NYU vs. Northwestern Journalism (Degree Guide)
NYU and Northwestern offer different routes into journalism: NYU places its undergraduate journalism major in the College of Arts and Science, while Northwestern awards a Bachelor of Science in Journalism through Medill. Compare courses, reporting practice, location, cost after aid, and career goals. Neither school guarantees admission or a job; the best fit depends on your needs and budget.
Choosing between the programs is not just a choice between New York and the Chicago area. You are choosing a degree structure, a campus setting, and different ways to build reporting experience. Those differences matter if you want to cover a local community, work across media, or keep other academic options open.
I compare journalism programs by looking past university names to required courses, practical work, advising, and likely cost. The details below use institution-level credit frameworks and program information; course plans and admissions rules can change. Check the current catalogs and admissions pages for your entry year before making a decision.
NYU vs. Northwestern Journalism: Admissions and Program Overview
The first step is to identify the actual degree route. NYU’s undergraduate journalism major is housed in the College of Arts and Science (CAS); Northwestern’s journalism degree is the Bachelor of Science in Journalism (BSJ) through Medill. Their admissions processes, application rules, and degree plans are not interchangeable, so verify each school’s current requirements.
Both universities are highly selective, and neither publishes a guaranteed GPA cutoff for general first-year admission. A strong application shows academic preparation, thoughtful writing, and engagement with the world. A journalism portfolio may help you explain your interests, but do not assume that clips or a particular test score will ensure admission.
Application rounds, testing policies, and required materials can change by year. Use the current NYU and Northwestern admissions sites to confirm deadlines, testing rules, and whether the intended program requires additional materials. If you apply to a specific school or program, check that you have selected the correct one.
- NYU: The journalism major sits within CAS. Review CAS admission requirements and the current major requirements.
- Northwestern: The BSJ is offered through Medill. Review Medill and Northwestern first-year admission instructions.
- For both: Build a school newspaper, community, or independent reporting portfolio if that interests you. Strong work can show curiosity and care, but it is not a published admission guarantee.
Degree Curriculum, Credit Requirements, and Experiential Learning
Curriculum is where the programs may feel most different. NYU students pursue journalism within a College of Arts and Science degree framework; Medill students pursue a journalism bachelor’s degree. Read each current catalog to see how reporting courses, other academic study, electives, and graduation rules fit together.
NYU CAS bachelor’s degrees generally require 128 semester credits. Northwestern undergraduate degrees generally require 45 courses, or 192 quarter units. These are broad institutional frameworks, not a promise that every student follows the same path. Major requirements, general education, residency rules, and course availability can affect the time and credits needed to graduate.
| Comparison point | NYU | Northwestern |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate journalism route | Journalism major in CAS | BSJ through Medill |
| General degree framework | Usually 128 semester credits for a CAS bachelor’s degree | Generally 45 courses / 192 quarter units |
| Location | New York City | Evanston, near Chicago |
| Accreditation | Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) | Higher Learning Commission (HLC) |
| What to verify | Current CAS and journalism requirements, electives, and internship options | Current Medill plan, experiential requirements, and course sequence |
Journalism experience can include reporting, editing, audio, video, data work, or investigations. Medill describes structured experiential learning, including a Journalism Residency; confirm the current format and eligibility with Medill. NYU students can explore journalism opportunities in New York City, but access to a city’s news organizations does not itself guarantee a placement or internship.
When you compare plans, look for the skills you want to practice and the time available to practice them. Ask whether a course is required, how often it runs, and whether students need to apply for an internship or residency. A course catalog is more useful than a general claim that a school offers “hands-on” learning.
Academic Success, Advising, and Student Experience
A program can look right on paper yet differ from what you want day to day. Campus size, advising, course sequence, and access to other subjects shape the experience. Compare those factors through current student services and program information, then ask each school how students plan journalism requirements alongside broader academic interests.
NYU’s city setting may appeal if you want to study in New York and seek reporting opportunities in a large media market. Northwestern offers an Evanston campus setting, with Chicago nearby. Neither location guarantees access to a particular newsroom, mentor, or job; ask how students find and qualify for those opportunities.
A useful comparison is not “Which school has better access?” but “What does access require?” Ask each program:
- How do students get feedback on reporting and writing?
- What advising helps students plan required courses and electives?
- Which internships, residencies, or student media roles are open to undergraduates?
- How does the program help students build clips and professional references?
- If you change majors, which completed courses can still count toward graduation?
For transfers, request a written credit review before committing. NYU and Northwestern use different credit systems, and credits accepted by a university may not fulfill journalism or other degree requirements. Ask about prerequisites, residency rules, course sequencing, and the likely remaining time to degree.
Career Pathways, Internships, and Employment Outcomes
Both degrees can support journalism work, but the degree title alone does not tell you what a graduate will earn or where they will work. Career preparation depends on skills, work samples, experience, and the hiring market. Compare what students can produce and learn, rather than treating a school name as a job offer.
