At Columbia Journalism School, students in the Master of Science Program are on the street reporting from day one, learning to think critically and act ethically. Their classes are small, instructors give students intensive feedback, and the pass-fail grading policy fosters collaboration. The result: a grounding in the fundamental skills that helps graduates stand out and makes a difference throughout their careers. The M.S. is designed for a range of students, from those with little to no experience to those who have been working in the field for several years and want to enhance their skills in order to advance to a new level.
.jpg)
What is it like to be a Master of Science Program student at Columbia Journalism School? We talked about the student experience with Class of 2021 alum Isabelle Bousquette, who, at graduation, received a Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship, which is awarded to the top four graduates of the school. She is currently reporting for The Wall Street Journal.
Please read the Q&A below to learn about Isabelle's education at Columbia:
What led you to apply to Columbia Journalism School?
I was freelancing before I came to Columbia. And as a freelancer, I was trying to take on big important stories and I was coming up against a lot of obstacles that I didn't really know how to deal with. I didn't know how to make sure I was being fair to both sides. And as a new journalist trying to take on these big stories, there were a lot of times I wished I had guidance and a toolkit - that was one of the reasons I applied to Columbia. And the other reason was to build out my network and to have the opportunity to meet people in the industry. I felt that Columbia would make sense as a step towards getting a full-time job in the industry and moving on from freelancing to something more stable.
What are the most important skills you developed in the Master of Science Program?
There are so many things I learned here that I didn't know how much I didn't know about, if that makes sense - even just formulating a story, writing a lead. I didn't know what a 'nut graf' was before coming here. And then all the ethical and legal considerations: those were things I definitely needed guidance on. But I think the main thing I gained was figuring out how to formulate a story in a way where the flow made sense.
What was it like starting the M.S. program with the Reporting Module, in which students go out into New York City to find stories?
We definitely hit the ground running. I had an amazing reporting class and an amazing professor, Duy Linh Tu. He's been an incredible mentor to me. And the first thing Duy asked us to do in class was to pair up with another student and then go around New York City. It was a photo project where we took one photo to represent each line of the song "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z. There are a lot of hidden layers in that song. We had to travel to every borough. I grew up in New York, and there are some boroughs I still would just never go to. And for students who weren't from New York, that project was a great introduction to the city. And I think one of the things that was so great about the program is how many opportunities it gave us to get out and see different parts of New York City.
What two electives Seminar & Production class did you choose to take in the spring semester?
I literally wanted to take everything, I won't lie. All the courses sounded so interesting. Honestly, there were all areas where I think I could have up-leveled my skills, but one area that I decided to focus on was sports reporting. I literally had no experience in sports reporting and I don't even follow sports, but the way the professors pitched their "Sports Reporting" class to us made it sound really interesting. They said the class is not about going to a game and just reporting on what happens, it's about telling wider stories about society through the lens of what's happening on the field. That sounded really appealing to me. Honestly, that class was incredible.
The other class I took was "Multimedia Storytelling: Visual Craft" with Duy Linh Tu, who was my reporting professor. Honestly, I took it mainly because he was just such an incredible professor, and he just had such a knack for teaching. He can teach not just the reporting, but also how to put together the reporting in the form of a narrative story with all its video technical elements. It was a very challenging course, but it was so rewarding. And I think everybody who took that class felt the same way: it was so much work, but such an incredible experience.
What was it like working with the Career Development team at the Journalism School?
Gina Boubion was my career counselor and she was so lovely. I definitely utilized her a lot. The Career Development Office had a really great cover letter workshop that has really helped me write cover letters. And when I got an interview, I frantically called Gina, and she talked me through how to prepare for the interview. She told me about people who had been accepted from Columbia to that position in the past, and what skills they had focused on in order to get accepted into that. Then when I got the offer, she coached me on how to accept it. She's always been very responsive and very helpful.
What advice do you have for future Columbia students?
One thing I'd recommend is definitely to get comfortable talking to people on the phone, because our generation doesn't do that that much and it's very important to journalism. At Columbia, we just had to pick up the phone and call people all day, every day, for multiple days. And I think that that is something that can be very awkward at first, but it's also something that you definitely get used to. So, if you can take some time, maybe choose a topic area or a beat and just kind of start calling people related to that beat. It doesn't have to be for a story, but just start talking to them about their lives and what they'd like to see more coverage of.
What advice do you have for those thinking of applying to Columbia?
I would say you really get out of it what you put into it. So, if you come in and you're ready to work really hard and you really want this education, then it will be the most rewarding experience ever - but you have to put in the work. And it's really challenging at times, and there are times when it's just feeling like it's going to take over your whole life, but it's so worth it in the end for the skills you build and the connections you make. And I feel like I've come out at the end a totally different journalist, a totally different person. There's so much I'm going to take with me into the future from this experience, not just in terms of the skills, but also in terms of the people.
Please click here to begin an application to Columbia for the 2023-24 academic year.
As you consider the possibility of furthering your career as a journalist at Columbia, please explore our website to learn more about Columbia Journalism School's faculty members, course offerings, and career development services.
At Columbia, a top-tier journalism education can be within financial reach. Please visit our website to learn about our scholarship opportunities.
If you would like to make an appointment to speak with an admissions counselor, please email us at apply.journalism@columbia.edu.