learn from Award-Winning Journalists

BU COM’s journalism faculty write bestsellers, produce documentaries, take Pulitzer Prize–winning photos, conduct investigations, and create content of all kinds. They’re reporters, editors, photographers, and documentary makers who are still working — from print, television, radio, and digital newsrooms. They teach graduate students as emerging colleagues, providing the rigorous editorial feedback and high expectations found in top-tier newsrooms.

See a list of our Pulitzer Prize winners.

In the study of journalism, we ask people to tell us their stories. Sometimes the best way to learn how to do that is to practice telling your own. Two BU COM professors helped me to do that – and I now bring those concepts into my own classroom and encourage my students to focus on the bits of wisdom and pieces of humanity that bind us together.

Noelle Graves, Alumna, Award-Winning Journalist, and Senior Lecturer, Department of Journalism

Institutional reputation + rankings

BU’s MS in Journalism is consistently recognized as one of the best journalism master’s programs in the country, ranked by Intelligent’s Best Master’s in Journalism Degree Programs and SCI Journal’s 25 Best Journalism Schools in the US.

Frequently asked questions about the MS in Journalism at BU

Do I need a journalism background to apply?

No. While we look for a strong writing sample and a clear passion for storytelling, you do not need previous professional journalism experience. We teach you the technical and investigative skills right from the beginning.

What is the Master’s Project?

The Master’s Project is a professional-quality piece of journalism produced in your final semester under faculty direction. It’s the capstone of your degree and the centerpiece of your portfolio – the kind of work you’d show to a hiring editor.

Can I specialize in a specific type of journalism?

Yes. The program offers flexibility through electives in investigative journalism, sports journalism, broadcast journalism, photojournalism, documentary journalism, data journalism, and more. Your advisor will help you build a program that fits your goals.

Are there opportunities to report outside of Boston?

Yes. COM’s Statehouse Program puts you in the Massachusetts state capitol. The Washington, DC Multimedia & Journalism Program offers a semester in the nation’s capital. And a summer course in Padua, Italy covers Conflict & Crisis Reporting.

What fellowships are available?

COM works with the Pulitzer Center, WBUR, and other partners to connect students with paid fellowships and sponsored investigative projects. Merit scholarships are also available through COM with no separate application required.

See all MS in Journalism’s Frequently Asked Questions.

Also worth exploring

Learn more about our other graduate programs in communication and media, including:

• MS in Television: For students focused on the business and creative side of television – developing, pitching, and selling ideas to networks and streaming platforms.
• MS in Public Relations: For students who want to work on the communications side – media relations, crisis communication, and digital strategy.
• Graduate Certificate in Civic Science Communication (Online): A four-course online certificate for students who want to communicate science clearly to public audiences.