25 Best Online Master’s in Journalism Programs

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• School Location: Chapel Hill, NC
• Regional Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• Degree: Master of Arts in Digital Communication 
• More: Visit the school for more about this Digital Communication degree and online programs.

The Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina offers a MA in Digital Communications that is among the most innovative online Journalism programs. Its project-based curriculum teaches students to explore the new technology and economic drivers that affect media and mass communications. Sample classes include Reputation Management, Visual Literacy and User Experience, and also Media Analytics.

UNC Chapel Hill’s 30 credit program takes most part-time students 2.5 years to complete. Coursework is all online. However, this masters degree requires a summer residency of five days and a two-day orientation. Additionally, applicants to UNC’s graduate journalism degree must have three years of professional experience.

2. University of South Florida

• School Location: Tampa, Florida
• Regional Accreditation: SACSCOC
• Degree: Master of Arts in Digital Journalism and Design 
• More: Visit the school for more about this Digital Journalism and Design degree and online programs.

USF has campuses in Tampa, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and also a robust distance-learning platform. The University of South Florida offers an MA in Digital Journalism and Design that is among the Sunshine State’s leading online Masters degree programs.

This online master’s in Journalism degree program from the University of South Florida requires 30 graduate credit units. Online students enrolled in the journalism degree can complete the program in three semesters, or just a bit over one year.

3. Stephen F. Austin State University

• School Location: Nacogdoches, Texas
• Regional Accreditation: SACSCOC
• Degree: MA in Mass Communication
• More: Visit the school for more about this Mass Communication degree and online programs.

Stephen F. Austin State University offers an MA in Mass Communication with an academic specialty in Journalism that is one of the most innovative online master’s in Journalism degree programs in Texas. Stephen F. Austin State University’s Masters in Journalism program offers a thesis, non-thesis, and media project for a culminating educational experience.

Featured coursework for this online journalism masters degree includes Topics in Mass Communication, Media Theory, Media Law & Ethics, and also Media Sales. Additionally, Stephen F. Austin State University enrolls approximately 13,050 students studying both online and on-campus.

4. New York University

• School Location: New York, NY
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• Degree: Master of Arts in Journalism
• More: Visit the school for more about its Journalism online master’s

The Carter Journalism Institute at New York University offers an American Masters in Journalism program. NYU’s online journalism master’s degree program includes courses Reporting the News, Feature Writing, Longform Narrative, Investigative Reporting, and also Law & Ethics.

To graduate, journalism students complete eight online courses totaling 30-32 credits. Full time students can finish the program in 12 months. Most part-time students complete the Journalism degree program in less than three years. However, they must finish within five years. There are no residence or campus visit requirements. However, live classes meet once a week in the evening and attendance is mandatory. Elective courses include Multimedia Storytelling, Audio Storytelling, The Broadcast Newsroom, Media Startups & News Innovations, and also The Working Journalist.

5. University of Memphis

• School Location: Memphis, Tennessee
• Accreditation: SACSCOC
• Degree: MA in Journalism and Strategic Media
• More: Visit the school for more about this Strategic Media degree.

The Department of Journalism and Strategic Media at the University of Memphis offers a Master of Arts degree program (MA) in Journalism and Strategic Media that is recognized nationally. UM’s masters in Journalism program offers concentrations in Visual Media, Storytelling & News, Mass Media Research, and also Integrated Strategic Media.

Core classes for this online master’s degree include Advanced Media Writing, Media Research Methods, and also Media Theory Core. Additionally, the University of Memphis’s alumni includes athletes, actors, doctors, musicians, and also politicians.

6. Ball State University

• Location: Muncie, Indiana
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Degree: MA in Journalism
• Program Accreditation: Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)
• School Profile
• More: Visit the school for more about this Journalism degree and online programs.

The School of Journalism and Strategic Communication at Ball State University offers an MA in Journalism which is one of the best online journalism masters programs in Indiana. This Master of Arts in Journalism online degree program is AEJMC accredited and available to both part-time and full-time students. Two tracks for completing degree are Reporting & Storytelling and also Media Analytics & Management. Core classes include Studies in Journalism and Communication Theory, Journalistic Judgments and Sociology of News, and also Media Audiences and Content Strategy.

Enrolled students in BSU’s online journalism masters degree complete work in media analytics, literary journalism, eye-tracking research, data visualization, and also content strategy. Additionally, Ball State University is ranks among the best midwestern schools by the Princeton Review.

7. University of Florida

• School Location: Gainesville, Florida
• Accreditation: SACSCOC
• Degree: MA in Mass Communication
• More: Visit the school for more about this Mass Communication degree and online programs.

