Program Overview

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Introduction to the CUNY B.A. + M.A. Program

The CUNY B.A. + M.A. Program, also known as the 4+1 program, is designed for eligible CUNY students to complete a Master of Arts in Journalism in an additional year after their bachelor's degree. This program allows students to take 12 credits of coursework at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY in their senior year, which counts toward both their bachelor's and M.A. degrees.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the 4+1 program, a student must:

• Be enrolled at one of the participating CUNY campuses
• Have completed 75 credits towards a bachelor's degree
• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5
• No prior journalism coursework or experience is needed

Participating CUNY Campuses

The participating CUNY campuses include:

• Brooklyn College
• The CUNYBA program
• John Jay College
• Lehman College
• Macaulay Honors College
• Queens College
• York College

Application Process

Interested students should complete an online application, which includes:

• 3 writing samples (these do not need to be journalistic; recent class papers are fine)
• A statement of no more than 1,000 words that explains what draws you to journalism, what subjects you'd like to shine a light on, and what you hope to gain from studying at the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism
• A recommendation from one of your recent professors
• Copies of your transcripts (unofficial are fine)

Program Details

Admitted students are accepted into the J-School provisionally, with final acceptance granted once they have completed their bachelor's degree, maintained at least a 3.5 GPA, and completed the 12 credits at the journalism school with no grade lower than a B in each class.

Curriculum

In the fall of their senior year, students take the 5.5-credit Craft of Journalism course, which lays the foundation for all subsequent coursework at the school. In the spring of their senior year, students take a first course in a subject concentration (3 credits) and choose among other introductory courses.

Concentration Choices

Concentration choices include:

• Arts & Culture
• Local Accountability Reporting
• International Reporting
• Health & Science
• Business & Economics
• Bilingual Journalism in Spanish and English

Specializations

Students can also choose to specialize in:

• Audio
• Broadcast/Documentary
• Investigative
• Data reporting

Summer Internship

A paid summer internship is required, which provides a stipend of $4,200.

Career Opportunities

A journalism degree can lead to a wide range of career opportunities, including:

• Newsrooms across the globe
• Writing and audio/video/photography producing for any nonprofit or business entity
• Overseeing websites and producing outreach content/campaigns for any organization
• Managing public relations/communications
• Fundraising/grant writing

Tuition and Fees

Students pay undergraduate tuition for the first 12 M.A. credits and remain eligible for already-approved Pell aid or scholarships. For the remaining 31 credits at the journalism school, current tuition and fees are $12,473 for full-time enrollment or $470 per credit (plus prorated fees).

Scholarships and Financial Aid

All 4+1 students will be considered for Newmark J-School scholarships in the spring semester in which they intend to complete their bachelor's degree. Federal loans of up to $20,500 are available to all graduate students, and federal PLUS loans covering tuition and other costs of attendance are available to students based on income.

Technical Requirements

All students at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism are required to own a variety of essential tools, including an Apple MacBook Pro laptop, specific accessories and software, and a smartphone. Additional students are required to have personal property insurance to be able to borrow additional gear from the school's equipment room.