Master of Arts in Journalism

The Department of Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations is dedicated to a quality liberal arts education. The Master of Arts in Journalism is a professional program that prepares students to become ethical, skilled providers of news, features, investigative reports, and other contemporary journalistic forms.

The MA in Journalism is constructed on the foundation of a strong sequence of study within a core curriculum that teaches fundamental reporting and multimedia skills, critical thinking, and effective oral and written expression in order to prepare individuals for careers as truthful and accurate media professionals, including reporters, producers, editors, and broadcasters. After completing a core of journalism ethics, reporting, writing, and multimedia skills courses, students may pursue study in the specialized fields of sports and entertainment journalism, or community and investigative journalism.

Elective courses offered also include graduate classes from the Frank G. Zarb School of Business, departments within the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and/or the Master of Health Administration program in the School of Education. In their final year, students may complete an internship at a media outlet.

Working closely with a graduate adviser, they will also produce as a capstone project a major piece of journalism during their final semester. This project should be an extensive single article or a multi-part series of articles that examine an issue thoroughly. All projects must be submitted in a published online format (as a blog or website) and must include, in addition to the written text, at least three multimedia components, such as photos, video, audio, graphics, and/or charts. Students should include their plans for multimedia components in the initial proposal, and all projects must be presented and defended orally before a graduate committee composed of faculty members from within the department.

The MA in Journalism program emphasizes the application of journalism skills to broader social goals. The curriculum is grounded within the framework of liberal arts education and the principles by which journalists and scholars work in a democratic society.

Prospective students should have completed an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution, and earned an overall grade point average of at least 3.00.
In addition to a completed application and an official transcript of undergraduate work, applicants should submit a personal essay as a writing sample. This should be a 500 to 750 word essay describing personal and educational history, past employment, volunteer work or related experience in the applicant's intended field of study, plans for graduate study and plans for a professional career.
Applicants must also submit a current resume, transcripts, and two letters of recommendation.
Although not required for admission, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit any published newspaper, magazine, or online clips they may have.
GRE scores are not required for the MA in journalism, but may be submitted.
An interview is sometimes requested by the program director for admission to the program. If requested, applicants may arrange for either an on-campus, Skype, or telephone interview. Applicants may also request a meeting or call with the program director to learn more about the program.
International students from non-English speaking countries must have a minimum TOEFL score of 95 to be considered for admission. IELTS scores are also accepted with a minimum score requirement of 7. The only exceptions are those who receive a waiver from the Office of Graduate Admission.