The University of Florida has sixteen colleges and schools offering programs in business, law, medicine, engineering, and also dentistry. UF’s College of Journalism & Communications (CJC) offers a Master of Arts in Mass Communication degree. And this program is among the leading online journalism masters degree programs in Florida and also the nation.

Students can choose academic specializations in analytics, political communication, web design, public relations, global strategic communication, and also digital strategy. Classes for UF’s online journalism masters program include Video Sorytelling, Mass Communication Theory, Foundations of Communication, and also a Capstone.

8. Michigan State University

• School Location: East Lansing, MI
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Degree: Journalism Graduate Certificate
• More: Visit the school for more about this Graduate Certificate and online programs.

Michigan State University’s School of Journalism College of Communication Arts & Sciences offers an online journalism master’s Graduate Certificate. Journalism graduates from this online degree program possess the skills required to understand how various media types may impact society at large.

Additionally, this certificate requires ten credits to meet program completion guidelines. Select classes for the Michigan State University program include Journalism Studies Seminar, Contemporary Issues in Journalism, and also Disruptions in Journalism.

9. University of Missouri

• School Location: Missouri
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Degree: MA in Journalism in Interactive Media
• More: Visit the school for more about this Interactive Media degree and online programs.

The University of Missouri offers an MA in Journalism with an academic emphasis in Interactive Media that can be completed 100% online. This online Journalism Masters program requires candidates to complete 37 credit hours at the master’s level. Coursework for UM’s online journalism masters degree program includes Infographics, Digital Strategy and Mass Communication, and also Visual Communication.

Journalism graduates of the University of Missouri find rewarding careers as a senior proposal coordinator, media relations manager, writer, or also a journalist.

10. University of Nebraska Lincoln

• Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Degree: MA in Professional Journalism
• More: Visit the school for more about this Professional Journalism degree and online programs.

The College of Journalism & Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska Lincoln offers a Master of Arts in Professional Journalism. Furthermore, this degree program is one of the leading and most innovative online Journalism masters programs in Nebraska.

UN Lincoln’s online degree program mandates degree candidates to complete 36 graduate semester units. This includes a six-credit professional project that is completed over the last two semesters of the program. Featured coursework includes Ethics and Issues in Mass Communication, Entrepreneurial Journalism, and also Multi-platform Journalism.

11. Regent University

• Location: Virginia Beach, VA
• Accreditation: SACSCOC
• Degree: MA in Journalism 
• More: Visit the school for more about this Journalism degree and online programs.

The Masters in Journalism online degree program at Regent University requires 33 graduate semester units. Additionally, Regent’s online journalism masters degree program also requires a three-credit culminating directed project or thesis.

Coursework includes journalism technology tools, social media, news writing & reporting, story, popular culture & worldview, multimedia reporting, and also mobile field and media research.

12. Harvard University

• School Location: Cambridge, MA
• Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
• Degree: hybrid online MA in Journalism
• More: Visit the school for more about this degree and online programs.

The Journalism master’s degree program through Harvard University Extension only requires 12 courses. Students learn technical skills for reporting and writing in both traditional and digital media. Eleven of the classes are online, but students must travel to the campus for one in-person course. Select classes include The Constitution and the Media, Feature Writing, Podcasting, and also a Journalism Capstone Project.

Additionally, the degree includes three stackable certificates in Business Communication, Digital Storytelling, and also Marketing Management & Digital Strategy.

13. Kent State University

• School Location: Kent, Ohio
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Degree: MA for Journalism Educators
• More: Visit the school for more about this Educators degree and online programs.

Kent State University Center for Scholastic Journalism offers a Master of Arts degree program (MA) for Journalism Educators that is among the most innovative Masters in Journalism online degree programs in Ohio and beyond. Degree candidates must finish a minimum of 33 graduate semester hours to meet KSU’s graduation criteria.

Required coursework for this online journalism masters degree program includes theory & societal role of mass media, teaching journalism ethics, journalism and mass communication, digital media production tools, and also mass communication law & ethics. The total student enrollment across all campuses of Kent State University is more than 35,000 students.

14. UMass Amherst

• School Location: Amherst, Massachusetts
• Accreditation: NECHE
• Degree: Journalism Graduate Certificate
• More: Visit the school for more about this Graduate Certificate and online programs.

The online Journalism Graduate Certificate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst requires the completion of 16 to 17 graduate credits in five classes. UMass Amherst’s Masters in Journalism online degree program is taught by award-winning professors with professional journalistic experience.

