Journalism Program

Our program offers engaging courses on a variety of topics, ranging from multimedia journalism, sports reporting, and opinion writing, to the history of advertising's relationship with the news industry and the challenges journalists face in packaging international news for an American audience.

As a minor in journalism, you will complete:

• Two core courses in history/culture and writing

• One course in ethics

• An internship, independent study, or senior thesis

• Two electives on a wide range of topics

Requirements for the minor

Students can request approval from the Journalism Program Director to do a senior writing project rather than an internship. However, because of the importance the program places on experiential learning, students will need to make a persuasive case why they are unable to complete an internship. If a request is granted, the student will take Independent Study (JOUR 98a or b). They will work with a faculty member to design their own course of study and spend one semester researching and writing a paper.

In our interdisciplinary program, you'll be taught by professors from a variety of departments, including sociology, American studies, anthropology, creative writing, and economics. You'll also learn from visiting professors who are practicing professionals in print and broadcast news.

Here are just a few examples of the dedicated scholars and practitioners you will work with:

• Mark Dellelo is a filmmaker and educator working at the intersection of the performing arts, the visual arts, and storytelling. He teaches multimedia storytelling and is an expert on digital media technology, motion picture production, filmmaking, and film as narrative.
• Maura Jane Farrelly, associate professor of American studies, covered religion in America for the Voice of America for four years, working out of their Washington, D.C., and New York bureaus. Before that, she was a general assignment reporter for Georgia Public Radio in Atlanta, where she also freelanced for NPR, the BBC, and Public Radio International.
• Adriana Lacy is Digital and Audience Engagement Editor for Harvard University's Nieman Foundation. She previously worked for the New York Times, Axios and the Los Angeles Times. She earned her Bachelor's degree from Penn State and her master's degree from Arizona State. She is the founder of Journalism Mentors.
• Ann Silvio is a journalist, storyteller, and digital media executive with 20 years of experience at legacy news organizations. Most recently, she was a story coach for young producers at a news startup, and for the past decade, she was a senior producer at 60 Minutes. Silvio founded and led 60 Minutes' digital arm, an editorial team that churned out original features for digital platforms and transformed the culture of one of journalism's most respected newsrooms.
• Neil Swidey is a bestselling author and award-winning Boston Globe Magazine writer and editor at large. His book "Trapped Under the Sea" was named one of the best books of the year by Amazon and Booklist. He's also the author of "The Assist," named one of the best books of the year by The Washington Post, and a coauthor of "Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy." His writing has been featured in "The Best American Science Writing," "The Best American Crime Writing," and "The Best American Political Writing."
• Josh Wolk is an editor, journalist, digital executive, and author with more than two decades' experience in arts and entertainment journalism. He has written for Entertainment Weekly, where he was senior editor of the TV department, and for New York Magazine, where he revamped their culture site, Vulture. He oversaw Yahoo's four entertainment verticals as Executive Editor as part of the company's 'digital magazine' reinvention, and led Esquire's 2016 election-season online reboot of the classic satire magazine, Spy.

Want to see how the world of journalism really works? Most journalism minors do. Our students have secured one-semester internships at many of Boston’s print and broadcast institutions, including the Boston Herald, The Christian Science Monitor, The Atlantic, WGBH public television, and the Boston affiliates of ABC, CBS, and NBC.

During the semester of your internship, you’ll also take the course Contemporary Media: Internship and Analysis (JOUR 89a), which will enable you to engage with other students doing media internships. 

You can hone your skills and gain a sense of community by joining student clubs and publications like The Justice, The Brandeis Hoot, and WBRS.

Here's a snapshot of graduates of our program:

• Jen Abidor ’11 is a senior editor at BuzzFeed.
• Gilda DiCarli ’13 is a trilingual journalist and producer based in Miami and specializing in audio.
• Lydia Emmanouilidou ’14 is AI Fellow at the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and the former Atlanta bureau chief for The World from Public Radio International.
• Lauren Katz ’13, Manager of Products and Strategy for Vox Media
• Claire Moses ’08 is a London-based writer for The New York Times.
• Brittney Nanton ’21, contributing writer for Essence and Forbes
• Chaiel Schaffel ’20 is a news writer at WBZ Newsradio 1030.

• Mitch Ablom ’79, journalist and author of “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “Five People You Meet in Heaven.”
• Yoni Appelbaum ’14, historian and Deputy Editor of The Atlantic
• Elizabeth Bruenig ’13, staff writer for The Atlantic
• Daniel Estrin ‘06, NPR's international correspondent in Jerusalem
• Thomas Friedman ’75, New York Times foreign affairs columnist and three-time Pulitzer Prize winner.
• Spencer Jakab ’91, Heard on the Street Editor, The Wall Street Journal
• Walt Mossberg ’69, technology columnist and founder (with Kara Swisher) of “Recode” and “AllThingsD.”
• Guy Raz ’96, NPR host and co-creator of “The TED Radio Hour,” “How I Built This,” and other top podcasts and radio programs.