Journalism and media are called the fourth branch of power. So much influence it has on society, politics and modern history. Despite the fact that often people with a different education come to journalism, a strong degree in journalism is a great boost in media career and full pack of all needed skills. So, we suggest you think about studying journalism in foreign universities if you wish to relate your life to journalism and media.

A Journalism graduate degree that is awarded at the graduate school aims to produce adaptable journalists who are prepared for the 21st-century media. This is because engaging and vibrant societies depend on open, critical, and engaging news media.

Journalism influences the way we perceive and think about social and political issues. It is important to remember that although journalism may seem to offer a glamorous career the reality is quite the opposite. The work can involve irregular and often anti-social hours and some positions may include a high element of risk (i.e. foreign correspondents reporting in an area of conflict or an investigative journalist working undercover).

The average duration of graduate programs is between 1 to 2 years for regular students. However, it solely depends on the school you study at. Most journalism graduate programs will require you to complete some form of the original research project.

Requirements for Journalism graduate School:

• Proof of a bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related subject like English;

• Official school transcripts;

• Letter of recommendation;

• A minimum GPA between 2.5 and 3.0;

• A Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score.

Anyway, entry into a journalism graduate career is fiercely competitive. If you have not yet undertaken any activity related to journalism, the first thing you need to do is find something relevant to get involved in. If you are still at university there are likely to be many opportunities open to you via student newspapers, magazines, radio and even internal television circuits. If you have already graduated, you will need to work that much harder to get some useful experience.

• Here are some of the best graduate journalism schools in the world:

• University of Amsterdam;

• The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE);

• University of Southern California- USC;

• The University of Texas at Austin;

• Stanford University;

• Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU);

• New York University;

• National University of Singapore (NUS);

• Columbia University;

• The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).

Most programs are customizable. You can choose one that uses a scholastic approach in reporting. Or opt for hands-on training in student media or professional internships. You may also get published in portfolios which are reviewed by faculty.

Most of these programs allow students to specialize in a subject area, such as Investigative Journalism. Students can choose to study different media formats, such as magazine, news, broadcast or digital journalism, for example.

Many programs are only a year in length and require full-time attendance. Most value hands-on experience so that students may produce high-quality journalism on deadlines. Expect to be reporting often.

Journalism provides quite good career opportunities. News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists had a median salary of $48,370 in 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The top ten percent earned more than $120,590. The job growth rate is projected to be 6%.