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Boston University’s BS in Journalism combines professional journalism training with a broad liberal-arts education, preparing students to report, write, edit, produce and tell stories across digital, visual, audio and traditional platforms. It is designed for students who want to become working journalists while gaining practical newsroom experience, specialized skills and exposure to Boston’s major media environment.
Curriculum Structure:
Year 1:
Students begin with the foundations of communication and journalism through COM CO 101 The Human Storyteller, COM CO 201 Introduction to Communication Writing, and COM JO 150 History and Principles of Journalism. They start developing professional writing, research and storytelling skills while becoming familiar with journalism’s history, purpose and role in society.
Year 2:
Students move into hands-on reporting through COM JO 200 Newswriting, COM JO 205 Visual Storytelling, and COM JO 210 Reporting in Depth. These courses strengthen news judgment, interviewing, reporting and visual communication skills and prepare students for more advanced professional journalism experiences.
Year 3:
Students explore more specialized areas through courses such as COM JO 309 Feature Writing, COM JO 312 Visuals for the Newsroom, COM JO 351 Reporting with Audio and Video, and COM JO 548 Podcasting. They can shape their studies around reporting, long-form writing, visual journalism, broadcast journalism, sports journalism or data and research methods.
Year 4:
The final stage emphasizes professional-level journalism and career preparation. Students can take advanced options such as COM JO 550 Multimedia Storytelling, COM JO 573 Justice Media Computational Journalism Co-Lab, or complete professional experiences through the COM JO 400 Newsroom, COM JO 455 Professional Project, or COM JO 546 Journalism Statehouse Program.
Focus Areas:
Reporting, news writing, visual journalism, multimedia storytelling, broadcast journalism, podcasting, investigative journalism, data journalism, feature writing, sports journalism, editorial design, journalism research, media and democracy
Learning Outcomes:
Accuracy and fairness in journalism, clear communication across analog and digital platforms, research and information evaluation, understanding of media history and law, ethical journalism practice, visual and multimedia storytelling, professional reporting, interview and deadline skills, career preparation.
Professional Alignment (Accreditation):
Boston University is institutionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). The current BU College of Communication materials do not identify a separate current program-specific journalism accreditation, so the BS in Journalism should be presented primarily as a professionally focused journalism degree within an institutionally accredited university.
Reputation (Employability & Rankings):
BU College of Communication's official journalism page lists the program as No. 2 among Best Journalism Schools in 2025 according to College Factual. BU also reports that 96% of BS in Journalism graduates were employed, in school or pursuing another chosen activity, based on its December 2024 survey.
BU's journalism education is built around learning by doing, with students reporting, writing, shooting, podcasting and editing from the beginning of the degree. Students have access to professional newsroom environments, broadcast and podcast studios, editing suites and student media outlets, while Boston itself provides a major media environment for field reporting and internships. These opportunities allow students to build genuine clips and a professional portfolio before graduation:
• BU News Service — Students can work in a multi-platform student newsroom producing journalism for public audiences and developing professional reporting experience.
• WTBU Radio — Students gain audio and broadcast experience through BU's student-run radio station, which produces newscasts, talk shows and other programming using digital audio equipment.
• BUTV10 — Students can gain television production experience through BU's in-house television operation, including reporting, production and editing.
• Daily Free Press — Students can contribute to BU's award-winning independent daily student newspaper, gaining experience in reporting and multimedia journalism.
• Justice Media Computational Journalism Co-Lab — This application-only course brings journalism and data science students together to produce data-driven investigative projects with partners including the Boston Globe, GBH, ProPublica, MarketWatch and CBS Boston.
• The Newsroom — Students report for local news sites across Greater Boston under the direction of an experienced former Boston Globe editor.
• Boston Statehouse Program — Students cover Massachusetts politics and produce articles, blogs, radio reports and video packages for news organizations; the program typically produces more than 100 byline pieces per semester.
• Washington, D.C. Multimedia & Journalism Program — Students can spend a semester in Washington, D.C., combining journalism coursework with an internship and opportunities to connect with editors, reporters, multimedia professionals and other media practitioners.
• COM Editing Suites — Students have access to individual edit bays equipped with Mac Pro desktops, alongside dedicated post-production finishing rooms.
• Podcast Production Studios — BU COM provides dedicated four-microphone podcast studios for audio storytelling and podcast production.
• Studio West — The professional news broadcast studio includes three in-studio cameras and capacity for up to 12 microphones, giving students experience operating in a newsroom-style broadcast environment.
• Journalism Internships — BU COM supports students in securing journalism internships and offers opportunities for academic credit through COM JO 411/412, subject to eligibility requirements.
The BS in Journalism prepares graduates for careers across digital and print reporting, broadcast and streaming, audio and podcasting, investigative and data journalism, sports media and visual storytelling. BU's latest program data is particularly strong: 96% of 2024 Journalism undergraduate graduates were “settled” in employment, continuing education or another chosen activity, with 68% employed full-time and 14% continuing their education.
Typical job roles: Journalist, Multimedia Journalist, News Reporter, Broadcast Journalist
Students can build a strong pathway into employment through BU's career resources, professional networks and industry-facing opportunities:
• COM Career Services — Students receive career counseling, internship and job guidance, networking opportunities and support with their professional development. Appointments can be conducted in person or virtually.
• Handshake — BU COM Career Services uses Handshake to connect students with employers posting internships and full-time positions.
• Employment Outcomes — BU's 2024 Journalism outcomes show 96% settled, with 68% employed full-time, 14% employed part-time/internships/volunteering/military, 7% continuing education, and 4% still seeking; the knowledge rate was 80%.
• Industry Connections — BU journalism students can gain experience and connections through organizations and opportunities involving the Boston Globe, GBH, ProPublica, WBUR, ESPN, Associated Press, CBS News, NBC News, NPR, Reuters and the New York Times.
• Boston Media Market — Studying in Boston places students close to major media organizations including the Boston Globe, WBUR, GBH, Axios, Politico and commercial television newsrooms, creating opportunities to report, intern and build professional relationships while studying.
• Professional Recognition — BU COM reports that its journalism faculty and alumni have collectively received more than two dozen Pulitzer Prizes, while students regularly earn journalism and production awards.
• Graduation Outcomes — BU's 2025 College of Communication survey found that 93% of undergraduate COM degree recipients had found their path within six months of graduation, while the Journalism-specific figure was 96% settled.
Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into Boston University's MS in Journalism, where they can deepen their expertise in areas such as investigative reporting, multimedia and video journalism, audio storytelling, sports journalism, data journalism, documentary production and photojournalism. They can also pursue other graduate study in communication, media, public relations, advertising or related fields depending on their career goals.
Official secondary-school transcripts for all completed grading periods; international curricula with national examinations should also submit those results.
Counselor Recommendation and School Report Form through the Common Application.
Teacher Evaluation through the Common Application. 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 ReporterMultimedia JournalistBroadcast JournalistNews AnchorNews ProducerInvestigative JournalistPolitical JournalistSports JournalistPhotojournalistVideographerEditorCopy EditorDigital Content ProducerContent StrategistSocial Media ManagerCommunications SpecialistPublic Relations Specialist
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