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The BS in Journalism at Boston University prepares students for professional journalism through hands-on training in reporting, writing, editing, visual storytelling, production, digital media, and journalism law and ethics. It is ideal for students who want to work across newspapers, digital publications, television, radio, podcasts, investigative journalism, visual media, and other evolving forms of news storytelling.
Curriculum Structure:
First Year:
Students begin with COM CO 101: The Human Storyteller, developing a foundation in communication, storytelling, and professional practice, alongside the COM CO 575: COM Practicum. They also take COM CO 201: Introduction to Communication Writing and COM JO 150: History and Principles of Journalism, establishing core skills in professional writing and understanding journalism's role in society.
Second Year:
Students build practical reporting abilities through COM JO 200: Newswriting, COM JO 205: Visual Storytelling, and COM JO 210: Reporting in Depth. These courses develop news judgment, interviewing, reporting, visual communication, research, and storytelling skills, with students able to begin producing work for publication while still early in their degree.
Third Year:
Students move into professional-level journalism through the COM JO 400: Newsroom, COM JO 455: Professional Project, or COM JO 546: Journalism Statehouse Program options. They can also specialize through courses such as COM JO 309: Feature Writing, COM JO 312: Visuals for the Newsroom, COM JO 322: Smart-Phone Reporting, and COM JO 351: Reporting with Audio and Video.
Fourth Year:
In their final year, students refine their professional identity through advanced journalism coursework in areas such as Data and Research Methods, Visual Journalism, Long-Form/Feature Writing, Reporting, and Criticism. Courses such as COM JO 350: Law and Ethics of Journalism, COM JO 364: Data Journalism, and advanced reporting or multimedia courses help students graduate with stronger professional judgment, specialized skills, and a portfolio of journalism work.
Focus areas:
Reporting, Newswriting, Feature Writing, Visual Journalism, Data Journalism, Investigative Journalism, Multimedia Journalism, Audio and Video Reporting, Smartphone Reporting, Editorial Design, Journalism Law, Journalism Ethics, Long-Form Writing, Media and Democracy, Criticism.
Learning outcomes:
Accuracy, fairness, public service, professional writing, reporting, interviewing, research, information evaluation, editing, visual storytelling, multimedia production, digital publishing, journalism law and ethics, critical thinking, news judgment, audience awareness, and professional career preparation.
Professional alignment (accreditation):
Boston University's College of Communication provides professional journalism education combining journalism skills with liberal arts study. The College of Communication's journalism program is recognized among leading journalism programs, and its professional curriculum emphasizes reporting, writing, editing, production, design, civic responsibility, journalism law, and ethics.
Reputation (employability):
Boston University's College of Communication reports that 96% of BS in Journalism graduates are employed, in school, or pursuing another chosen activity, based on its most recent journalism-specific outcomes survey. BU Journalism also has a strong professional reputation, with alumni working at organizations including The New York Times, NPR, CNN, The Boston Globe, National Geographic, Associated Press, ESPN, Reuters, The Washington Post, NBC News, and ProPublica.
Boston University's Journalism program is built around learning journalism through practice rather than only classroom study. Students report, write, shoot, podcast, edit, and publish from their first semester, using professional-level newsroom and production facilities while working with faculty who are active journalists, editors, producers, and documentarians. Boston itself provides an important learning environment, placing students in a major media market with organizations such as The Boston Globe, WBUR, GBH, and commercial television newsrooms:
• BU News Service — provides a multi-platform student news environment where students produce journalism for real audiences and develop professional reporting experience.
• The Newsroom — COM JO 400 — gives students a professional newsroom experience and allows them to work on journalism for regional news organizations.
• Justice Media Co-Lab — an application-only, for-credit course where Journalism students work with Computing & Data Sciences students to produce data-driven investigative projects for organizations such as The Boston Globe, GBH, ProPublica, MarketWatch, and CBS Boston.
• BU Statehouse Program — COM JO 546 — provides students with an opportunity to cover Massachusetts politics and the state government alongside experienced members of the press corps.
• Washington, D.C. Multimedia & Journalism Program — allows students to spend a semester covering Congress or federal agencies for hometown and other news outlets.
• Global Health Storytelling Fellowship — connects students with the Pulitzer Center for field reporting focused on global health and issues of public importance.
• BU News Service, WTBU Radio and BUTV10 — provide student media platforms where students can gain experience in written journalism, radio, television, video, and multimedia storytelling.
• Daily Free Press — gives students experience working for BU's award-winning independent student newspaper and developing published journalism.
