The online master's degree in journalism entrepreneurship prepares students for professional careers at news outlets, and in digital and social media platforms, corporate communications and the freelance market. It particularly focuses on entrepreneurship and preparing students for today’s media environment, one in which skills in both journalism and business are essential.  

This degree is designed for students with a limited range of experience in journalism. Courses are offered in differing online environments. The entire program can be completed in one calendar year with students starting classes in the Augmester, then continuing in the fall and spring semesters, and finishing their professional project over the summer. The Master of Arts in Journalism Entrepreneurship also offers flexibility in that its online courses can be taken at a student’s own pace over a longer time period. 

Regardless of schedule, the degree’s focus is on multimedia journalism and business training. Students develop skills in information gathering, storytelling and analysis across a variety of platforms and professional contexts, including video, online interactivity, social media, photography—and, of course, the printed word. They will also take conceptual courses concerning the journalism industry and the business of journalism.

Requirements

Application Guidelines

Applicants to the MA in journalism must:

  • Hold at least a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university
  • Have an undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.75
  • International applicants must also have a TOEFL score of at least 600 (IBT 100)
  • Provide three letters of recommendation
  • Provide a 500-word statement of purpose
  • Provide a resume

Program Requirements

The program required is 30 credits. Students come to Boulder in early August for a one-week media boot camp in residency, which will include another two weeks of class work completed remotely. This 3-credit course begins the program. Students will then take up to 12 credits in the fall and another 12 in the spring semesters. These courses are a mixture of traditional 15-week classes and five-week terms; each is 3 credits. There are two tracks to choose from, Sports Journalism or Journalism Entrepreneurship. Out of the 30 credits required for the program, 6 of them are specific to the chosen track.

Core Courses
JRNL 5001Media Technology Boot Camp3
JRNL 5011Newsgathering and Multimedia Storytelling3
JRNL 5201Principles of American Journalism3
JRNL 5241Coding for Journalists3
JRNL 5512In-Depth Reporting3
JRNL 5521Data Journalism3
JRNL 5651Journalism Law & Ethics3
Track Course Options6
Choose from the two track options below:
Journalism Entrepreneurship
Funding Journalism in the 21st Century
Entrepreneurial Journalism
Sports Journalism
Sports Journalism
Sports, Media and Society
Capstone Course
JRNL 5851Graduate Professional Project3
Total Credit Hours30