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2009-2010 Graduate Studies Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]
Journalism, M.A.
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 Return to: Program Information
Associate Professor Zook, Graduate Program Director, (516) 463-4304, Kristal.Zook@hofstra.edu
The Department of Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations is dedicated to a quality liberal arts education. The journalism programs teach critical thinking, research and effective oral and written expression, emphasizing the ethics, laws and history of the profession. The Department seeks to educate individuals for careers as truthful and accurate media professionals, such as reporters, producers, editors and broadcasters. The curriculum incorporates a broad working knowledge of issues that include economics, political science and business. All programs are grounded within the framework of liberal arts and science education and the principles by which journalists and scholars work in a democratic society.
The Master of Arts in Journalism is a professional program that prepares students to become ethical, skilled providers of specialized news. After completing a core of journalism ethics and skills courses, students will pursue advanced study in business journalism, science and medical journalism or sports journalism.
Course work includes specialized writing and reporting skills as well as graduate courses from the Frank G. Zarb School of Business or departments within the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Additional course work will include specific courses from the Master of Health Administration program and a graduate statistics course from the School of Education, Health and Human Services.
In their final year, students will complete an internship at a media outlet, and, working closely with a graduate adviser, produce as a capstone project a major piece of journalism in their area of specialization.
The program emphasizes the application of journalism skills to broader social goals.
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Admission Requirements
Prospective students must complete and return an application to the Dean of Graduate Admissions, 126 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549. The application process includes:
- Prospective students should have completed an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution, and earned an overall grade point average of at least 2.75.
- Applicants should have successfully completed an undergraduate course in news writing and reporting (equivalent to JRNL 11 at Hofstra) and in copy editing (equivalent to JRNL 53 at Hofstra), or should have equivalent professional experience. Students who have not taken the prerequisite courses may be asked to complete additional undergraduate course work before beginning the graduate level journalism courses.
- In addition to a completed application and an official transcript of undergraduate work, applicants may submit current GRE scores.
- An interview with the program director is strongly recommended but not required for admission to the program. Applicants may arrange for either an on-campus or telephone interview.
All students accepted to the program will be required to pass a basic news writing test and a grammar and spelling test before enrolling in journalism courses. Those students who do not pass the tests may be asked to complete additional undergraduate course work before enrolling in graduate level journalism courses. Students electing to take these classes at Hofstra will be permitted to enroll in both courses concurrently.
The department understands that any single criterion may not reliably predict a candidate’s potential for success in the program. We encourage students who may not meet all of the criteria to apply if they have other experiences that make them suitable candidates for the program. Financial Assistance
A limited number of partial scholarships are awarded for qualified
students. Other student aid in the form of loans and work-study program
may also be available. General questions about financial aid (grants
and loans) should be directed to the Hofstra Office of Financial Aid.
Program Requirements - Semester Hours: 36
Required Courses - 15 s.h.
Electives - 6-12 s.h.
Chosen from the following: Area of Specialization (Select Business, Science or Sports)
Business Specialization: 9-15 s.h. Required
Students must choose either ACCT 203 or ECO 200, but are not required to take both.
Science Specialization: 9-15 s.h.
Required courses: Sports Specialization: 9-15 s.h.
Graduation Requirements
- Completion of a capstone professional project.
- Successful oral defense of the capstone professional project.
- Completion of an internship or independent study in area of specialization.
- Completion of all program requirements with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in overall graduate course work.
Career Opportunities
Increasingly, news and other communication outlets are looking for people with specialized knowledge in a particular area, as well as the skills necessary to function in a convergent information environment. The demand for graduates with a background in business or science and medical journalism is especially strong right now, and will continue to grow in the future, as the reading and viewing public grapples with more complex issues and needs the clear and accurate explanation that only journalists with in-depth field-specific training can provide. Across the country, science writers with a strong background in health and medical issues are in growing demand because of the aging population and the increasing complexity of our health care environment. Business reporters who understand the technical complexity of our business environment are also always in demand.
An M.A. in Journalism prepares students not only for jobs in newspapers, magazines, and online publications, but also for a wide range of other professional careers. Graduates of the program will be well-trained to serve as public information officers for government and nonprofit organizations, to write and edit in-house publications for businesses, medical centers, or research laboratories, to serve as fundraising writers in development offices, and to take advantage of the growing market for business and health newsletters. Other graduates may opt to become technical writers or editors for trade magazines or book publishers. In short, graduates will be welcome wherever there is a need for people who can understand complex information and communicate it effectively to general audiences.
Through a diverse set of courses and practical experiences, our program produces graduates with a solid grounding in skills and ethics and the flexibility to adapt to the ever-changing demands of professional journalism
Hofstra is located a short distance from New York City, the communications capital of the country. The New York metropolitan area is home to most of the nation’s 10,000 magazines, three major dailies and hundreds of smaller newspapers, the major broadcast networks and dozens of cable stations, and the largest public relations firms in the world. In addition, students specializing in science and medical journalism will be able to intern at medical centers, pharmaceutical laboratories, or university public information offices. Students specializing in business journalism will be within easy commuting distance of Wall Street and Madison Avenue, and can access a wealth of business-to-business publishing. Students specializing in sports journalism will have access to professional and collegiate sports organizations both on Long Island and in New York City. Additionally, students will be able to take advantage of the numerous print and electronic sports media outlets within close proximity to the campus. Advisement
Graduate students in the School of Communication should contact the
Graduate Program Director to have an adviser/mentor assigned as soon as
they arrive on campus. Students should meet with their adviser for
scheduling of classes for each semester. Adviser/Mentors are available
throughout each semester.
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Return to: Program Information
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