Journalism is quite a complicated subject. Students studying this program are required to know a lot of things when it comes to specific subjects or specializations, meaning they have to assess trends and updates whether it’s local or international news, as long as it is within their scope of the topic. Of course, their contribution to society cannot be forgotten. With volunteers who fly to countries to cover war crimes or are in a dangerous predicament for the pursuit of truth and awareness, journalism is truly not an easy job.
At this point, universities are evolving to provide students the ability to share their work through updated mediums such as social media. It is necessary to translate the usual written works from paper to Word documents as we go into a new age of technology. Having said that, most of the schools in this list are recognizing the same facts, thus applying these methods to their curriculum. Here are some of the best journalism schools in the world.
Top Journalism Schools for International Students
1. Northwestern University
NU’s Journalism course is quite popular. Having a website page that’s just dedicated to journalism shows that the school gives importance and prizes to that course. They have quite many programs with different specializations. One of them is the Knight Lab wherein they take technology to create different innovative ideas for storytelling and timelining events.
Moreover, NU’s alumni are packed with professionals working at ESPN and even the White House. They also have globally recognized authors such as George R. R. Martin who produced the renowned Game of Thrones adaptation in HBO. Not only that, but they also have journalists who have achieved a Pulitzer Prize, telling you all you need to know about Northwestern University and how it is one of the best journalism schools in the world.
2. University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a top journalism school that focuses on a more digital approach to journalism. With a prioritization on navigating multiple social platforms, it has a wide range of media that can be useful when it comes to information dissemination or reaching multiple people from different backgrounds. Other than that, they also require students to make a digital portfolio or personal website as a conclusion to their program, a fitting endgame project for such a digitally-centered university.
It is a university that also gives importance to its student’s freedom of thought and independence. As it is one of the main core values of a journalist, USC understands the importance of these aspects and includes them in one of its learning objectives for every student.
3. University of Missouri
The University of Missouri is the first university in the world to offer a doctoral program in Journalism, way back in 1934. It also gives employment assistance and mentorship to better provide opportunities for their graduates.
Their curriculum is quite easy to understand and follow. First is developing the core knowledge necessary in journalism, it will be the focus of the first year of study before building on that knowledge and skill for the second and third years in Mizzou. Moreover, it offers a project entitled the “Senior Year Capstone” which is seen as the overall application of one’s studies, tailoring the subjects of the project to the student’s needs and areas of interest.
4. University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin provides the students necessary skills by being hands-on with their learning experience. That means the faculty members, specifically the professors are an integral part of the students’ studies, guiding them throughout their progress. That is why most of the students in this outstanding journalism school develop a close relationship with their mentors, which is a testament to the community of this university.
It has a progressive outlook, opting to challenge the traditions or ideas that are already in place as long as it’s for the benefit of society as a whole. This is because the university is future-oriented, especially when it comes to news about technology and how it can be applied to the learning experience of the students.
5. Boston University
Boston University is a top school for journalism as it prides itself on having produced over 20 alumni who have achieved a Pulitzer Prize – which is an achievement of itself for a university. BU looks for students with high potential and those who can win another Pulitzer Prize after graduating. Students in BU are already doing quite well in terms of achievements, garnering the “station of the year” for two years consecutively, as well as winning the top spot of NESN’s Next Producer.
Moreover, they have fellowships and internships such as the Boston: WBUR Fellowship that are available for both undergrads and graduate students. This gives a lot of opportunities to those who are seeking experience or credible references that would help them with job applications.
6. Stanford University
Being one of the best journalism schools in the world, Stanford University requires every journalism Master’s student to take on a thesis project that allows them to showcase their abilities and areas of specialization/interests. This provides students an opportunity for their work to be published if approved by the journalism faculty member which is beneficial to those who have not yet graduated.
Moreover, their facilities are filled with high-quality technology, being one of the generally esteemed top schools in the United States. Stanford provides its students with iMac computers as well as applications like Final Cut Pro X that teach students how to translate outdated modes of writing to a more exciting and relevant platform.
7. London School of Economics and Political Science
The London School of Economics and Political Science‘s Department of Media and Communications is a premier educational and research institution for communication and media studies. They seek to equip students with the necessary skills for a doctorate or professional research in the media and communications industry.
This prestigious school of journalism offers a Master’s degree and a Doctorate in several areas of journalism. A quick course on international journalism is also available in this school.
8. Nanyang Technological University
One notable arm of the Nanyang Technological University, the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI), is a school of global repute. Founded in 1992, they are the only full-fledged communication school in Singapore and a top-tier center of excellence. They pride themselves as one of the best schools for journalism studies in the world, with an international faculty, cutting-edge research facilities, and several institutional affiliations.
