Academic Tracks
Master's Program
Students with limited academic or professional experience in news reporting and writing typically follow the newsgathering track, to which the environmental emphasis is added. Students focus on print journalism, broadcast journalism or a combination of both. A major journalistic project, such as a magazine article, substitutes for a traditional master's thesis. The newsgathering track prepares students to work in newspapers and magazines, broadcast media outlets, online publishing, corporate communications, and other media settings. Students in the newsgathering program select an emphasis in print, broadcast or a combination. Newsgathering students also complete internships at award-winning media outlets along Colorado's Front Range. Broadcast students may participate in "NewsTeam Boulder," a student-produced news program broadcast live over the Boulder cable television system.
Students with an undergraduate degree in journalism or extensive professional experience in journalism usually take the research track for in-depth study of the media, and are required to write a thesis.
Course requirements in the different emphases within environmental journalism:
A list of master's courses offered by the SJMC is available here.
Doctoral Program
The doctoral program at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication prepares future scholars who work in areas as diverse as media and religion, political communication, media and children/families, and media and the environment. Once admitted, students can choose to pursue coursework related to environmental studies in addition to their media studies courses. Students can also choose to work with a CEJ faculty member as their adviser and work on research projects related to environmental communication. Specifically, students are encouraged to research such topics as media influences on environmental politics and policy, risk communication, scientific communication, and other interactions between mass media and environmental outcomes.
Doctoral students admitted to the SJMC program generally have a master's degree, but occasional exceptions may be made. Students will take courses within SJMC for their primary field of study, media studies. Students working within the CEJ will then take courses in SJMC and other CU Boulder departments related to their specific research interests. To see some possible environmental studies courses, click here. Students working with CEJ faculty in their doctoral program will work with their adviser to determine their environmental coursework that is appropriate to their research track.
More information: