14 J-schools worth their tuition

What’s going to land you that dream job at the New York Times? Will it be your solid portfolio of clippings or your masters from Columbia?

Knowledge is a foundation; whether that foundation is built from working your way from being the copy person to editor or from spending four or more years hitting the books to learn every nuance of the AP style guide, one thing is certain: a degree sure wouldn’t hurt.

There’s 347 colleges across the country that offer journalism programs according to The Princeton Review, but what are the top schools?

Factors used to rank J-schools often include:

• Professor Quality
• Opportunities for hands-on experience
• Facility and technology investment
• Specialties offered
• Presence of student newspaper, radio, or television station

Unfortunately, J-school rankings haven’t been done by U.S. News and World Report for years now, but there’s still quite a number of highly regarded ACEJMC-accredited university programs. Among them are the following:

Ball State University

Department of Journalism
Degrees Offered: Bachelor of Arts, Masters of Arts
Why: Award-winning publications, the student-run public relations and advertising agency, industry networking, and innovative projects like the “J-IDEAS” iTunes First Amendment class.

Columbia University

Graduate School of Journalism
Degrees Offered: Master of Science, Master of Arts, Ph.D. in Communications
Why: Experienced faculty, internationally recognized award programs, continuing education programs, and commitment to ethics and advancement.

Indiana University – Bloomington

School of Journalism
Degrees Offered: Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Ph.D.
Why: Hands-on opportunities, honor programs, the Journalism Ambassador program, and its long history as one of the oldest journalism programs in the country.

Michigan State University

School of Journalism
Degrees Offered: Undergraduate, Masters, Doctorate
Why: Internationally known faculty, study abroad programs, and over 100 years of establishment at the university. The largest undergraduate program in the country.

Northwestern University

Medill School
Degrees Offered: Bachelor of Science, Master of Science
Why: Expert faculty, integrated specialties, hands-on experience opportunities, real-world clients, and the National High School Institute Journalism Division Program.

Ohio University

E.W. Scripps School of Journalism
Degrees Offered: Bachelor of Science, Masters of Science, Ph.D.
Why: Long history of expert faculty, variety of undergraduate sequences, on-campus newspapers, magazines, and broadcast stations.

Syracuse University

S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
Degrees Offered: Undergraduate, Masters, Doctorate
Why: Emphasis on ethics and skill development, variety of specialty programs, internationally expert faculty, and a competitive admissions process.

University of California, Berkeley

Graduate School of Journalism
Degrees Offered: Master of Journalism
Why: Commitment to professional growth, program of study variety, and award-winning professors.

University of Florida

College of Journalism and Communications
Degrees Offered: Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Ph.D.
Why: It’s the second-largest undergraduate program in the nation.

University of Georgia

Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication
Degrees Offered: Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Doctor of Philosophy in Mass Communication
Why: Influential programs, renowned faculty, and its distinguished history.

University of Maryland

Philip Merrill College of Journalism
Degrees Offered: Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Master of Journalism, Ph.D. in Journalism
Why: Award-winning programs offering hands-on experience in national settings.

University of Missouri

School of Journalism
Degrees Offered: Undergraduate, Masters, Doctorate
Why: The world’s first journalism school. University-owned commercial network.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Degrees Offered: Undergraduate, Masters, Doctorate, graduate-level Certificate in Technology and Communication
Why: Expert faculty, comprehensive program specialties, commitment to advancement, and award-winning alumni.

University of Southern California

USC Annenberg School for Communications
Degrees Offered: Bachelor of Arts, Masters of Arts
Why: Multidisciplinary programs, hands-on opportunities, and access to the entertainment and technology industries.