Tag Archives: students

BU Ranked Among Top 10 Journalism Schools

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Earlier this week, USA Today published results from a study that analyzed the best journalism schools in the country. We are so proud to have landed the number two spot on this coveted list. The study, conducted with College Factual, analyzed universities based on factors like the quality of the school, starting & mid-career salaries of graduates, and other factors.

Here at COM, we think there are even more reasons why we have such a successful journalism program. But don’t just take our word for it. Listen to the reasons straight from some of our journalism students:

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I came to BU with an undergraduate degree in English Education. My experience with a camera went about as far as taking video and pictures on my iPhone and then ‘editing’ them on Instagram. In less than two semesters, BU taught me how to shoot, edit, and produce quality video packages that were of professional newsroom quality. Their instruction and guidance is unparalleled to any other institution.
– Iris Moore

“How encouraging and selfless the professors can be– especially Professor Mehren. Gives me hope.”
-Katie

“I like that the professors are interested in getting us real-world experience.” – Justine Hofherr

To be honest, I expected to learn a lot and apply a lot of what I learned to the real world which I know I will…but I wasn’t expecting the camaraderie between my classmates.”- Andre Katchaturian

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“From day one we are out reporting like real journalists in one of the world’s best cities with endless incredible stories!”- Megan Turchi

What do you love about your COM program? Let us know and you might be featured on the blog!

Check out the COMGrad Podcast

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Here at COM Grad we have been looking for new and different ways to get information to potential students. In an effort to continue this, we recently started the BU COM Grad Podcast. Fellow COM student (and good friend) Andy and I are joining forces to spread the knowledge of COM to the ears of anyone who wants to learn more about our programs and application process (or hear our witty banter).

Luckily, we will not be delivering the information alone. We will be joined by members of the COM faculty to answer questions ranging from the application process to financial aid to specific looks into different programs. From the episodes we have done, I have already learned information that would have been very useful to know during my application process.

But most importantly, we want to help you. We want to answer the questions that real-life perspective students have about anything COM. So send us your questions, and we will find the answer and bring it up on the podcast. Don’t be shy, because odds are if you have a question, someone else is wondering the same thing.
So send us your questions. You can email us at comgrad@bu.edu (use “Podcast” in the subject header) or via twitter @bucomgrad (use #COMpodcast). And to catch up, here are the episodes we have completed thus far.

All I Really Needed to Know I Learned as your Teaching Assistant

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Once a week, I lead a lecture section called Storytelling.  I consider it Screenwriting Zero, almost an introduction to the art of screenwriting. Now, the content isn’t anything new to me.  I’m not bragging, but I pulled out a B.A. in Creative Writing in Linguistics from a sub-state school, so I’m more than comfortable blowing hot air at students for two hours every Wednesday.  It’s not all fun and games.  Every once in a while, I spring a test on them, just to let them know who’s boss. But really, leading four workshops a week is actually a heck of a lot more fun than it sounds.  Really.

Rucker.  Rucker is the boss.  In case you missed that earlier.

I get really frustrated whenever somebody stops me and says, “You know, you’ll learn more from teaching than you ever will sitting in a classroom.”  Please.  The only reason I took this job is so that I could make sure to teach them all the wrong things to weed out competition in my coming days as a professional screenwriter.  However, it seems to be a trend that I’m picking up on lessons that I thought I’d learned myself.  I’m reminding them to do the things I forget to do.

Figure out what your story is.  Put your main character on the ropes.  What are you trying to say?  Take no prisoners.  By the way, who is your main character?

One of the things I really love about Boston University is this chance that I get to teach.  I bragged to my mentor before I left that I’d totally be leading a class by my second year.  I didn’t really expect to get the chance, but here I am.  There’s something really special about standing in front of those kids every week, knowing that I have the chance to share something that I really enjoy.  I even wrote “Don’t write crap.” on the board at the beginning of the semester.  I enjoy teaching about positive and negative charges and plants and payoffs, but what I really love is writing pseudo-swears on the board.

But really, that’s what teaching and writing is for me.  On the first day, I had them write a simple list of ten things that moved them.  Every response I gave was catered, but essentially the same: “Now that you’ve know what moves you, you’ll be able to move your audience.”  Sure, it was a lot harder than pounding into their heads, “Write what you love.  Write what you love.  Write what you love.”  (I still did that, but I also did this, so the bad teaching and good teaching evens out.  That’s how it works, right?)

But ever since I taught that lesson on the first day, my writing’s gotten better.  I’m thinking more about the messages I’m trying to convey, and they’re coming out clearer.  I’m remembering to put my main character on the ropes.  I’m acid testing my work, figuring out what’s essential in the story, just like I’m trying to remind Max and Navzad and Shari to do.

So, yeah.  There it is.  Learning through teaching.  I’m pretty sure that’s what that Robert Fulghum book was talking about, but I heard it was actually about his time in prison.  You didn’t hear it from me.