Media programs available at WKWSCI are designed to continue to address the journalistic demands in Singapore and globally.
9. National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is one of a few institutions in Southeast Asia that teaches media studies, interactive media design, and cultural studies. This institution’s Department of Communications and New Media is well-suited for journalists who want to build outstanding careers. With its comprehensive approach to education, the department cultivates journalists who can work in various media and communication organizations.
Here, students enjoy a conducive environment that enhances innovation and creativity. The emphasis is on experiential teaching, which offers students the chance for hands-on learning.
10. Columbia University
Another top university where you can study journalism is Columbia University. It is a renowned learning center that prides itself on training students who become globally-recognized journalists. Columbia University has produced some of the finest journalists in the world over its more than 100-year history.
The Columbia Journalism School provides three graduate degree options: Master of Arts, Journalism; Master of Science, Journalism; and Master of Science, Data Journalism.
11. Chinese University of Hong Kong
The longest tradition of communication teaching and research in Hong Kong may be found at CUHK School of Journalism and Communication. CUHK offers a master’s degree in journalism, media, and communications and a doctorate in journalism, media, and communications to develop graduates with practical capabilities. With decades of expertise, CUHK has produced students who have become influential figures in the media, reinforcing the school’s reputation as one of the world’s best schools for journalism.
12. Michigan State University
MSU’s School of Journalism is a very innovative and student-centered school that has received national and global accreditation. Here, teachers challenge students to think “beyond the box” and equip them with the skills they’ll need to rewrite several narratives in the journalism world. Graduates of Michigan State University are regarded as insightful thinkers and action-driven personalities.
At this institution, students can develop their ideas and broaden their skill sets to improve their journalistic careers in a varied and active community. You also get the opportunity to join any of the several student communities that open you up to more news, opportunities, and access to top journalists in the state.
13. University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania has the Annenberg School of Communication, a globally-rated learning center. The teaching model in this institution brings fresh and insightful perspectives to every classroom. The school’s faculty is manned by eminent academics whose research has contributed to the careers of many students globally.
More than 700 ambitious graduate students who represent the wide diversity of the world are enrolled in USC Annenberg’s bachelor’s and doctorate programs. Here, students are encouraged to push limits by putting their innovative ideas into practice as they access training opportunities. Undoubtedly, this speaks of the quality this school offers to national and international students.
14. MIT Art and Design Technology University
The MIT Art and Design Technology University offers an International School of Broadcasting and Journalism that has continued to live up to its name for many years. The school was founded in 1861 and presently offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in different journalism programs. As the university is known to be among the best institutions for journalism in the world, the course options available here are renowned for their quality.
This International School of Broadcasting and Journalism is keen on the new media’s role in shaping the world around us. As such, attention is paid to the details of grooming students along the path of authentic journalism devoid of bias and prejudices. If you are looking for conducive learning to take a journalism program, this institution is one of the top choices worth considering.
15. University of Wisconsin-Madison
The University of Wisconsin is a top-tier institution known for its academic brilliance, outstanding students, motivating teachers, remarkable value, and incredible campus. The University of Washington’s communication undergraduate program is built on four pillars: community involvement, theory and concepts, communication investigation, and communication literacy.
Teachers at this journalism institute help students learn to think critically, respect diversity, communicate clearly, and acquire the skills necessary to be the best. It is a school designed to prepare students for the challenges of living in a culture where communication is used to inform, amuse, persuade, and shape society.
16. Harvard University
Harvard University, a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of the most prestigious universities in the world in several learning fields, including journalism. It is no surprise that Harvard University makes it to this list of the top journalism schools in the world because of the many records that flow from it.
Every year since its inception, the school continues to graduate well-trained journalists who are innovative and authentic in their approach. The amazing learning centers, practical teaching approaches, experienced teachers, and dynamic learning curriculum are some of the features that stand this school out from its peers.
17. University College London (UCL)
Located in the heart of London is the University College London, often referred to as UCL. The institution has been ranked among the world’s top 20 “super-elite” universities. It is also one of the top Journalism schools in the world. The broadcaster and natural historian David Attenborough and the Indian Political Ethicist Mahatma Gandhi are prominent alums of the university.
The university offers a wide range of courses in journalism for its master’s and bachelor’s programs. The bachelor’s program draws across disciplines from three different faculties: media histories, media sociology, and film studies. The school also offers a journalism master’s program in critical studies in digital media, which explores the significance and interpretation of digital media. For the bachelor’s program, the school also extends apprenticeship opportunities to students. The journalism apprenticeship is mainly for those interested in gaining more skill sets in various media-related positions.
