Whether you are a high school student wishing to pursue a major in journalism, a recent graduate looking to obtain a master's degree, or a seasoned professional in the field, working in journalism can offer many rewards to those who pursue it with commitment and passion. However, it can often be intimidating and confusing to decide which schools best fit your needs and interests. Of the hundreds of institutions offering journalism programs, the Top 10 are consistently ranked for both their undergraduate and graduate programs in journalism. Beyond the five written about here, the others in the group are Syracuse University, Stanford, the University of Maryland, and the University of Southern California.

Columbia University

Perhaps the most prominent of all "j-schools," Columbia University in the City of New York's Graduate School of Journalism proudly identifies itself as "the only journalism school in the Ivy League." Columbia boasts outstanding faculty and offers several graduate degrees in journalism---the Master of Science, the Master of Arts, the Ph.D. in Communications, in addition to many dual-degree programs. It is considered one of the most rigorous and competitive journalism schools in the country.

Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism 2950 Broadway New York, NY 10027 (212) 854-8608 journalism.columbia.edu

Northwestern University

The Medill School at Northwestern University offers a number of opportunities that make it unique from other programs. Students in the undergraduate program learn to produce projects across many platforms---from newspaper and television, to online and multimedia packages. In addition to the Bachelor of Science in Journalism degree, Medill gives its students the opportunity to study abroad, specifically in underrepresented countries, with the Eric Lund Global Reporting and Research Grant program. Northwestern also offers an accelerated master's program, which allows students to earn both the bachelor's and a masters journalism degrees in under five years.

Medill School, Northwestern University 1845 Sheridan Road Evanston, IL 60208 (847) 467-1882 medill.northwestern.edu

University of Missouri---Columbia

In addition to a prestigious undergraduate and master's program, Missouri's doctoral program in journalism is highly regarded not only in terms of academics, but also in terms of resources and financial support. While many Ph.D. programs in journalism have students competing for awards, every doctoral student at Missouri receives full tuition for six semesters. In addition, Missouri offers a number of grants that allow its students to present scholarly work at conferences and other professional events. Recent graduates of Missouri's doctoral program have gone on to become full-time faculty members at universities nationwide, as well as to obtain positions at corporations and communication firms.

Missouri School of Journalism 120 Neff Hall Columbia, MO 65211 (573) 882-1045 journalism.missouri.edu

University of California---Berkeley

Although University of California-Berkeley does not offer an undergraduate major in journalism, its Graduate School of Journalism is considered one of the best on the west coast, particularly for its New Media concentration. In addition to the traditional areas of print and broadcast journalism, Berkeley offers many unique fields of study not available at other institutions, including Business Reporting, International Reporting, and Photojournalism. Berkeley is one of eight journalism schools participating in the Carnegie-Knight News-21 Initiative, a summer program that allows the most promising students in the field to travel and report on specific issues.

Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism 121 North Gate Hall, #5860 Berkeley, CA 94720 (510) 642-3383 journalism.berkeley.edu/program/vsp

New York University

New York University stands alongside Columbia as one of the best institutions at which to study journalism, primarily due to its bustling locale. At NYU, undergraduates specialize in one of two areas, General and Investigative Reporting or Media Criticism. Options for graduate students are plenty. They can choose from traditional areas of expertise such as News and Documentary, or from a number of unique specializations, including Cultural Reporting and Criticism, Literary Reportage, and Business and Economic Writing.

Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute 20 Cooper Square, Sixth Floor New York, NY 10003 (212) 998-7980 journalism.nyu.edu

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Writer Bio

Madhu Rajaraman earned a B.A. in English and psychology from Rutgers University, where she worked as a writing tutor. She has written for the official blog of Cambridge University Press in New York while working as an editorial intern, and currently is a freelance reporter for a New Jersey newspaper.