JBA Journalism at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Programme overview

The Bachelor of Journalism degree in the College of Letters & Science’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) provides you with a connected, collaborative, and inclusive community of passionate communicators and prepares you for careers in a wide variety of fields. Whether you are interested in advertising and public relations, investigative journalism, or magazine publishing, you will be equipped with an education grounded in the liberal arts and a unique blend of hands-on skills training, theoretical learning, and real-world practice.

Faculty: College of Letters & Science | Department: Journalism Mass Communication | Duration: 120 credits | Study mode: full-time | Location: Madison, WI, United States

What you will study

The degree requires 120 credits in total. Courses listed in the requirements include JOURN 201 Introduction to Mass Communication; JOURN 202 Mass Communication Practices; JOURN 203 Information for Communication; JOURN 335 Principles and Practices of Reporting; JOURN 401 In-Depth Reporting; JOURN 405 Creative Nonfiction.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applies to College of Letters & Science, not specific to this major: How to Get in Application required. Meeting the requirements listed below does not guarantee admission. ( https://sjmc.wisc.edu/undergraduate/undergraduate-admissions /) Courses required to get in Students must complete JOURN 201 by the end of the semester in which they apply. GPA requirements to get in None. Credits required to get in Students may have earned no more than 16 credits in Journalism (JOURN) courses completed in residence at UW–Madison when applying for admission. Other None. Undergraduate How to Get in - Application Deadlines Semester Deadline to apply Decision notification timeline Fall Early December Early January Spring Early May Early June Summer This program does not accept applications to start in the summer.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

First-year entry terms: Fall (Early Action and Regular Decision) and Spring. Transfer entry terms: Fall (Priority and Regular Decision) and Spring.

First-year Fall Early Action: application deadline November 1, materials deadline November 9, decision on or before January 31. Fall Regular Decision: application deadline January 15, materials deadline January 22, decision on or before March 31. Spring Regular Decision: application deadline October 1, materials deadline October 15, decision on or before December 31. First-year fall and spring applications open August 1. Early Action is non-binding.

Transfer Fall Priority: application deadline February 1, materials deadline February 16, decision on or before March 31. Fall Regular: application deadline March 1, materials deadline March 15, decision on or before April 30. Spring Regular: application deadline October 1, materials deadline October 15, decision on or before December 31. Fall transfer applications open December 1; spring transfer applications open August 1.

Apply via the Common Application or the Universities of Wisconsin Application. The application fee is $80 US and is non-refundable; fee waivers are available for applicants with financial hardship. ACT and SAT scores are optional for students applying for admission through the spring 2028 term (application deadline October 1, 2027).

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