Do you dream of a front-page byline? Pick the right journalism school and you’re on your way. Maybe you want to produce for CNN. With premium connections to internships, you’ll be one step closer to your dream. The country’s best J-schools ultimately shape students into top-notch journalists, editors, producers, anchors, Emmy winners and foreign correspondents with a passion for tracking down the truth. These 10 journalism schools offer prestigious student publications, Pulitzer-worthy faculty and connections to brag-worthy internships that will set you on the right track to the New York Times.
10. Arizona State University
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¿Quieres ser periodista? ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications allows students to follow their passion however they choose, with focuses in digital media, broadcast news, reporting, public relations and Spanish-language reporting. Within these specialized areas, ASU directs students towards real-world experiences through internships at CBS Radio, Fox Sports and Vogue Magazine. “It’s a university filled with instructors and students who really care about issues. They’re really interested in public service,” senior Elizabeth Blackburn said. “When I look back at my education at ASU I remember those people who truly want to serve—that is what ASU does.” The school also trains award-winning journalists like Hearst Journalism Award winner Megan Thompson. Don’t you want to be recognized at the national level? Your first steps through the doors of ASU’s J-school could lead you to the spotlight.
9. American University
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American University’s J-school takes students back to the building blocks of journalism, laying a foundation as a springboard for success. From the main newspaper, The Eagle, to ATV and American Literary Magazine, AU lets you choose how to bring your stories to life like their very own 2016 Hearst award winner Cuneyt Dil. The program owes its successful students to the faculty. “Classes at AU are small. You really get to know the professors. You really get to know your classmates,” senior Emilie Ikeda said. “The connections people make [are really important]. Even if they’re not in your field, they know someone. The alumni are willing to connect.” Be prepared to capture distant cultures and beautiful landscapes for spreads in National Geographic, or to expose the seedy underbelly of the political sphere with The Washington Post with both publications headquartered only a metro ride away.
8. University of Southern California
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Interested in political news? USC’s Fox News internship could turn you into the next Megyn Kelly. The Annenberg School of Journalism at USC brings technology to the table with a new media center featuring top of the line digital video studios and editing suites. With groundbreaking classes like, “Hands on Disruption: Experimenting with Emerging Tech,” USC gets you involved with all of the up-and-coming technologies in the journalism world, from virtual reality tech to wearable drones. USC’s newspaper, The Daily Trojan, consistently churns out groundbreaking stories, making it the main source of news for USC students since 1912. This J-school’s students also won an astonishing 30 LA Press Club Awards in 2015. “There’s a lot of opportunities here if people want to reach out and grab them,” grad student Monica Castillo said. “They’re always bringing really interesting speakers [to the school], so as a student you have access to Gloria Steinem, Bill T. Jones and Arianna Huffington.” It’s probably safe to attribute their success to the amazing internships the schools offers. Looking to build up that resume? Don’t sweat it. Take on the crime beat with an internship at The LA Times.
7. New York University
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NYU sits in the very heart of the news world. The Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute offers its students a journalistic education with a conscience. In addition to training in skill-based disciplines like reporting, NYU places emphasis on ethics with classes such as the politics of media work and the role of the journalist in society. With 15 student publications, prospective Bobcats take can part in print, broadcast news, radio or a wide selection of campus magazines. “I really have to give big kudos to the NYU career services staff,” junior Felipe De La Hoz said. “They don’t just do their jobs, they really go above and beyond. They really make sure students are aware and take advantage of opportunities—they know each student’s individual focus.” Immerse yourself in journalistic experience with some of the most prestigious publications in the world, interning through NYU with The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The New Yorker and Esquire.
6. Boston University
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Journalists dream of writing a tell-all that exposes a government scandal. Or how about a heartwarming feature of heroic triumphs? Graduates from BU’s School of Communications followed this dream in droves, giving the school bragging rights for its 24 Pulitzer Prize winning alumni. Attend school in the shadow of alum Don Van Natta, Jr., a two-time Pulitzer winner whose most recent prize saw him recognized for his work on Al Qaeda following the September 11 attacks. BU students to take part in everything from the school paper, The Daily Free Press, to a host of student magazines and online publications, totaling 15 publication opportunities. With distinguished professors such as Michelle Johnson, former editor of The Boston Globe, BU allows you to hear real stories about the life of a journalist from those who’ve lived it. Dreaming of titanic financial success? Taking over Wall Street might lay just a few steps beyond BU’s internship with The Wall Street Journal.
