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Academics

Master of Arts in journalism

High-level training in a chosen subject area

The Master of Arts program consists of a year’s intensive study in a chosen concentration, working with professors from both the journalism school and the university’s academic departments and professional schools.

Students take five courses per term, with most offered at the journalism school and at least one each term from other schools or departments at Columbia University. Two courses are required for all M.A. students in all fields: "Evidence and Inference" and "A History of Journalism for Journalists."

All M.A. students are required to complete a master’s thesis, a year-long project jointly advised by a member of the journalism school faculty and a member of the Columbia faculty or a subject-area expert from outside the journalism school. The end result is an ambitious journalistic work of about 10,000 words or its equivalent in the electronic media.

The M.A. faculty
The professors teaching in the Master of Arts program are experts in their fields, and are also exceptional teachers and role models. Students in the M.A. program work closely with their professors, and receive intensive one-on-one editing and mentoring.

The following is a list of professors who teach in the M.A. program, with links to their biographies:

Evan Cornog
Thomas Edsall
David Hajdu
Marguerite Holloway
Nicholas Lemann
Sylvia Nasar
Michael Schudson
Alisa Solomon
James Stewart
Alexander Stille
Jonathan Weiner

Course schedule

Course
Fall
(Credits)
Spring
(Credits)

Evidence & Inference 3 3
History/Principles of Journalism 3
Graduate Seminar in Major 6 6
Masters Thesis 3 3
Fall Elective (outside J-School) 3 --
Spring Elective I (outside J-School) -- 3
Spring Elective II (outside J-School) 3

36 credits (min.) to MA degree: 18 18

The concentrations
The seminar in your concentration, taken both in the fall and in the spring, is the most intensive part of the Master of Arts degree. Taught by members of the journalism school faculty and subject-area experts from Columbia and beyond, the seminars use a combination of course readings, case studies, field trips and visits with experts to provide expertise in the student’s chosen concentration.

Arts and Culture Seminar
Business Seminar
Politics Seminar
Science Seminar

In addition, students take one fall elective and two spring electives in their concentration. One course in each term must be taken at other schools or departments at Columbia University.