How to have the best academic and extracurricular experience
The Student Affairs office helps students navigate all aspects of their journalism education – from academics to housing. Learn about student associations, school policies and the many resources available to you.
Student-only Events
New Student Information
Housing. ID cards. Orientation and start dates. Get the essential details here.
Our technology guide gives an overview of the equipment you’ll need while you’re at the Journalism School.
Extracurricular Activities
Join an association. Run for student government. Explore New York City.
Journalism Industry Leadership
The Tow Center for Digital Journalism explores the ways in which technology is changing journalism. It offers a full schedule of events throughout the year, including more intimate gatherings like bi-monthly Tow Teas with some of the top media players from outlets like Buzzfeed, Mashable, VICE among many others. Tow offers research fellowships that often lead to published work, like Vanessa Quirk ’15 M.A. Arts & Culture “Guide to Podcasting.” Tow seeks contributors to its blog and people to cover its events, write tips and tutorials.
The Brown Institute for Media Innovation is a collaboration between Columbia University and Stanford University, designed to encourage and support new endeavors in media. Brown awards renewable fellowships to postgraduate or graduate students who create engineering prototypes, innovative media products, or carry out related research. Brown also offers Columbia and Stanford communities the opportunity to submit proposals for Magic Grants. It looks for ideas that are original and have the potential to bring true innovation in the media world, like Alyson Martin and Nushin Rashidian ’10 M.S. Cannabis Wire, and Jika Gonzalez ’14 M.S. “Cuba Interconectada."
The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma serves as a resource center and global network of journalists, journalism educators and health professionals dedicated to improving media coverage of trauma, conflict and tragedy. Dart provides travel and lodging assistance through a competitive process that allows students to participate in specialized training workshops on topics that include covering youth violence, suicide and gun violence. It hires a work-study student each academic year to help with editorial content and program promotion. Dart encourages students to pitch blog posts or feature stories for publication on its website.
Events & Lectures
Columbia Journalism School has lecture series to enhance and support the classroom and reporting work. Many of our events offer the opportunity to meet industry leaders, ask questions and network.
Dean's Roundtables bring together luminaries to have lunch with small groups of about 20 students invited by Dean Coll. People like author and journalist Gail Sheehy, CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker, President and CEO of Hearst Steve Swartz, publisher Alice Rogoff and executive chairman of Alphabet Inc. (formerly called Google) Eric Schmidt field questions from students during engaging Dean's Roundtable conversations.
The Thought Leaders Series brings to the Journalism School journalists and media leaders who will address current issues and concerns. The series, which takes place most Tuesdays in the fall semester, is designed to complement what students are learning in their classes and provide them the opportunity to meet leading practitioners.
The Alfred I. duPont Center for Broadcast & Digital Journalism sponsors many events at the school including the Film Fridays series, that screens a documentary and invites filmmakers to discuss their work like Alex Gibney, Joshua Oppenheimer, Barbara Kopple and Rachel Boynton ’97 M.S. It also holds a lecture series with current duPont winners at the School for students in January. duPont has also started a podcast series, OnAssignment, based on recorded J-School events, which duPont Fellows help produce.
Hearst Digital Media Lectures examine the changing media industry with an emphasis on digital media and online journalism, and supports the Hearst Digital Media Professional-in-Residence who participates in classes and programs, critiques student work, and delivers two lectures during the school year. The series and residency are sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. Recent Hearst Digital Medial Professionals-in-Residence include Ken Lerer, Steven Berlin Johnson, Krishna Bharat, Rebecca MacKinnon, Amanda Cox, Mario Garcia, Kevin Delaney, Meredith Artley and Melissa Bell.
The Lorana Sullivan Lecture Series, founded in 2014, is held in honor of the award-winning, pioneer of investigative journalism, Lorana Sullivan J’64. The series is designed to enhance the role of women in business and financial reporting and generally to improve the quality of investigative journalism. Recent speakers include Dean Steve Coll, Bethany McLean and Diana Henriques.
The Henry Pringle Lecture is named for a long-time faculty member of this school, a Pulitzer Prize winner in biography and a reporter for The Washington Post. The Pringle Lectures were endowed by the school’s alumni in Washington, D.C. following Pringle’s death in 1958. The annual guest lecturer is asked to speak to graduates on Journalism Day, the day before graduation, on any aspect of Washington politics, public affairs or the media. Recent speakers include Jorge Ramos, Jane Mayer, Carol Rosenberg, Jim VandeHei and David Brooks.
