Master’s in Broadcast and Digital Journalism

The Newhouse School believes the pillars of journalism excellence rest in the principles of democracy and citizenship. The broadcast and digital journalism program gives you access to the technology, ideas and skills you need to fulfill one of the most pivotal roles of a free press in a modern democratic society: to help citizens sort fact from fiction in order to make sound decisions about their lives and communities. 

Traditional journalism standards of accuracy and context combine with cutting-edge technology in a program built to prepare you to report on the world. 

An experienced faculty will show you how to turn your commitment to excellence and curiosity into a meaningful career in broadcast and multimedia journalism. 

Broadcast and Digital Journalism Program Fundamentals

The broadcast and digital journalism master’s program is focused on giving you the skills necessary to be a broadcast and digital journalist. During this 13-month program, you will learn how to produce news content accurately for multiple platforms under tight deadlines. This experiential education takes place in a digital newsroom many working journalists would admire.

Who Should Apply to the Broadcast and Digital Journalism Graduate Program?

The broadcast and digital journalism master’s program is for anyone who wants to excel in the fast-paced environment of a 24-hour broadcast newsroom, producing content for television, radio and other multimedia platforms, including those not yet invented. Whether you want to work behind the scenes or in front of a camera, the industry expertise at Newhouse will teach you the skills you need for success. You do not need to have a background in journalism to apply for this program. In fact, work experience in another field, or an alternative course of undergraduate study, may give you an advantage when specializing in certain types of reporting.    

What Real-Life Experiences Will I Have in the Broadcast and Digital Journalism Master’s Program?

You will be industry-ready upon graduating from the broadcast and digital journalism master’s program. Classwork will immerse you in the workings of a real newsroom environment, producing full newscasts under the same real-world deadlines faced by working professionals. You will learn all aspects of newscast production, from coming up with story ideas and scheduling shoots to conducting interviews and completing both a broadcast and digital version of your story. You will learn the inner workings of the control room and what it takes to become the coordinating producer of a live news program. You will learn from faculty who still work in the field. Your professors and instructors have a wealth of industry experience and will teach you how to work as a productive member of a news team in a variety of job roles.

In addition to your classes, there are a number of options available for you to further hone your broadcast journalism skills. NCC News is a broadcast and digital outlet for student work. There are three radio stations that air from campus: WAER 88.3 FM, WJPZ 89.1 FM and the internet station WERW. There are also broadcast options with the ACC Network and Citrus TV.  

In your final six weeks in the program, the Washington Capstone provides you the opportunity to report and produce stories in the nation’s capital for Nexstar Media Group stations across the country. You will cover breaking news and politics while still learning from Newhouse instructors and alumni.  

What if I Am Interested in Becoming a Sportscaster?

Many of the greats in sports media studied at the Newhouse School. In keeping with this tradition, the broadcast and digital journalism graduate program has a Sports Media and Communications (SMC) track run by the Newhouse Sports Media Center. This track includes sports production, play-by-play (radio and TV), television sports anchoring and reporting, sports writing, sports documentary production and more.  

What if I Am Interested in Reporting on Politics, Social Justice Issues, or International Affairs? 

The Newhouse School has an unwavering commitment to develop informed and engaged citizens. In collaboration with the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, the broadcast and digital journalism graduate program now offers a Public Affairs Journalism track. The track allows students to enroll in Maxwell courses in political science, international affairs, and other specialized topics to complement the hands-on skills training of our core curriculum. 

Application Deadline

Application materials must be submitted by January 15 for priority consideration. Applications continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the spring if space is available.

For more information about the M.S. in broadcast and digital journalism, contact Professor J. Elliott Lewis (jlewis20@syr.edu), Program Director.

For more information about graduate studies at the Newhouse School, contact Martha Coria (macoria@syr.edu), Assistant Director of Graduate Programs.