One of America's oldest accredited journalism schools, ranked top-10 nationally, with hands-on learning and real-world projects.
The School of Journalism offers undergraduate and graduate programs across five main areas: print reporting and editing, broadcast reporting and editing, photojournalism, radio-TV production, and a Master's in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism. Students can specialize in audio and podcasting, writing and reporting, photo and visual journalism, TV and film, or social media and public relations. The program is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. The two-year Master's program, created in 2010, accepts eight students annually and requires 36 credits combining journalism and environmental science coursework, with an internship or externship component.
Students gain real-world experience through more than 10 professional-level projects, including work at the Montana Kaimin (daily student newspaper since 1938), KBGA college radio station, and Montana PBS documentaries. The Student Documentary Unit produces a full-length documentary for Montana PBS annually. Faculty-to-student ratio of 14:1 ensures hands-on learning and mentorship, with most classes taught by faculty rather than teaching assistants.
The school has produced seven alumni who played major roles in winning Pulitzer Prizes, three Rhodes Scholars, two George Polk Award winners, and the first woman to win an Ernie Pyle Award. In 2026, UM J-School students won the national photojournalism championship and placed second in writing at the Hearst Journalism Championships. The program is housed in Don Anderson Hall, completed in 2007.
Ninety-five percent of recent graduates landed jobs or started their own businesses after graduation. Graduates work at major outlets including the New York Times and regional newsrooms, as well as in communications, marketing, and public relations roles. The school awarded $410,000 in scholarships and awards to current students in the most recent year.