As part of our series How to Fully Fund Your Master’s Degree, here is a list of universities that fully fund the studies of all or most students in their Master’s Programs in Communication and Journalism. A Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism can lead to careers in corporate communication, journalism, media, academia, and a wide range of other fields.
“Full funding” is a financial aid package for full-time students that includes full tuition remission as well as an annual stipend or salary during the entire program, which for Master’s degrees is usually 1-2 years. Funding usually comes with the expectation that students will teach or complete research in their field of study. Not all universities fully fund their master’s students, which is why researching the financial aid offerings of many different programs, including small and lesser-known schools both in the U.S. and abroad, is essential.
The ProFellow Database for graduate and doctoral study also spotlights external funding opportunities for graduate school, including dissertation research, fieldwork, language study, and summer work experiences.
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University of Arizona, MA in Communication
(Tucson, Arizona): They offer paid teaching assistantships to the majority of students admitted into the graduate program. Teaching assistantships come with a tuition waiver, health insurance, and an annual stipend. Research assistantships, merit-based fellowships, and scholarships are also available.
Arizona State University, Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication
(Phoenix, AZ): All applicants to the Master of Arts in Investigative Journalism, Master of Mass Communication, and the Master of Arts in Sports Journalism are considered for merit-based funding in the form of assistantships and fellowships. Assistantship packages include full tuition, health benefits, and a stipend ($8,000/semester).
Baylor University, MA in Communication
(Waco, Texas): There are multiple opportunities for scholarship funding and graduate assistantships in the MA in Communication program and in other non-academic departments across Baylor’s campus. The Department awards several fully-funded graduate assistantships that include a full-tuition scholarship and a $15,000 annual stipend.
Boston University, MS in Journalism
(Boston, MA): The College of Communication’s financial aid resources include various scholarship funds and graduate assistantships (teaching, research, administrative). All full-time students who apply for admission are also automatically considered for COM merit-based scholarships and some assistantships.
The University of California Berkeley, Master of Journalism
(Berkeley, CA): All students admitted to the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism will be considered for merit-based funding. About 40 percent of students receive some sort of departmental funding. Funding packages range from about $5,000 to $20,000 per year.
University of Cincinnati, MA in Communication
(Cincinnati, OH): Many full-time MA students receive a graduate assistantship (GA), a competitive assistantship that pays their tuition and provides a $13,000 stipend each year for two years.
University of Colorado Boulder, MA in Communication and Journalism
(Boulder, CO): All entering MA and PhD students currently are funded. The primary source of funding is teaching assistantships, which provide full tuition remission and a stipend (salary) during the academic year.
University of South Florida, MA in Communication
(Tampa, FL): M.A. assistantships are offered for 2 years. MA graduate students on teaching assistantships receive a stipend paid over nine months. All teaching assistantships include a tuition waiver. Summer teaching is typically available but is not guaranteed in the offer of assistance.
Illinois State University, MA in Communication
(Normal, IL): Illinois State offers various opportunities to fund graduate education. Graduate Teaching Assistantships carry a full tuition waiver and a monthly stipend of approximately $1,060 for up to four semesters GTAs also receive a waiver for up to 12 credits of summer coursework.
University of Kentucky, MA in Communication
(Lexington, KY): The Graduate Program in Communication offers several opportunities to finance your education. Most funding is provided in the form of teaching assistantships, although research positions are occasionally available. Assistantships are offered for four semesters of master’s work provided the student is making sustained progress toward the degree.
Marquette University, MA in Communication
(Milwaukee, WI): Financial Aid is available in the form of Research assistants, Teaching assistants, Scholarships, and fellowships. These positions are awarded on merit rather than financial need. TAs or RAs receive approximately $17,100 per year and free tuition for up to 18 credit hours during the academic year.
University of Minnesota, MA in Mass Communication
(Minneapolis, MN): In addition to scholarship and fellowship awards, graduate students may seek positions as research or teaching assistants. Students obtaining assistantships are eligible for resident tuition rates and partial or full tuition waivers as well as health insurance benefits. MA assistantship stipend support is $18k.
Ohio University, MS in Journalism
(Athens, OH): Master’s students accepted into the program compete for two years of tuition waivers and a stipend of $10,000 per year.
The Ohio State University, MA in Communication
(Columbus, OH): The School of Communication funds every student admitted to M.A. and Ph.D. programs with either a Graduate Assistantship or some form of Graduate School Fellowship. M.A. students are funded for two years ($2,142/month stipend plus tuition waiver for a nine-month assistantship)
University of Utah, MA in Communication
(Salt Lake City, UT): The Department strives to fully fund all admitted graduate students who request funding when they apply to the graduate program. Funding is offered in the form of teaching or research assistantships: full funding includes a full tuition waiver as well as an annual stipend and is offered for two years for masters.
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