School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Why Iowa?

When you graduate from the SJMC, you will become part of an alumni network that numbers in the thousands and spans media industries in the United States and around the globe.

Study Here

Build a foundation

We prepare students for careers in both traditional and new communication and media fields. Our courses integrate professional skills, especially the skills of writing and storytelling, with a theoretical foundation in the role of media in a global society.

Build a foundation

Expand your horizons

SJMC graduate degrees emphasize individualized inquiry in a lively intellectual environment where students and faculty work together as a community of learners.

Expand your horizons

Learn from experts

Our faculty bring their world-class research and professional experience into their classrooms, studios, and labs, giving students the unparalleled opportunity to learn right from the source of the latest innovations in knowledge and practice.

Learn from experts

See yourself here

Kimmi Chex

(B.A. 2018)

On-air host for NFL Network and NFL Media.

Eleanor Hildebrandt

(B.A. 2023)

English Teaching Assistant in Germany with the U.S. Fulbright Program.

Aadit Tambe

(B.A. 2020)

News Designer at The Washington Post

Matt Erickson

(B.A. 1996)

Assistant Managing Editor at The New York Times

156

YEARS OF THE DAILY IOWAN

The award-winning student
newspaper, The Daily Iowan,
has served the UI community
since 1868

100

Years of success

The school celebrated its centennial in 2024

# 1

Public university for writing

According to the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings

70+

Scholarships

SJMC awards more than $225,000 in scholarships and awards annually.

Events

Parenting Teens: Cultivating Connections with Teens in a Digital Age

Sunday, May 18, 2025 1:00pm to 4:00pm

Iowa City Public Library

Join other caregivers of teens for an afternoon of learning and discussion about evidence-based strategies for communicating and connecting with teens in a digital age. Led by Dr. Rachel McLaren and Dr. Rachel Young, experts in parent-adolescent communication and digital media. Leave feeling more confident and equipped.

From Draft to Impact: Strategies for Publishing in Leading Journals

Tuesday, July 15, 2025 1:00pm to 5:00pm

Social Sciences Research Building

Take your manuscript from draft to impact in this 8-hour in-person workshop hosted by the Center for Social Science Innovation and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.Presenter: Jamil Marques, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication.Date(s) and Time(s):Part 1: Tuesday, July 15, 2025, 1:00-5:00 PMPart 2: Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 1:00-5:00 PMIMPORTANT: Registering for this workshop enrolls you for both Part 1 and Part 2.Description: This workshop is...

From Draft to Impact: Strategies for Publishing in Leading Journals

Wednesday, July 16, 2025 1:00pm to 5:00pm

Social Sciences Research Building

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News

Graduate spotlight: Max Willis

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Office of Strategic Communication

Max Willis is a storyteller — a multifaceted one, at that. “I can write, I can work in front of and behind the camera, I can do graphic design, I can do video editing or photo editing, I can fly a drone — I feel really well prepared,” says Willis, who will graduate with a BA in journalism and mass communication, BA in African American studies, and minor in sport and recreation management.

Journalism graduate looks for new angles

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Office of Strategic Communication

After an award-winning stint as a photographer with The Daily Iowan and the opportunity to document a historic women’s basketball tournament run, Grace Smith is continuing to pursue creative visual storytelling — and to photograph a favorite Iowa baller.