5. Syracuse University
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The Newhouse School’s faculty will teach you to dig for the dirt with a keen eye and honed skills. You could learn from Assistant Research Professor David Burnham, who was inducted into the National Freedom Act Hall of Fame in 2006, or Professor and Associate Dean Joel Kaplan whose investigative reporting for The Chicago Tribune made him a finalist for the Pulitzer in 1986. In 2014 alone Syracuse’s students won four Hearst Journalism Awards, 11 Society of Professional Journalists Awards and two Associated Press Pacemaker Awards (one for the main newspaper on campus, The Daily Orange). The program won big again in 2015 with another three Hearst Awards. Win big outside of the college too by interning with the likes of The New York Daily News, a position that’ll leave you primed for your future front-page debut.
4. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
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UNC Chapel Hill defies the cookie cutter mold of most journalism programs with unique areas of focus. Students can specialize in reporting, photojournalism, broadcast and electronic journalism, advertising, business journalism or public relations. With a student to faculty ratio of 13:1, students get well acquainted with experienced professors in their area of focus. In 2014, UNC held the Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists, a program that brings journalists from around the world to continue the protection of free expression. UNC’s dedication to global journalism allows students to embrace perspectives from not just the United States, but also around the world. “It opens a lot of doors because people know the name [UNC] and they perceive us as the cream of the crop. We come out really prepared for our industry – whether that’s journalism or something else,” senior Malia Brown said. “We get a real taste of the world before we step into it.”
3. University of Missouri, Columbia
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Founded in 1908, Mizzou holds its claim to fame as the world’s first journalism school, and they’ve turned out world-class journalists ever since. Students choose from six areas of focus: convergence journalism, magazine journalism, photojournalism, print and digital news, radio-television journalism and strategic communications. Within those specializations, students focus even more intently on subjects like entrepreneurial journalism. Shoot for that front-page photo credit and soak up the knowledge of professor and Pulitzer winner Jacqui Banaszynski, who won for her series “AIDS in the Heartland.” “Missouri is the best because of the hands-on learning experience you have at this school; and because of the faculty we have here, the opportunities are enormous,” senior Anne Marie Hankins said. “My teacher Kevin Drew put me in contact with a writer at The New York Times when they were working on a story about a piece of artwork at the Missouri capital, so through a teacher I was able to be published in The New York Times.” Take up the Mizzou legacy and learn from the best at our oldest J-school.
2. Northwestern University
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What would you give to pick the brain of an experienced journalist with a lifetime of accolades under her belt? Northwestern provides the chance for students to experience these intimate moments with classes averaging seven students to a professor. Classes give aspiring journalists the chance to work closely with professionals like Emmy award winner and former broadcast journalist Beth Bennet. “You’re taking classes with really cool professors who have a lot of experience and students who are really talented,” sophomore Amal Ahmed said. “These are kids who you know are going to do really awesome things in their future so it’s really cool to be working with them here and now.” What really sets this program apart, however, is its mandatory journalism residency. The program matches students to a media outlet in the U.S. or abroad for a whole academic quarter, allowing them to work full-time and get real hands-on experience. Whether you’re philosophizing on viral media with Facebook, working on the coveted swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated or pairing up with one of the school’s 100 other media partners, the experience holds no equal.
1. Emerson College
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So you want to broadcast live from the red carpet at the Emmys? Well, Emerson College can make it happen. From its radio station WERS-FM to Ploughshares, a nationally regarded literary journal, to The Berkeley Beacon, the student newspaper, Emerson seeps journalism into students’ lives daily. Alumni also work to connect current students with internships and opportunities like live broadcasting from the Oscars. “We call it the Emerson mafia,” said alumna Jillian Leff. “Everyone knows about it but nobody talks about it.” Emerson prides itself on its remarkable faculty like Emmy-award winning anchor Carole Simpson. Associate Professor Paul Niwa launched international TV networks and newscasts, and Professor Janet Kolodzy held the position of senior writer/editor at CNN International. With these great minds at the helm of the program, Emerson shapes the great journalists of tomorrow.
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