Journalism graduates may pursue reporting, editing, audio or video production, data journalism, communications, or further study. These are possibilities, not guaranteed outcomes. For a career check, consult the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ current Occupational Outlook Handbook for relevant occupations, including reporters, correspondents, and news analysts. Read its wage and employment measures as occupation-wide data, not as a forecast for either school’s graduates.
College Scorecard can help with institution-level information, but institution figures do not necessarily isolate journalism majors. Ask each school for its most recent program-level career information, how it defines employment, and how many graduates responded. Compare definitions before comparing numbers.
Before enrolling, review each current catalog for course requirements, electives, and experiential options. Then map a practical plan: reporting courses, student media or internships, and skills in areas such as audio, video, or data. The aim is to leave with work samples and references, not only a degree.
Cost, Financial Aid, and Application Decision
The financial comparison should use your likely cost after grants, not published tuition alone. Both universities are private and costs can change. Run each school’s current net price calculator, then compare the full cost of attendance and aid renewal rules. Include housing, fees, travel, books, and likely borrowing across all years.
An initial award is not the whole plan. Check whether grants renew, what academic progress is required, and whether work-study or student earnings are part of the estimate. Model total borrowing through graduation, allowing for tuition and living costs to change. Do not rely on a past price or another student’s award as your own likely cost.
A practical decision sequence is:
- Check academic fit. Compare required journalism courses, electives, and experiential learning in current catalogs.
- Check application fit. Confirm the right school or program, deadlines, testing policy, and materials for your entry year.
- Check affordability. Run both net price calculators and compare likely four-year costs and aid renewal terms.
- Check transfer details, if relevant. Get an individual credit evaluation and degree timeline in writing.
- Ask focused questions. Contact admissions and academic advising about requirements that are not clear online.
The two universities have different institutional accreditors: NYU is accredited by MSCHE, and Northwestern by the Higher Learning Commission. Confirm current standing in each accreditor’s directory. Accreditation is an important institutional check, but it does not replace a close review of curriculum, cost, and fit.
Illustrative Student Scenarios and Final Choice
The scenarios below are examples, not reports of actual students or promises about outcomes. They show how priorities can point toward different questions, rather than proving that one program is better. Use them to clarify what you value, then test that fit against current requirements, advising answers, and your own financial aid offers.
- A student drawn to New York reporting: NYU may be appealing for its location and CAS degree route. The student should check which reporting opportunities are available to undergraduates and how the journalism major fits with other academic goals.
- A student seeking a structured journalism degree: Northwestern’s Medill BSJ and described experiential learning may fit that interest. The student should confirm the current degree sequence, residency details, and course access.
- A student who needs the lower-cost option: Either school could be more affordable after aid. Compare individualized net prices, grant renewal terms, and total borrowing rather than choosing by sticker price.
- A student considering transfer: Neither university’s general credit framework can predict how many credits will apply to a particular major. Request a program-specific evaluation before estimating graduation time.
My decision rule is straightforward: choose the program whose current course plan and learning opportunities fit your goals at a cost you can manage. If one remains ahead after those checks, revisit the choice with an adviser and confirm all details in writing before you enroll.
Frequently Asked Questions
These short answers address common questions about the degree routes, admission, cost, and career value. Requirements can change, so use each school’s current admissions pages and catalog as the final authority. For individual credit, aid, or course questions, ask the relevant admissions or advising office for guidance tied to your situation.
Is NYU or Northwestern better for journalism?
Neither is best for every student. Compare the NYU CAS journalism major with Northwestern’s Medill BSJ, including courses, practical learning, campus setting, and your net cost.
Does NYU offer an undergraduate journalism degree?
NYU offers an undergraduate journalism major housed in the College of Arts and Science. Check the current CAS catalog for major and graduation requirements.
What degree does Northwestern Medill award?
Medill’s undergraduate journalism degree is the Bachelor of Science in Journalism, or BSJ. Confirm the current catalog for its required courses and experiential components.
Which school has a lower cost?
It depends on your aid and living costs. Run both net price calculators and compare grants, renewal conditions, fees, housing, and likely borrowing.
Does a journalism portfolio guarantee admission?
No. Neither school publishes a universal portfolio, GPA, or test-score threshold that guarantees admission. Follow the current application instructions for your entry year.
Can transfer credits shorten the degree?
Possibly, but acceptance of credit does not mean it will satisfy major requirements. Request a program-specific evaluation and estimated time to degree.
Which program offers more internship experience?
Compare current program requirements and how students qualify for internships, residencies, or other placements. Opportunity availability does not guarantee a placement.
Will either degree guarantee a journalism job?
No. A degree does not guarantee employment or a specific salary. Build relevant work samples and experience, and review occupation data from the BLS with care.
Are both universities accredited?
NYU is accredited by MSCHE and Northwestern by the Higher Learning Commission. Check each accreditor’s current directory to confirm standing before enrolling.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Michael Harrington. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
