Science and Technology Journalism
With a significant need for professionals to communicate science, discoveries, and innovations to the general public, a flexible hybrid/online program—with a focus on science and technology journalism—is offered through the Department of Journalism.
Students can take coursework entirely online and in as few as two semesters. Students examine and report on the science of genomics and its applications to environment, health, and technology on professional news platforms. See sample sequence and a list of course modules.
Areas of focus include data visualization in journalism, humanizing science through video storytelling, communicating science with augmented reality or with virtual reality, writing for television and streaming news, intro to genomics, advanced science and technology reporting, and more. Students also have access to the resources of a top research university, such as the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology and the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.
Alumni of the University of Illinois journalism program have had successful careers as science communicators and editors, news directors, digital content producers, and more, working at places such as NASA, national science laboratories and research centers, and nonprofits in the science, environment, and energy sectors.