Journalism, BA
The state-of-the-art accredited journalism program at Stony Brook University is designed to prepare students for careers in today’s fast-paced, highly competitive media landscape. The streamlined curriculum requires 45 credits and offers an easy-to-navigate pathway to graduation.
The program focuses on digital journalism but holds fast to traditional journalistic values and skills that imbue an understanding of the role of the press in a democratic society and a passion for the public interest. The curriculum also provides the intellectual underpinnings students need to progress to graduate or professional degree programs.
It is designed to ensure that students build competencies in a sequential fashion. They will hone skills in journalistic storytelling and production, starting with two required digital journalism courses and a writing course. In turn, these prepare students for one of three upper-level digital journalism courses - specializing in text, audio or video, depending on their interests and ambitions. These courses offer advanced opportunities to mix sound, images and words into compelling multimedia packages. Students will also practice using social media as a reportorial tool and a presentation platform. Majors complete their production training in the senior capstone course, JRN 490, which satisfies the university’s experiential learning requirement.
The remaining required coursework provides a rich variety of challenging courses that explore news literacy, media law and ethics, mass communication history, the economics of media, global issues in journalism and data-driven storytelling. Students must also take two upper division three-credit journalism electives.
In addition, an 18-credit interdisciplinary concentration will provide students with an in-depth look at a specific academic area of their choosing. Students have the option of pursuing a minor or double major.
Through these experiences, journalism majors should develop into ethical, well-educated, well-spoken, resourceful, independent critical thinkers who understand the technical, cultural and intellectual challenges facing modern media.
Intakes
- Jan
- May
- Sep
Application Processing Time in Days: 30
Minimum English Language Requirements
| English Level Description | IELTS (1.0 -9.0) | TOEFL IBT (0-120) | TOEFL CBT (0-300) | PTE (10-90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert | 9 | 120 | 297-300 | 86-90 | |
| Very Good | 8.5 | 115-119 | 280-293 | 83-86 | |
| Very Good | 8 | 110-114 | 270-280 | 79-83 | |
| Good | 7.5 | 102-109 | 253-267 | 73-79 | |
| Good | 7 | 94-101 | 240-253 | 65-73 | |
| Competent | 6.5 | 79-93 | 213-233 | 58-65 | |
| Competent | 6 | 60-78 | 170-210 | 50-58 | |
| Modest | 5.5 | 46-59 | 133-210 | 43-50 | |
| Modest | 5 | 35-45 | 107-133 | 36-43 | |
| Limited | 4 | 32-34 | 97-103 | 30-36 | |
| Extremely Limited | < 4 | < 31 | < 93 | < 30 |
Job Opportunity Potential
Stony Brook University offers strong job opportunity potential, with approximately 95% of bachelor's degree graduates finding employment or pursuing further education within a year of graduation. This high placement rate indicates good employment prospects for graduates and suggests the university provides a valuable pathway into the workforce or continued academic pursuits.
Key Takeaway:
High Graduate Success:
Stony Brook University demonstrates a high success rate for its graduates in securing employment or continuing their education after graduation.
Good Employment Prospects:
This statistic indicates strong job market opportunities for those who have completed a bachelor's degree at the university.
PSW Opportunity
Post-Study Work visa or permit, allowing international students on F-1 visas to work in the US after completing their studies, typically through Optional Practical Training (OPT).
Eligibility:
To be eligible for OPT, students must have been enrolled full-time in a US educational institution for at least one academic year and be seeking work related to their major.
Duration:
Students can apply for up to 12 months of OPT, either before they finish their studies (pre-completion) or after graduation (post-completion).
STEM OPT:
Students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields can apply for an extended OPT period of up to 24 months.
Contact our PSA counselor for more information
Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria
high school GPA (typically above 3.0), while graduate admissions depend on the specific program and may waive GRE requirements for 2026 entry
TOEFL (Internet-based) = 80
IELTS = 6.5
Duolingo = 105
ACT English = 19
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (New Exam) = 480
IB English Higher Level = 5
AP English Language/Comp or Literature/Com exam = 3
A -level (Advanced) English = C
PTE Academic = 53
- Course Type: Full Time
- Course Level: Bachelors/UG Degree
- Duration: 04 Year
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Total Tuition Fee:
124184 USD
Average Cost of Living: 14000 USD /year
Application Fee: 50 USD