Important Student Dates
Summer 2021 Semester
Monday, May 10 - Friday, May 21 - M.S. MP Reporting time for Jan start students
Monday, May 24 - Summer classes begin
Friday, May 28 - Summer add/drop ends
Monday, Aug. 2 - M.A. Master's Thesis deadline
Friday, Aug. 13 - Classes end for FT MS; MA; Doc students
Friday, Sept. 3 - MP's due for PT continuing MS students
Fall 2021 Semester
Monday, Aug. 16 – Tuesday, Aug. 17 – M.S./Data/SEAS Orientation
Wednesday, Aug. 18 – M.S./Data/SEAS classes begin
Friday, Aug. 27 - Last day for August starts to withdraw with a full tuition refund
Thursday, Sept. 2 – Friday, Sept. 3– M.A./Ph.D./Spencer Orientation
Friday, Sept. 3 - Affinity Group Meeting
Monday, Sept. 6 – Labor Day – University holiday
Tuesday, Sept. 7 - Wednesday, Sept. 8 - NO CLASSES AT THE J-SCHOOL
Thursday, Sept. 9 - M.A./PhD/Spencer/PT & SEAS continuing - classes begin
Friday, Sept. 24 - Last day for September starts to withdraw with a full tuition refund
Monday, Oct. 11 – Columbus Day – NOT A HOLIDAY AT THE J-SCHOOL, CLASSES IN SESSION
Wednesday, Oct. 20– October degrees conferred
Friday, Oct. 22 - M.S. 1st seven week classes end
Wednesday, Oct. 27 - M.S. 2nd seven week classes begin
Monday, Nov. 1 – University Holiday – NOT A HOLIDAY AT THE J-SCHOOL, CLASSES IN SESSION
Tuesday, Nov. 2 – Election Day – NOT A HOLIDAY AT THE J-SCHOOL, CLASSES IN SESSION
Thursday, Nov. 11 – Veteran's Day – NOT A HOLIDAY AT THE J-SCHOOL, CLASSES IN SESSION
Wednesday, Nov. 24 – Friday, Nov. 26 – Thanksgiving break
Saturday, Nov. 27 - NOT A HOLIDAY AT THE J-SCHOOL, CLASSES IN SESSION
Saturday, Dec. 18 - Semester Ends
Sunday, Dec. 19 - Sunday, Jan. 2 - Winter break
Monday, Jan. 3 - Wednesday, Jan 19- MP/MT Reporting
Spring 2022 Semester
Tuesday, Jan. 18 - University classes begin
Thursday, Jan. 20 - Journalism Spring classes begin
Friday, Jan 28 - Last day to withdraw with a full tuition refund for the spring semester
Friday, Jan. 28 - Add/Drop and Cross Registration closes
Wednesday, Feb. 9 - February degrees conferred
Monday, Mar. 14 - Friday, Mar. 18 - Spring Break
Saturday, May 14 - Spring semester ends
Tuesday, May 17 - Journalism Day
Wednesday, May 18 - Graduation
Summer 2022 Semester
Monday, May 23 - Summer classes begin
Monday, May 30 - Summer add/drop ends
Friday, Aug. 12 - Summer classes end
PAST SEMESTERS
Summer 2020 Semester
Saturday, May 23 - Part-time M.S. & Doc MP class begins
Friday, September 4 - Part-time M.S. & Doc MP Final Submission Due
Fall 2020 Semester
Monday, Aug. 10 – Cross registration opens
Monday, Aug. 17 – Tuesday, Aug. 18 – M.S./Data/SEAS Orientation
Wednesday, Aug. 19 – M.S./Data/SEAS (1st Year) classes begin
Thursday, Sept. 3 – M.A./Ph.D./Spencer Orientation
Friday, Sept. 4 - M.A./Ph.D./Spencer Orientation
Friday, Sept. 4 - Affinity Group Meeting
Monday, Sept. 7 – Labor Day – University holiday
Tuesday, Sept. 8 - Fall schedule begins
Friday, Sept. 18 - Cross registration closes
Monday, Oct. 12 – Columbus Day – NOT A HOLIDAY AT THE J-SCHOOL, CLASSES IN SESSION
Wednesday, Oct. 21– October degrees conferred
Friday, Oct. 23 - M.S. 1st seven week classes end
Wednesday, Oct. 28 - M.S. 2nd seven week classes begin
Monday, Nov. 2 – University Holiday – NOT A HOLIDAY AT THE J-SCHOOL, CLASSES IN SESSION