Students enrolled in this online Journalism Masters degree are required to take classes in news writing & reporting, journalism ethics, digital media production tools, and also introduction to journalism news literacy. Additionally, UMass Amherst is the state’s third-largest school, with only Harvard and Boston University having more students.

15. University of Alabama

• School Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
• Accreditation: SACSCOC
• Degree: MA in Journalism & Media Studies
• More: Visit the school for more about Journalism & Media Studies degree and online programs.

The University of Alabama offers an MA in Journalism & Media Studies for the evolving media landscape. It is among the leading Journalism online degree programs. UA’s online journalism masters degree program requires the completion of 31 graduate credits to meet the criteria for graduation.

In addition to a professional master’s culminating project, this online Journalism Masters degree includes core curriculum classes. Sample courses include the History of Journalism, Communication Research Methods, and also Contemporary Issues in Journalism.

16. University of Colorado Boulder

• School Location: Boulder, Colorado
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Degree: MA in Journalism Entrepreneurship
• More: Visit the school for more about this degree and online programs.

The College of Media Communication & Information at the University of Colorado Boulder offers a Master of Arts (MA) in Journalism Entrepreneurship. This program is among the leading Colorado online master’s in Journalism degree programs.

UC Boulder’s masters in Journalism online is a professional degree with core classes like Journalism Law and Ethics. Classes for the online journalism masters degree program with the specialization include Funding Journalism in the 21st Century and also the Practice of Entrepreneurial Journalism.

17. Virginia Commonwealth University

• School Location: Norfolk, Virginia
• Accreditation: SACSCOC
• Degree: MS in Mass Communications-Multimedia Journalism
• More: Visit the school for more about Multimedia Journalism and online programs.

The Robertson School of Media & Culture at Virginia Commonwealth University offers a Master of Science (MS) in Mass Communications Multimedia Journalism. It is one of Virginia’s most innovative and leading online Journalism Masters programs.

Degree candidates enrolled in this online journalism master’s program must complete a minimum of 30 graduate semester units. Feature core coursework in VCU’s Journalism programs include communication research, digital production, media law & ethics, topics mass communications, and also a capstone project. Virginia Commonwealth University is organized into eighteen schools and colleges.

18. University of Tennessee Knoxville

• School Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
• Accreditation: SACSCOC
• Degree: MS in Communication and Information – Strategic and Digital Communication
• More: Visit the school for more about this Strategic and Digital Communication degree.

The University of Tennessee Knoxville offers an MS in Communication and Information in Strategic and Digital Communication. This UT online journalism master’s degree has no GRE requirement during application.

Degree candidates enrolled in the University of Tennessee’s Masters in Journalism programs will take classes in social informatics, strategic communication tactics, interpersonal conflict, audience analytics, information architecture, web design, and information architecture, among others. Additionally, the University of Tennessee is the oldest secular higher learning institution west of the Continental divide.

19. National University

• School Location: La Jolla, CA
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission
• Degree: MA in Journalism 
• More: Visit the school for more about this Journalism program.

The MA in Journalism from National University is among the leading online Journalism degree programs on the west coast. Faculty of National University’s online Journalism programs are recognized to be award-winning journalists. Coursework is delivered in a four-week format. Classes cover data and journalism, enterprise reporting, and also international journalism.

National University is a military-friendly institution of higher education. It was originally developed to meet the needs of non-traditional working learners in 1971. The university has six colleges and schools offering programs in education, business, engineering, health, and also professional studies.

20. Saint Bonaventure University

• School Location: St. Bonaventure, NY
• Accreditation: MSCHE
• Degree: online Master of Arts in Sports Journalism
• More: Visit the school for more about Sports Journalism program.

The Jandoli Communication School at St Bonaventure University offers a Master of Arts (MA) in Sports Journalism that is among the leading programs in the Empire State. This online master’s in journalism degree is ACEJMC accredited and considered a best value for New York State, according to US News.

Students enrolled in the St Bonaventure University online master’s in Journalism program can complete the degree in approximately 18 months, without any required campus visits. Additionally, St Bonaventure University’s alumni include six Pulitzer Prize winners, including Dan Barry for investigative journalism and other journalistic achievements.

21. Full Sail University

• School Location: Winter Park, Florida
• Accreditation: Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)
• Degree: Master of Arts in New Media Journalism
• More: Visit the school for more about New Media Journalism.

Full Sail University offers an online master’s in Journalism in New Media Journalism that can be completed entirely online. In addition, Full Sail University’s online journalism programs can be completed in as few as twelve months.

