Get your Master's in Journalism
Find new ways to tell the stories society needs
Study your way
Complete your degree in as little as 1.5 years
33-credit program
In-person courses with a limited number of online electives
Our focus on community-oriented, solutions-driven journalism sets Stony Brook apart from other programs.
Keep reading, or get in touch, to learn more.
Explore our Journalism Master's
Attend Virtual Office Hours
Ask questions. Get answers.
Office hours will resume in August.
Want to talk to us now? Email socj_grad@stonybrook.edu
Meet our Faculty
Award-winning journalists and scholars.
Our faculty are dedicated journalists, media professionals and scholars, and journalism educators.
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New students enroll every fall semester.
Applications are due April 15, or March 1 for international students.
33-credit M.S. in Journalism
On campus and online courses available
You'll learn how community engagement and solutions journalism, shared across digital formats, can help people understand the world; engage with others respectfully; and address problems and inequities in society.
It is designed for professional and aspiring journalists. Students work with award-winning faculty to highlight real, growing and overlooked issues and areas in society.
Admission Requirements
- 3.0 GPA
- Bachelor's degree
- TOEFL scores required for international applicants
- GRE scores optional
Application Materials
- CV or Resume
- Official transcripts from degree-granting colleges/universities
- 500-word personal statement
- 2 academic/professional writing samples or 1 academic/professional and 1 creative work
- 3 letters of recommendation
Deadlines
March 1
Early decision for fall enrollment
International student application deadline
April 15
Domestic students extended application deadline
In classes, you will learn to:
- Engage and integrate authentic voices from every corner of the community
- Understand media law and uphold journalistic ethics, integrity and a commitment to transparency
- Examine data and use it to tell a story accurately and dynamically
- Question your own biases and recognize how your experiences shape how you see and interact with individuals and communities
A limited number of courses are available online.
Earn your degree on a timeline that works for you:
If you want to know how long it takes to get a master's in journalism, the answer is that it's up to you.
You can follow an accelerated path and complete 4 classes each semester, earning your M.S. in Journalism in a year and a half. If you're balancing graduate work and other commitments, or simply want to take your time, you can take one course a semester and finish in 5 years. Or you can fall somewhere in between.
Required Courses
(18 credits)
Basic Reporting & Writing for Journalism (JRN 510)
Multimedia Journalism (JRN 520)
Solutions Journalism (JRN 521)
Communication Law & Ethics (COM 577) - online
Principles of Inclusive Engagement (COM 583) - online
Master's Project in Journalism (JRN 600)
Sample Electives
(15 credits)
Freelance Writing (JRN 544)
Mobile Podcasting (JRN 545)
Climate Communication (COM 550)
Storytelling & Narrative Design (JRN 603)
International Journalism (JRN 613)
Data-Driven Storytelling (JRN 615)
Media Reporting on Crime (JRN 625)
Reporting Tools & Student Media