Vibrant. Vital. Invigorating and lively.
Hone your journalistic skills in a community where important things happen, where diverse groups gather, where serious thought and lively conversation spills out of classrooms into outdoor cafes in year-round sunshine.
UC Berkeley is one of the greatest public universities in the world, a center of innovation and a destination for thought leaders in politics, science, the arts – all areas of human achievement.
Nestled in the Bay Area within hailing distance of Silicon Valley’s technological mecca and Napa Valley’s legendary vineyards, we’re a comfortable commute from San Francisco and a quick drive from the scenic Sierras and spectacular ocean vistas of Big Sur and Point Reyes. And the city of Berkeley is home to a world-class array of cultural activity.
And did we mention the year-round temperate weather?
It’s an ideal location for an engaged, diverse community who intend to shape the future.
Student Life
Diversity
Diversity makes every community stronger. This is particularly true of a curious, inquisitive group like journalists – the more you discover, the more you engage with alternate points of view, the richer the story you ultimately tell.
Berkeley Journalism has an unwavering commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive community. A cursory glance at the numbers prove it – our Spring 2019 class was 55.9% non-white, compared with 39% for the Berkeley campus overall.
We support diversity financially as well – we’ve teamed with donors to cover travel expenses to our Fall Open House and Spring Welcome Visits for under-represented minority (URM) students.
In addition, we host many organizations that support diversity in the journalism community, including those listed below. To find out more about these organizations and our connection to them, please contact the students listed with each group.
National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ)
According to its Constitution, the NABJ is “striving for credible journalism that comprehensively portrays the voices and experiences of African Americans and people from the black diaspora.” Berkeley is home to a student chapter of the NABJ.
Contact:
Chan'Cellore Makanjuola
chancellore@berkeley.edu
Skyler Glover
skyler.glover@berkeley.edu
Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)
The AAJA is committed to “advancing diversity in newsrooms, and ensuring fair and accurate coverage of communities of color.” Berkeley is home to a chapter of the AAJA.
Contact:
Aashna Malpani
aashnamalpani@berkeley.edu
National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ)
Created in 1984 to provide “a national voice and unified vision for all Hispanic journalists,” the NAHJ is “dedicated to the recognition and professional advancement of Hispanics in the news industry.” Berkeley is home to a chapter of the NAHJ.
Contact:
Nekia Daste
nekia@berkeley.edu
Yuri Avila
yuri_avila@berkeley.edu
Treasurer:
Michaela Vatcheva
michaela_vatcheva@berkeley.edu
Association of LGBTQ Journalists (NLGJA)
Working within the news media to advance fair and accurate coverage of LGBTQ communities and issues, the NLGJA provides education, professional development and mentoring. Berkeley is home to a chapter of the NLGJA.
Contact:
Ellie Lightfoot
lightfoot_ellie@berkeley.edu
JA-MENA
JA-MENA is a Berkeley student group that is dedicated to establishing open dialogue and discussion where journalists, academics and students, regardless of identity, can discuss and debate issues pertaining to the Middle East and North Africa regions.
Contacts:
Deena Sabry
dinasabry@berkeley.edu
Goran Zaneti
gzaneti@berkeley.edu
Leadership Opportunities
The Leadership Committee (TLC)
Chosen by students through elections, these student leaders plan and implement events, represent the student body in discussions with the administration and faculty, host visiting guests, and raise and foster dialogue about important school issues.
Women in Media (WIM)
Founded by students wishing to engage in discussions about their experiences, insights and aspirations, WIM also hosts events such as “Safety in the Field and Sexism on the Set” and self-defense classes in conjunction with the Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) system.
Contacts:
Brett Simpson
brettsimpson@berkeley.edu
Equity and Inclusion
Created by students in 2015 to provide an outlet for students, faculty and staff to discuss issues as viewed through the lens of one’s own background, the group holds equity chats led by students twice each month.
Entrepreneurial Journalism Association (EJA)
Entrepreneurial Journalism Association (EJA) is a UC Berkeley student organization that promotes innovation in the field of journalism and supports students to develop new storytelling tools, platforms, and mediums. EJA's mission is to connect student journalists to collaborative networks for innovation and to venture opportunities for funding.
Contacts:
Brett Simpson
brettsimpson@berkeley.edu
Goran Zaneti
gzaneti@berkeley.edu
Cross Campus Experiences
As one of the leading public universities in the world, UC Berkeley is home to several leading professional schools in addition to the J-School. Students can pursue degrees that combine J-School coursework with programs at other schools, including the School of Law and the School of Public Health.
Human Rights Center
The Human Rights Center at the UC Berkeley School of Law conducts research on war crimes and other serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights. The Center trains students and advocates how to research, investigate, and document human rights violations and turn this information into effective action, guided by the need to listen to and support survivors, test innovative ideas, draw from multiple disciplines, use rigorous methods and collaborate.
School of Public Health
Students can combine interests in public health, journalism, communications and media with a three-year MPH/MJ program, designed to give journalists the training and knowledge needed to cover public health and medical issues. You can choose from four public health concentrations available: environmental health, infectious diseases, epidemiology/biostatistics, and health and social behavior.
Outside the classroom: 13 notable events from 2018-2019
Ours is an intellectually vibrant campus, rich with opportunities for learning and growth outside the classroom. There are social events, talks with prominent journalists and thinkers, informational events, even sessions on your own health and well-being – our calendar is full nearly every day. A baker’s dozen sampling of meetings and events:
- Investigative Reporting Program (IRP) meet and greet
- Website workshop: Your online portfolio
- Ethics and professionalism: a deep dive discussion
- The New York Times’ podcast “The Daily” hosts Michael Barbaro and Annie Brown
- Site visit to “Reveal”
- Drone and aerial photography workshop
- Longform video winter showcase
- Crafting stories for virtual reality with Melissa Bosworth (’16) and Lakshmi Sara (’16)
- New York Times international climate reporter Somimi Sengupta
- Paris Review editor Emily Nevens: Women at work
- NPR Director of Programming N’Jeri Eaton (’10)
- Ira Glass: workshop with audio students
- Assignment China: “Tiananmen Square” Film screening and discussion
More information for prospective students
- Journalism requires teamwork. In preparation, we run our school collaboratively, and student committees actively shape our curriculum and policies.
- You may travel to report on stories. Grants of up to $3,000 are available to help defray the costs.
- Want to help plan events and host visiting guests? Run for a seat on The Leadership Committee.
- Jobs, jobs, jobs. After your first semester, you can apply to be a Graduate Student Researcher, Graduate Student Instructor, Reader or Tutor.
- Berkeley is a gem of a small city, and a great place to live, but it is not cheap. However, nearby communities are accessible by public transportation.
- Many incoming students contact one another via Facebook groups before arriving on campus. Why not reach out? Search for groups on Facebook.