UC Berkeley Journalism - Program

The goal of the Graduate School of Journalism is to produce professional print, broadcast, and new media journalists who move on to positions of leadership and influence. The two-year Master of Journalism (M.J.) program provides intensive training in journalism skills and teaches the traditions and principles of the field.

Campus Environment

Sather Gate Berkeley was the original campus of the University of California system, and it remains a dynamic center of scholarship and of cultural and political activity.

When you weigh the merits of graduate schools of journalism, no doubt you’ll consider the scope of faculty expertise, the quality of the student body and the range of course offerings. You’ll also want to take into account the sum of all the parts, including the community and environment in which each school operates.

California is a remarkable journalism laboratory. The state, with the fifth-largest economy in the world, is often a trendsetter. Its major industries—including agriculture, high tech, biotech, entertainment, film, tourism, finance, manufacturing, and information technology—all have global reach. Because training in beat reporting is so central to our program, it is significant that here the local is also global. On crime or tax policy, affirmative action or energy use, campaign finance or stem cell research, land use or welfare, statewide initiatives often serve as the catalyst for national debates that roll east.

Beyond the school lies the larger campus, an unparalleled resource for our students. The most recent National Research Council survey ranked Berkeley as the best overall graduate institution in the nation. Among Berkeley’s distinguished faculty are seven Nobel Laureates, 128 members of the National Academy of Sciences, and 87 members of the National Academy of Engineering. Over the past two decades, Berkeley faculty also have been recipients of 156 Guggenheim Fellowships, and the Graduate School of Journalism currently boasts four MacArthur “Genius” Fellows. You’ll find Berkeley faculty on The New York Times best-seller lists and among Emmy and Academy Award nominees.

Students are encouraged to study at the graduate level with top scholars in other departments, including the Goldman School of Public Policy, the Haas School of Business, the Boalt Hall School of Law, the School of Public Health and other programs on campus. Courses in history, language, science, law, sociology, public health, business, political science and in other departments on campus broaden areas of expertise. Students also are able to take advantage of superior research facilities and other resources and centers on campus, including the Human Rights Center, the Center for New Media, the Center for Latin American Studies, the Institute of International Studies and the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society.

The student body of about 33,000, of which roughly 9,800 are graduate students, is a diverse population from across the nation and more than 100 countries. You’ll find the same variety and international flavor in the university’s course offerings as exist among the students. There are regional study programs and research centers for Asia, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and North America.

Testimonial
“My one piece of advice is get outside of North Gate Hall. UC Berkeley is a world-class institution in so many ways; use that resource to make yourself a better-educated reporter. In my time at Berkeley, I took classes in marine pollution, forestry issues, and public health—where the students sitting around me were the kind of people I’ll have to cover. I learned what they were learning, and it gave me an invaluable perspective on how and why certain experts think the way they do. When I reported on those subjects later, I knew the terminology and the subtleties, and I knew what questions to ask to get to the meat of a story. My sources were surprised at how much I knew, and this encouraged respect and trust. And come on! Real, working experts, being paid to come to class every day and answer all my questions? That’s a reporter’s dream! I couldn’t let it slip by.”
Kelly Hill, MJ 2005

Berkeley’s campus reflects the history of the university—from South Hall to Doe Library, which together with the collections of dozens of smaller libraries, offers more than 8.5 million volumes. The campus covers 178 acres of lawn, wooded glades, and creek-side vegetation, including stands of native redwoods. It stretches from the center of Berkeley to hills that command a magnificent view of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Just north and south of the campus are typical student communities, with a multitude of shops, theaters, restaurants, places of religious worship and student housing. Telegraph Avenue, a thriving business area to the south of campus, has a quirky magic all its own. There you can find sidewalk vendors, musicians and artists; retailers offering books, fashion, and high-tech equipment; and an eclectic mix of coffeehouses, restaurants and pubs serving food and drink from around the world.

The broader environment, a universe of varied communities that make up the greater Bay Area, provides rich opportunities for study, research, reporting and writing. Berkeley is the hub of a multicultural, multilingual environment of unparalleled diversity. Oakland, Richmond and the string of cities that make up Silicon Valley are easily accessible.

When you need to get away, Berkeley’s location provides easy access to the cultural and recreational offerings of Northern California. San Francisco is a short commute across the Bay Bridge or a quick trip on Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), which has a station one block from campus. The scenic coastline of Carmel, Big Sur, and Mendocino; the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma counties; and the lakes and forests of the Sierra Nevada are just a few hours away. The hills above campus feature popular trails for hikers, runners and cyclists. Berkeley is home to many parks, including Tilden Park, part of the East Bay Regional Parks system, a greenbelt extending 21 miles through the East Bay hills.