Featured coursework for Full Sail University’s Master’s in Journalism online degree program includes research & investigation skills development, legal aspects of media, digital news production, new media publishing & distribution, public relations & reputation management, and also writing for interactive media. Full Sail University focuses its academic programs on the production of film, audio, and media.

22. Georgetown University

• School Location: Washington, DC
• Accreditation: MSCHE
• Degree: Graduate Certificate in Journalism and Digital Media
• More: Visit the school for more about

Georgetown University offers an online Graduate Certificate in Journalism and Digital Media (known as the Communication Culture & Technology program) that is a leading program in the greater Washington DC area. Degree candidates for GU’s online Journalism programs must finish 18 graduate academic credits to meet the university’s graduation criteria.

Classes for Georgetown University’s online program include journalistic content production, critical theory & contemporary media, plus an elective from a list of twenty options. Georgetown University serves more than 18,900 students as one of the globe’s top schools.

23. Northeastern University

• School Location: Boston, Massachusetts
• Accreditation: NECHE
• Degree: Master of Professional Studies in Digital Media
• More: Visit the school for more about this Digital Media degree.

Northeastern University is one of the most selective institutions of higher education. And the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Digital Media at Northeastern University is one of Boston’s leading online Journalism programs. This STEM-designated online journalism masters degree program is available to full and part-time students, with full-time students finishing in about 15 months.

Featured classes for this masters in Journalism online degree program include Foundations of Digital Storytelling, Web Creation for Content Management Systems, and also Information Technology & Creative Practice. Journalism students also complete a final capstone.

24. Syracuse University

• School Location: Syracuse, New York
• Accreditation: MSCHE
• Degree: Master of Science (MS) in Communications with an academic emphasis in Journalism Innovation
• More: Visit the school for more about Journalism Innovation

The Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University offers a Master of Science (MS) in Communications with an academic emphasis in Journalism Innovation that ranks as one of New York’s most innovative and leading online master’s in Journalism programs. This online journalism master’s degree program includes nine classes, two immersions, and one capstone project to meet SU’s criteria for graduation.

Degree candidates can complete Syracuse University’s Masters in Journalism online degree program in less than 18 months. Core courses include media law, multimedia storytelling, and also social media for public communicators. Additionally, Syracuse University’s alumni include an impressive list of Nobel Prize laureates, Pulitzer Price recipients, Rhodes Scholars, and Olympic medalists.

25. Marshall University

• School Location: Huntington, WV
• Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission
• Degree: Master’s in New Media Studies
• More: Visit the school for more about Marshall University and online programs.

The Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Marshall University offers a Master’s in New Media Studies. This program has accreditation from the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism & Mass Communications (ACEJMC).

Marshall University’s online masters requires candidates to finish a minimum of 30 graduate credits. The core curriculum for this master’s in Journalism degree program includes law and ethics, depth reporting, and design thinking. This online journalism masters degree offers electives in photojournalism and also organized storytelling. The school’s name honors the 4th US Chief Justice, John Marshall.

Public Relations Managers

A Public Relations Manager directs the creation of materials to enhance the public image of a client. Working for an organization, these professionals help craft positive messaging and position the brand favorably in the minds of the public.

Median Annual Salary: $119,860 (Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS)

Technical Writers

A Technical Writer creates, produces, and edits technical written material, generally for use in the form of manuals or instructional materials. They research a subject, interview experts, and write in a clear and concise style that is understandable to the intended audience.

Median Annual Salary: $78,060 (BLS)

Writers and Authors

A writer or author typically creates written works for traditional publications. This can include fiction and non-fiction books, write stories for newspaper and magazine articles, screenplays, plays, and also other forms of creative writing. Professional writers and authors may also help publicize their works by appearing for book signings, lectures, and interviews. Additionally, authors may sometimes assist in the production, editing, and marketing of their works.

Median Annual Salary: $69,510 (BLS)

Reporters and Correspondents

A Reporter or News Correspondent gathers information, conducts interviews, and evaluates information to develop written stories and reports for broadcast and digital media. They may cover topics in local news, national news, sports events, politics and also social issues. Some work independently, but many work for news organizations.

Median Annual Salary: $49,300 (BLS)

Journalists

A journalist is a professional writer responsible for researching, writing, and often editing content for various media, often with a focus on newsworthy stories. Journalists often interview people, investigate facts, and review related documents to ensure accuracy and balance in their reporting. They may create content for newspapers, online journals, magazines, television, online publications, radio broadcasts, and other forms of media.

Median Annual Salary: $48,370 (BLS)