Courses

CORE COURSES
Students must take our 4 core journalism courses taught by professional journalists.

• ENG 213 - Fundamentals of Journalism (3 credits)
• ENG 398 - Ethics in Journalism (3 credits)
• ENG 357 - How to Write like a Journalist (3 credits)
• ENG 397 - Broadcast Journalism (3 credits)

Total Credits - 12

INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Students can choose to fulfill their internship credit by taking the “campus reporting” class which provides them an opportunity to work with UB’s long-standing student newspaper OR students can secure an external journalism internship.  Students need 2 semesters of 394 OR 2 semesters of 496 (external internship) or a combination (1 semester of each internship option).  

• ENG 394 - Campus Reporting (3 credits)
• ENG 496 - External Journalism Focused Internship (3 credits)

Total Credits - 6

CAPSTONE

In their junior or senior year students must take a capstone course.  This course will provide students the opportunity to work alongside local Buffalo journalists to report on local current events.  The course will also ask students to learn about the profession of journalism and potential career paths that would allow them to leverage their journalism skills. 

• ENG 438 - Community Reporting (3 credits)

Total Credits - 3

Total Requirements:  21 credits

Students who enrolled in the Journalism Certificate program prior to March 2026 can continue to follow the old requirements OR they can choose to follow instead the new requirements.  They should discuss their best options with their advisor and the director of the journalism certificate program.  

• ENG 105 as placed, unless exempted

Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in order to qualify for and stay in the certificate program.

• DMS 121 - Basic Digital Arts OR DMS 103 - Basic Video (4 cr)
• ENG 213SEM – Fundamentals of Journalism (Journalism I)
• ENG 357 – How to Write Like a Journalist
• ENG 398 – Ethics in Journalism (3 cr) 
• Two Internship Courses:  Choose from ENG 394 – The Spectrum Writing Workshop,

Two courses to be selected from the list below or in consultation with the program advisor. 

Recommended electives:  

• Life Writing (ENG340LEC)
• Popular Culture (ENG 373) 
• New Media (ENG 380)
• Non-Fiction Prose (ENG 393)
• Digital and Broadcast Journalism (JCP) (ENG 397)
• Intermediate Video Workshop (DMS 341)
• Advanced Documentary (DMS 404)
• Non-Fiction Film (DMS 409)
• Social Web Media (DMS)
• Documentary Film (DMS)
• New Media (DMS 537) 

and appropriate courses in English, Media Study, Communication, or subject areas useful to journalism.

Note: The certificate is only awarded concurrently upon completion of a bachelor’s degree at the University at Buffalo.

Apply to UB. When applying, you should indicate your intended major on the application form.