Journalism and Media Studies Study Abroad

Practice Working as a Foreign Correspondent or Study Global Media Systems with our Journalism and Media Studies Courses Abroad!

Faculty from the Department of Journalism and Media Studies have developed exciting, short-term study abroad courses that help our majors meet their degree requirements while gaining international experience in global journalism and media systems. At least one or two JMS study abroad courses are offered each year, and each course confers at least 3 credits.

Journalism and Media Studies majors receive priority consideration for participation, although students from other majors may apply and be accepted, if space permits. Declared journalism majors receive a partial subsidy from the Department of Journalism and Media Studies to help make the courses affordable.

Enrolling in a JMS study abroad course can also qualify as the required 400 level Concept and Analysis (theory) course that Journalism and Media Studies students need to take in order to complete the major.

JMS courses abroad fulfill requirements for the Global Media Specialization, an exciting 3-course concentration open to all Journalism and Media Studies majors. Students who successfully complete this specialization will have that information noted on their degree.

Check out this video for an overview of the Study Abroad experience.

To learn more about the JMS short-term study abroad courses, please contact Associate Professor Regina Marchi or Assistant Professor Mary D’Ambrosio.

Apply at Rutgers Global. The application deadline for priority consideration is typically in early December.

Journalism and Media Studies Courses That Travel Abroad:

GUATEMALA

Media and Struggles for Democracy in Central America (3 credits)

This 10-day course brings students to Guatemala to study the role of media in historic and contemporary struggles for democracy in Central America. Students visit the capital of Guatemala City; the 16th-century colonial town of Antigua (a UNESCO World Heritage site); the lakeside town of Panajachel and several small Mayan villages. We meet with journalists, human rights activists, Indigenous rights associations, grassroots groups, news agencies, community radio stations, the Guatemalan Institute for Radio Education, the office of Guatemala’s first and only feminist magazine and radio station and other alternative media makers.

See a sample syllabus.

Check out student projects: Reporting from Guatemala.

Visit the course Facebook page, to see photos and videos from past trips.

ITALY

Global Journalism in Bologna, Italy (3 credits)

Each summer, Journalism and Media Studies students take off for Italy to cover some of the biggest stories of our time, from the struggles of Syrian and African refugees fleeing into Europe to the Brexit-style controversies that may threaten the European Union’s very existence. They also write and shoot stories about Italian life, culture, fashion, and food, in a program that runs for two to four weeks. Mentored by award-winning Rutgers University journalism professors, students work with the University of Bologna student interpreters to write, shoot and publish stories about the city. The course includes day trips to the beautiful Byzantine city of Ravenna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the nearby Appennini Mountains, as well as several other cultural events, such as dinners, concerts, museum visits, bike rides, and hikes.

See the international reporting syllabus.

See the travel writing syllabus.

Check out student projects:

Visit the course Facebook page, to see photos and videos from past trips.

Writing the Mediterranean: Italy (3 credits)

Draw inspiration from great Mediterranean journeys and learn to write compelling journey stories of your own. We travel with Dante, Mark Twain, E.M. Forster, Edith Wharton and other important authors through one of the world’s grandest regions, as we explore its legacy of war and exodus, cooking and eating, and romance and revenge. At spring break, we visit Rome and Florence, to report on refugee and urban issues, food and wine culture, and film, sports and fashion, in two cities that have beguiled visitors for centuries.

See a sample syllabus.

Check out a past student project:

Humanitarian Groups Resettle Refugees in Italy

Visit the course Facebook page, to see photos and videos from past trips!

SPAIN

Writing the Mediterranean: Spain (3 credits)

Draw inspiration from great Mediterranean journeys, and learn to write compelling journey stories of your own. We travel with Ernest Hemingway, Martha Gellhorn, George Orwell, and other important writers through one of the world’s grandest regions, as we explore its legacy of war and exodus, cooking and eating, and romance and revenge. At spring break, we visit Barcelona, to report on the 24/7 vibe, dazzling architecture and world-class cuisine of Spain’s most dynamic city. We also explore the gorgeous Basque city of San Sebastián, a former European Capital of Culture, with its passion for pintxos, surfing, and revolt. We hike a section of the famous trail to Santiago de Campostela, the route of Medieval pilgrimages to the end of the world. We cap off our journey with a visit to Guernica, a town famously bombed by the Nazis during the Spanish Civil War and immortalized by Pablo Picasso in his iconic painting.

See a sample syllabus.

Check out past student projects:

Visit the course Facebook page, to see photos and videos from past trips!

FRANCE AND ENGLAND

Global Media Abroad (3 credits)

Compare media systems in the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, with a course that includes a spring break media study trip to Paris and London. Students will learn about the influence of French and British history and culture on media regulations of legacy and digital media; will have an opportunity to compare international news coverage; and will meet journalists and other media makers.

Visit the course Facebook page, to see photos and videos from past trips!