How to Get a Master's Degree in Journalism

A master's degree in journalism can prepare you for a career in journalism even if you don't have any published articles, called clips. Even for skilled journalists, a master's degree can bring careers to the next level. Most programs compress many years of on the job experience into one year of study. And you will leave "J-school" with the most important thing in the field: clips.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Complete your undergraduate education. Get some journalism experience while you are there if you can. Write for a campus publication or submit articles to a local newspaper.

2. Research programs that meet your needs. There are top programs at Columbia in New York and Northwestern outside of Chicago.

3. Apply to the schools that interest you the most. You must submit a transcript, letters of recommendation and a personal statement. You can submit clips, if you want, and some programs require a writing test.

4. Choose a program that will move your career in the right direction. Take a look at the subspecialties offered and the types of connections you can make through the faculty. Also consider the financial aid packages offered by each school.

5. Get good grades and accumulate clips, which will show how much you really learned.

6. Prepare your skills for the job market. Compile a resume and get your name out by networking.

Tips & Warnings

• Some of the most successful journalists advance without any formal education.

• Unlike other fields, a master's degree in journalism usually does not come with a pay raise.