Tuesday, Nov. 3 – Election Day – NOT A HOLIDAY AT THE J-SCHOOL, CLASSES IN SESSION
Wednesday, Nov. 11 – Veteran's Day – NOT A HOLIDAY AT THE J-SCHOOL, CLASSES IN SESSION
Wednesday, Nov. 25 – Friday, Nov. 27 – Thanksgiving break
Saturday, Dec. 19 - Semester Ends
Sunday, Dec. 20 - Sunday, Jan. 3 - Winter break
Monday, Jan. 4 - Wednesday, Jan 20 - MP/MT Reporting (two term students)
Spring 2021 Semester
Monday, Jan. 4 - Tuesday, Jan. 5 - January Orientation
Wednesday, Jan. 6 - Wednesday, Jan. 20 - Intro/Pre-Reporting instruction for Jan admits
Monday, Jan. 11 - University classes begin
Thursday, Jan. 21 - Journalism Spring classes begin
Friday, Jan. 29 - Add/Drop and Cross Registration closes
Monday, Mar. 1 - Saturday, Mar. 6 - University Spring Break
Friday, Mar. 5 - M.S. 1st seven week classes end
Monday, Mar. 8 - 2nd seven week classes start for Jan start MS students
Monday, Mar. 15 - Friday, Mar. 19 - Spring Break for continuing students
Monday, Mar. 22 - 2nd seven week classes start for continuing M.S. students
Friday, April 23 - University classes end
Saturday, Apr. 24 - Spring semester ends for Jan start M.S. students
Saturday, Apr. 24 - Friday, May 7 - Spring Break for Jan start students
Wednesday, Apr. 28 - University Commencement
Saturday, May 15 - Spring semester ends for continuing students
Tuesday, May 18 - Journalism Day
Wednesday, May 19 - Graduation
Graduation Rates
See recent graduation rates below.
|
FT Master of Science |
|||
|
Academic Year |
Enrolled |
Graduated |
Graduation Rate (%) |
|
2013-2014 |
242 |
241 |
99 |
|
2014-2015 |
236 |
230 |
97 |
|
2015-2016 |
240 |
238 |
98 |
|
2016-2017 |
232 |
231 |
99 |
|
2017-2018 |
204 |
203 |
99 |
|
2018-2019 |
188 |
180 |
96 |
|
2019-2020 |
181 |
161 |
89 |
|
2020-2021 |
161 |
161 |
100 |
|
PT Master of Science |
|||
|
Academic Year |
Enrolled |
Graduated |
Graduation Rate (%) |
|
2013-2014 |
32 |
31 |
97 |
|
2014-2015 |
32 |
30 |
94 |
|
2015-2016 |
30 |
28 |
93 |
|
2016-2017 |
34 |
31 |
92 |
|
2017-2018 |
28 |
25 |
92 |
|
2018-2019 |
25 |
25 |
100 |
|
2019-2020 |
32 |
32 |
100 |
|
2020-2021 |
29 |
26 |
90 |
|
Master of Arts |
|||
|
Academic Year |
Enrolled |
Graduated |
Graduation Rate (%) |
|
2013-2014 |
48 |
47 |
98 |
|
2014-2015 |
44 |
44 |
100 |
|
2015-2016 |
53 |
52 |
98 |
|
2016-2017 |
48 |
48 |
100 |
|
2017-2018 |
48 |
48 |
100 |
|
2018-2019 |
40 |
38 |
95 |
|
2019-2020 |
44 |
44 |
100 |
|
2020-2021 |
28 |
27 |
96 |
|
Dual Degree Computer Science |
|||
|
Academic Year |
Enrolled |
Graduated |
Graduation Rate (%) |
|
2013-2014 |
7 |
7 |
100 |
|
2014-2015 |
9 |
9 |
100 |
|
2015-2016 |
6 |
6 |
100 |
|
2016-2017 |
6 |
6 |
100 |
|
2017-2018 |
6 |
5 |
99 |
|
2018-2019 |
9 |
8 |
95 |
|
2019-20120 |
6 |
6 |
100 |
|
2020-2021 |
4 |
4 |
100 |
Contacts
Policies & Resources
All students should be familiar with these important Journalism School policies and regulations.
- General Policy on Conduct and Discipline
- Grievance Procedures
- Medical Leave and Reinstatement Process
- Personal Leave and Reinstatement Process
- Transfer of Credit Policy
- Satisfactory Academic Progress & Federal Financial Aid
- Policies on Student Suggestions & Complaints
- Grade Policy
- Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018
- Refund Rate for Leaves & Withdrawals
- Withdrawals
Important policies and regulations of Columbia University