18. Stellenbosch University
Located in South Africa is the prestigious Stellenbosch University. The journalism department of the university, located on campus in Protea House, was founded in 1978. The department was founded by the then-editor of Die Burger, Professor Piet Cillié. The institution’s goal when it was founded was to help spread and establish journalism in South Africa as a respectable profession.
The school offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate programs in journalism, with the master’s course being a basic 180-credit program. The purpose of the course is to spread journalism across the department, the institution, and South Africa as a whole. The school runs a publication that started in 1995 by the department’s students and is named Stellenbosch Journalism Insight and was later renamed in 2002 to Stellenbosch Media Forum.
19. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois is a public university located in Illinois Chicago. The school has been ranked as one of the best public universities and has also be considered among the best national universities in country. The institution is not just notable as one of the soaring public universities in the United States but one of the leading journalism schools in the world.
Different journalism programs cut across several solid areas, such as Multimedia reporting, Investigative journalism, News editing, Audio journalism, and Multimedia editing and design. While these areas are electives for students, students are still allowed to choose one as a major and another as a minor. One of the significant journalism teaching methods at the university is small classes held in working newsrooms. The Bachelor’s program is a 124-credit hours course, and other courses within the program are Newsgathering Across Platforms, Journalism Ethics & Diversity, Multimedia Editing, and Design.
20. CUNY Lehman College
Located in the Bronx area of New York City, CUNY Lehman College is notable for its journalism courses. The school ranks 4th in the highest mobility rate in the nation and is one of the top journalism schools in the United States.
There are specific academic requirements for the school’s journalism students. They are expected to complete 24 credits of core classes and 42-43 credits in either one or two other electives related to journalism. Course areas of concentration in the school are Multimedia Editing and Proofreading, Reporting I and II, and Introduction to Multilingual Media.
21. University of Johannesburg
The University of Johannesburg journalism school is one of the best schools in the world. While the school’s program focuses on undergraduate learning, it ensures that students carry out theory and practical activities that enhance their journalism knowledge. The journalism department merges journalism, film, and television, a combination that gives students a wide knowledge and understanding of these various areas of journalism.
22. New York University
The New York University, founded in 1831, has been one of the prominent institutions in the United States. The institution has 19 different colleges, of which the journalism college is one of them. The journalism arm of the school is referred to as the “Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute,” and it’s regarded as home for intending “restless investigators, the ones who never stop asking why.”
In this arm of NYU, journalism is taught by practicing journalists, and students get to select the Print/Online or the Broadcast track. In addition to core journalism courses offered, students must choose from other majors within the College of Arts and Science at NYU. With these, there is no doubt that NYU is one of the top Journalism schools in the world.
23. Arizona State University
In the United States, Arizona State University is regarded as the number one for innovation by the U.S. News and World Report. The arm of journalism in the school is referred to as the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
The journalism department was the previous home of Arizona PBS, the biggest media outlet operated within a journalism school worldwide. The department offers journalism courses that cut across News Reporting and Writing, Multimedia Journalism, Videography, and Public Relations Research.
24. Hong Kong Baptist University School of Communication
Located in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Baptist University School of Communication is notable for its International Journalism discipline, which took effect in 1968. The institution focuses only on Bachelor’s programs in this field of journalism and offers two major areas: International Journalism and Business and Financial Journalism. With those, the university is among the top choices for students looking to study one of the best Journalism programs in the world.
25. Nihon University
Located in Chiyoda, Japan, Nihon University is one of the oldest universities in the country that dates back to 1889. The institution runs a cutting-edge master’s degree program in journalism that seeks to revolutionize the study of journalism. The school’s Graduate School of Journalism aims to educate and train student journalists who will emerge as global professionals.
26. University of Technology Sydney
The University of Technology Sydney is another notable institution that offers master’s programs in Journalism. The school is located in Sydney, Australia but has another related department in Shanghai, China. The Bachelor of Journalism course enhances students’ knowledge in reporting, editing, and digital skills related to journalism.
During the program, students learn about journalistic practices, drone usage, virtual reality, and computer-assisted reporting. The program is geared towards improving students’ critical understanding of contemporary media. With the integration of modern technology into its curriculum, the University of Technology Sydney indeed has one of the top Journalism programs in the world.
We hope this article on the Best Schools offering journalism will help you decide where you want to studyl. To know more information on studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students.
