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.
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 2022 alum Samantha Chaney.
Please read the Q&A below to learn about Samantha's education at Columbia:
What inspired you to apply to Columbia Journalism School?
During my undergraduate time at Howard University there was the COVID pandemic. I had wanted to be in broadcast journalism, and I really didn't get that experience during the first two years at Howard. And when COVID hit, it was during my junior year. Right when I was getting ready to start taking the broadcast courses, everything shut down. So during my senior year, it was just me and my phone - I just went out and started shooting my own stuff, and doing class via Zoom. But I really didn't get the full broadcast training that I wanted. So especially since I didn't get so much experience in undergrad doing broadcast, I was like, "I have to do something else in between now and trying to get my first job, or else I'm going to probably end up in a market that I don't want to be in." My professor during that time went to Columbia Journalism School. She said, "You should apply to Columbia, because you will get that extra experience." So I applied to Columbia, and it ended up working out. I got in, and I really got that experience that I needed to land my first job where I wanted to be. So I felt like if I didn't end up at Columbia, that probably wouldn't have happened for me.
What was it like starting the Master of Science Program with the reporting class?
It was completely different from anything that I had done before. I never really used public transportation before I came to New York, so that was a huge adjustment for me, and I just threw myself in. When I first started the reporting class, we went over some of the things that I had already learned, because I majored in journalism as an undergrad, but I was very grateful that I did get that foundation again, because it had been so long since I started doing those things from freshman year in college.
And when I came to Columbia, I told myself, "I really want to work on my writing skills," because, even though I'm in TV news now, it's still very important to be able to write. So having that reporting class to start out at Columbia was amazing, because I had begun getting connections with teachers there, like Rita Omokha. We got really close, and she ended up helping me get my first article at Columbia published in CNN. That was very big for me. The reporting class was like starting fresh - I was getting a lot of those skills that I probably had studied at 18 but that I really wasn't probably perfecting back then. It was good to get to do that here at Columbia, and also in a place like New York. Obviously, there's nowhere else in the world like New York City.
As someone interested in broadcast journalism, what was your experience like in the M.S. "Video Newsroom" class?
That experience was amazing. I feel like if I didn't take that class, I probably wouldn't end up reporting in New York right now. It was like a full-time job, honestly. The teachers were amazing. We were getting real experience from people who were actually in the industry and from all aspects, because everyone who is in the class doesn't necessarily want to be an on-air reporter. There are people who want to be producers, there are people who want to be editors. Like I said, when I was at Howard, it was just me out in the field with my cellphone. At Columbia I was actually working with real equipment that I'm using now at work. I really do not think that I would be here now if I didn't go to Columbia and had that experience.
What was it like taking Dean Jelani Cobb's "Covering Race" class?
It was amazing to learn under Professor Cobb. I was super excited to be in his class in the first place, because covering race is also something that I'm passionate about myself. So being able to do that under someone who I looked up to so much was amazing.
What are the most important skills you developed at Columbia?
I would say time management is something that I definitely had to work on before I came to Columbia and I definitely worked on it while I was there. Especially during the "Video Newsroom" class, I learned to work under tight deadlines and learned the importance of getting things in, because otherwise you miss your slot and it's over. My dad is a photographer in TV news and he's always like, "you can't miss your deadline, you can't miss your deadline." When I got in the situation myself at Columbia, I was already treating my classes as if they were a real job, because I knew just in a couple months I would be starting a job on my own, out in the real world.
Do you have advice for making the most out of the Columbia experience?
I think that it's important to really focus on what you're doing in your classes. I think that's important to know that once you put yourself into the program fully, you're going to get a lot back out of it. Like I said, I don't think I would've gotten my job or maybe have done some of the things that I did while I was at Columbia - like getting my stories published before graduating - if I were doing a bunch of other things on the side.
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.