• Professional newsroom and editing suites — provide students with professional-level environments for reporting, editing, and multimedia production.
• Multimedia journalism facilities — support students working across photography, video, audio, digital publishing, and other forms of contemporary journalism.
• Journalism internships — students can complete internships with news organizations and media companies in Boston and beyond, with opportunities to receive academic credit through COM JO 412: Journalism Internship.
• WBUR internships — BU has a partnership with Boston's NPR station that provides internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.
• Study abroad journalism opportunities — structured internship programs are available through BU programs in locations including London, Sydney, Dublin, Paris, Madrid, Shanghai, and Washington, D.C.
• Professional software and production tools — journalism students have access to professional media-production environments and tools used for editing, audio, video, visual storytelling, and digital journalism.
The BS in Journalism gives students the practical reporting and multimedia skills needed to enter newsrooms and other media organizations while keeping career options open across digital, broadcast, audio, visual, investigative, and sports journalism. BU Journalism graduates have gone on to work for major organizations including The New York Times, Associated Press, Boston Globe, CBS News, ESPN, NPR, Reuters, ProPublica, NBC News, The Washington Post, and MLB.com.
Typical roles include Journalist, Multimedia Journalist, Investigative Reporter, Digital Producer.
• COM Career Services — provides career counseling, résumé support, job-search guidance, networking assistance, career events, and internship support to help students transition into professional employment.
• Handshake — BU's College of Communication uses Handshake to connect students with employers offering internships and full-time positions.
• Internship support — the College of Communication helps students find professional internships and offers opportunities for journalism internships to receive academic credit.
• Journalism internship funding — the COM Journalism Internship Fund provides financial support opportunities for selected students completing journalism internships.
• WBUR professional connection — BU's partnership with WBUR provides journalism students with access to internship opportunities at Boston's NPR news station.
• Industry connections — students can build relationships with organizations including The Boston Globe, GBH, ProPublica, CBS Boston, WBUR, ESPN, Reuters, NBC News, and other major media organizations through courses, internships, student media, and professional programs.
• Employment outcomes — 96% of BS in Journalism graduates were employed, continuing education, or engaged in another chosen activity according to BU's most recent journalism-specific outcomes survey.
• College-wide graduate outcomes — 93% of undergraduate College of Communication graduates in the 2025 outcomes survey had found their path within six months of graduation, including employment, graduate or professional school, or another chosen activity.
• Professional portfolio development — students can graduate with published articles, multimedia reporting, investigative projects, broadcast work, podcasts, visual journalism, and other professional samples developed through coursework and student media.
• Professional recognition — BU Journalism faculty and alumni include Pulitzer Prize winners, Emmy winners, reporters, editors, producers, and other highly accomplished media professionals, giving students access to instructors with substantial industry experience.
• Boston media environment — studying journalism in Boston gives students access to a major media market and opportunities to connect classroom learning with local newsrooms, broadcast organizations, public media, and other communication employers.
Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into advanced study in Journalism, Mass Communication, Communication, Media Studies, Digital Media, Public Relations, Data Journalism, Documentary Studies, and related fields. Boston University offers an MS in Journalism, while graduates can also pursue journalism and communication master's or doctoral programs at other universities, depending on their professional and academic goals.
Common Application, Official High School Transcripts, Guidance Counselor Recommendation and School report form, Teacher evaluation, Documentation of Financial Support, Passport Photocopy is required to be submitted by applicant. US universities use a holistic admissions review. Beyond grades and standardized test scores, they weigh the strength of your overall profile to understand who you are as a student and a person.
Profile Assessment: Applicants are generally assessed on writing, communication, creativity and engagement with media or current affairs. Journalism, school publications, podcasting, filmmaking, photography, social-media projects, debate and communication campaigns may strengthen the profile. Some film or media programs may request a creative portfolio, writing sample or supplementary submission.Advanced Placement(AP) Guidance: AP availability depends on the student's school. Relevant APs can strengthen an application and may earn university credit, but are not compulsory unless the university or programme explicitly requires them.Essays & recommendations: Personal essays and teacher/counselor recommendations give context to your achievements and help demonstrate fit with the program.JournalistNews ReporterInvestigative JournalistBroadcast JournalistDigital JournalistMultimedia JournalistNews EditorCopy EditorPhotojournalistNews ProducerPolitical ReporterData JournalistMagazine WriterEditorial WriterContent WriterMedia ResearcherCommunications SpecialistPublic Affairs SpecialistSocial Media EditorPublic Relations Specialist
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