Graduate Specialty Areas

You have the option to specialize in digital journalism, global journalism, or science and environmental journalism. The specialization is noted on your diploma and transcript!

Digital Journalism

Changes in digital journalism technologies and communication tools have presented journalists and news organizations with a variety of challenges and opportunities. Demands on today’s journalists require advanced storytelling skills that include expertise in visual story gathering and production, the incorporation of social media, data mining, and app and web design to compete in a modern media environment. To meet these complex challenges, the School of Journalism provides students with the opportunity to advance their digital storytelling skills through courses in advanced multimedia and photojournalism, mobile app development, media entrepreneurship, digital communications law and data mining.

Our study abroad program in Italy provides students with an opportunity to advance their visual storytelling skills in an international setting.

The Digital Journalism specialty requires 9 credit hours. In addition to the core journalism courses, you must take at least three of the courses listed below:

  • GLO 502: The Future of Media and Technology
  • GLO 580: Digital Media Law in a Global Context: Frameworks & Perspectives
  • JOUR 520: Digital Communication Law
  • JOUR 528: Product Development in Journalism
  • JOUR 533: Digging with Data
  • JOUR 547: Art of Access: Info Sleuthing
  • JOUR 580: Advanced Multimedia
  • JOUR 582: Drone Zone
  • JOUR 584: Mobile App Development
  • JOUR 593: Internship specializing in digital storytelling
  • JOUR 597B: Advanced Photojournalism in Italy
  • One digital storytelling course outside of Journalism

Global Journalism

Democratic societies and the news media are struggling with questions arising from the global information environment. Journalists who understand the factors that shape the collection, evaluation and dissemination of information in the United States and other nations are of crucial importance. The UA School of Journalism provides exciting opportunities for students in global journalism through extensive faculty experience in foreign reporting, the school’s proximity to Mexico, study abroad opportunities in Italy and Costa Rica, and collaborations with international programs at the University of Arizona. Faculty members have decades of experience reporting from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Students develop skills and knowledge that will set them apart from their peers.

The Global Journalism specialty requires 9 credit hours in addition to the core journalism courses. Students must take at least three of the courses listed below:

  • BJP 510: Latinx and the News Media in the United States
  • BJP 511: Global Latinxs: Diasporic Transnationalism and Media in Latin America, Europe and Asia
  • GLO 502: The Future of Media and Technology
  • GLO 503: Media & Global Terrorism
  • GLO 505: Media & Climate Change
  • GLO 530: Social Movement Media in a Global Context
  • GLO 535: Media Ethics and Representation in a Global Context
  • GLO 540: Freedom of Expression and the Right to Information
  • GLO 545: Media, War & Peace
  • GLO 550: Media & the Environment
  • GLO 555: Media & Human Rights
  • GLO 560: Disinformation & Information Security in a Global Media Context
  • GLO 565: Science Misinformation, Disinformation, Media & the Public
  • GLO 570: Documentary Studies
  • GLO 580: Digital Media Law in a Global Context: Frameworks & Perspectives
  • GLO 590: Media and Humanitarian Crises
  • JOUR 502: Media and Terrorism
  • JOUR 573: Reporting the U.S./Mexico Border
  • JOUR 593: Internship specializing in global journalism
  • Study Abroad in Italy.

Science and Environmental Journalism

Genetically modified foods … climate change … vaccines … stem cell research … evolution. Americans persistently misunderstand, misrepresent or disregard the science behind these hot-button issues and others. Courses in the Science and Environmental Journalism specialty introduce students to the professional, legal and ethical factors that affect journalists as they cover science and the environment. Students write stories, shoot photographs and produce infographics that illuminate the wonders and complexities of science and environmental discoveries, issues and the people behind them. The School of Journalism provides many opportunities for students through extensive faculty experience and a wide range of experts at the University of Arizona. Students develop skills and knowledge that will set them apart from their peers.

The Science and Environmental Journalism specialty requires 9 credit hours. Students must take at least three of the courses listed below, in addition to the core journalism classes:

  • GLO 505: Media & Climate Change
  • GLO 550: Media & the Environment
  • GLO 565: Science Misinformation, Disinformation, Media & the Public
  • JOUR 555: Environmental Journalism
  • JOUR 565: Issues in Covering Science and the Environment
  • JOUR 572: Science Journalism
  • JOUR 593: Internship specializing in science or environmental journalism
  • One science/environmental class outside of the UA School of Journalism, such as HIST 543 Environmental History of the Middle East