The Jandoli School of Communication at St. Bonaventure University will offer a new master’s degree in digital journalism this fall that will prepare students with a digital skillset to reimagine how stories can be told.

The online digital journalism master’s degree rests on the Jandoli School’s pillars of writing, reporting and editing excellence, while taking students to a modern news landscape where they can master the art of digital media and connect with audiences on a wide range of platforms by incorporating photography, video, design and audio.

The 30-credit master’s program consists of nine three-credit courses and three one-credit digital projects. Applications are now being accepted.

“The master’s program in digital journalism combines the best ideals of journalism with the newest ways to tell stories, creating a powerful combination for our students,” said Aaron Chimbel, dean of the Jandoli School. “The digital skills taught in this program prepare graduates to be leaders in the future of journalism.”

This program emphasizes quality content creation for all media — from long-form reporting, to social media storytelling, to podcasts and mobile experiences.

The program will build on the Jandoli School’s more than 70 years of educating top journalists and communicators.

“Despite the accelerating pace of change in our industry, there remains a crucial need for reporters, editors, and communications professionals with a firm grasp on clear writing and strong reporting, and an intense curiosity of the world around them,” said Eric Fisher, ’94, U.S. editor at SportBusiness. “These are fundamental skills that will always be in demand. St. Bonaventure’s foundational emphasis on these skills continues to serve me immensely more than 25 years after my graduation, and are key to what sets the university apart from other schools.”

Students will learn the foundational tenets of journalism and apply those best ideals to become leaders in producing ethical journalism for diverse audiences in the digital world. In particular, students will learn how to:

• Incorporate digital news into the broader scope of journalism
• Demonstrate foundational skills in photography, video, design, and audio
• Code with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other tools to master digital storytelling and produce compelling media elements
• Report stories and digital news in real-time via social media
• Build their personal brand as a journalist
• Analyze data to understand content consumption and user behavior
• Develop, research, and execute a major journalism project

St. Bonaventure alumna Shannon Shepherd, ’12, an Associated Press award winner and former Sports Illustrated and WIVB-TV sports reporter, said some of her greatest mentors come from SBU.

“I could reach out to a professor at any time and ask if I was making the right choice or presenting myself in the right way. I am mostly grateful for being pushed constantly to better myself by many professors,” she said.

For more information about the digital journalism program, visit the webpage or contact Chimbel at achimbel@sbu.edu.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. In 2020, St. Bonaventure was named the #2 regional university value in New York and #3 in the North by U.S. News and World Report.