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Journalism Capstone Project
"The exciting thing about working with capstone students is to watch their ideas develop and flow. Their projects are the culmination of all the reporting and writing skills they have learned from their courses. It's fun to see this knowledge evolve into publishable stories!" — June Carolyn Erlick, ALM in Journalism Capstone Advisor
Journalism capstones are independent projects focused on a global, national, local or human interest topic that has become compelling for you during your course of study. The project provides an opportunity to showcase your journalism skills in a portfolio format that can be presented to current or future employers.
Although you register for the JOUR 599 Journalism Capstone in fall, spring, or summer as if it were a course, the topic, story outlines, and research approach must be approved months in advance, ordinarily the semester before capstone registration.
While every effort is made to support your capstone interest, guidance is not available for all possible projects. Therefore, revisions or a change of capstone topic may be necessary before it is approved. As in all traditional journalism, projects must take a fair and balanced view by bringing in differing points of view. Projects should not be one-sided or take an advocacy stance.
The purpose of the journalism capstone is to apply the knowledge and skills you obtained in the program to complete a significant journalism project under the direction of a professional in the field. Specifically, it entails a portfolio of several related stories that are completed over the course of one semester. The related stories come together as an in-depth investigation of a single topic. You'll emerge from the capstone with a portfolio of new work suitable for publishing, posting, or broadcasting.
Timeline and Support
The semester prior to capstone registration, you work one-on-one with your capstone advisor, June Erlick, on your topic ideas and the development of your capstone proposal (research plan). See sidebar Crafting the Proposal for specific research plan requirements and Timeline for mandatory proposal submission deadlines.
Then, when you are registered in the capstone, you work independently with the guidance of an assigned capstone director to complete the project within a one-semester timeframe. Capstone directors are journalism instructors or professionals in the field who have expertise in the topic area.
You can register for the capstone after you have completed 36 credits. The capstone can be, and usually is, completed at a distance.
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JOUR 599 Capstone (Fall/Spring) Summer JOUR 599 Capstone
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- JOUR E-599 Past Capstones and Examples
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In-person, blended, and online courses, journalism capstone project.
Students build a portfolio of several related stories that are completed over one semester.
Associated Schools
Harvard Extension School
Course description.
Students build a portfolio of several related stories that are completed over one semester. They apply knowledge and skills obtained in the Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) journalism program to complete a significant journalism project under the direction of a professional in the field. Students conduct an in-depth investigation of a single topic and emerge with a portfolio of new work suitable for publishing, posting, or broadcasting.
June Carolyn Erlick
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100 best journalism essay topics for you.
December 24, 2020
If you find yourself struggling to come up with a good idea for a journalistic essay you might be suffering from a type of writer’s block. However, there is no need to worry because we’ve culled a list of journalism thesis topics that can be used for a wide range of assignments and class levels. Here are 100 of our best ideas:
Best Journalism Research Topics for 2022
- What impact will President Biden’s policies have on the economy?
- To what extent will the Covid-19 pandemic damage the global economy?
- How does the media impact the way we look at dictatorships?
- Will a vaccine for Covid-19 be made available to lower-income people?
- Will the U.S. economy recover after the major shutdowns of 2020?
- In what way does the IOC feel compelled to hold Olympic events?
Research Topics in Mass Communication and Journalism
- Does race impact the way news is reported in different parts of the United States?
- What does President-elect Joe Biden’s victory mean for international politics?
- How does Covid-19 affect the way students make choices about their majors?
- How has mass communication changed in the last decade?
- How did social media impact the way people voted for the Presidential Election?
- In what ways has social media affected the way news is reported?
- Can President Biden effectively use the media to unite the country?
Ideas for a Dissertation on Journalism
- Does accurate journalism impact people’s privacy rights?
- How has music and film from the last decade impacted how society acts today?
- Does the attention afforded to crime in the media harm society?
- Are personal bios still important enough to publish online?
- Is social media replacing traditional journalism in first world countries?
- Is journalism education in high school an important subject?
- In what ways have sports changed the way we look at international politics?
Thesis Topics for Journalism Students
- How does President Trump’s reaction to election results affect the transition between administrations?
- How important is it for news outlets to report human interest stories?
- How did the world react to President Trump’s loss of both the popular and electoral votes?
- In what ways does the sports world impact the way people view domestic politics?
- How have the peaceful protests of police brutality in the U.S. affected the world?
- How does the internet affect the way people view domestic politics?
- Does the White House Press Team need to be more transparent?
Journalism Research Paper Topics
- How do politicians prepare major announcements based on media feedback?
- Does the media help or harm the way people react to Covid-19?
- Is it possible for journalists to sway the 2022 mid-term elections ahead of time?
- What can we say is the start of modern journalism?
- Should the personal lives of athletes be reported in sports journalism?
- How important is transparency in modern journalism?
- The methods of disseminating information have changed in what ways?
Journalism Topics for a College-Level Course
- How is popular culture affected by the media? Check out more popular culture topics .
- What are the major aspects of communication in the modern world?
- In what ways do popular films affect the way teenagers view media?
- Does the media do enough to report on obesity rates in the U.S.?
- What is the most effective way of disseminating important information?
- What role does the media have in preventing religious conflicts?
- In what ways does media hype affect social movements in the U.S.?
Good Journalism Topics on Modern Issues
- What does the future of journalism hold as the number of independent bloggers increases?
- What responsibilities do sensationalist journalists have?
- How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected how journalists report on health news?
- How do health organizations utilize the media to spread warnings?
- Is the media responsible for reporting health rates in the U.S.?
- How can the international media impact how the U.S. is viewed around the world?
- In what ways do politicians use the media to gain public favor?
Journalism Thesis Topics for a Capstone Project
- How have political races been affected by the use of music?
- In what ways does the media impact psychology?
- Can video games be viewed as a type of media?
- Should the media cover reality show stars?
- How have social movements in the U.S. sparked changes around the world?
- Are journalists compromised by corporate funding of media outlets?
- Does social media have a greater influence on today’s public than traditional news outlets?
Controversial Investigative Journalism Topics
- How do journalists develop interesting news stories?
- Does the media impact how we view health issues?
- How do podcasts and radio shows impact truth-telling?
- Are people viewing more or less local news programs?
- What does one have to study to become an investigative journalist?
- Should news outlets like Fox News and MSNBC refrain from reporting controvertible facts?
- How does investigative journalism violate people’s rights to privacy?
Great Journalism Topics for Students
- Is music being used as a propaganda tool in political elections?
- Can school elections be rigged by a dominant group?
- How important is it to keep students informed of local government policies?
- Does the media treat celebrities unfairly when reporting stories?
- How important is it for journalists to protect their sources?
- If students had the chance to grade their teachers, what would the results be?
- What would happen if colleges and universities allowed pets in dorms?
Journalism Topics for High School
- How does media influence what we think of as high and low culture?
- Do social media sites like Facebook and Twitter ever make you feel depressed?
- Do cell phones lead to too many distractions in school?
- Should the media pay less attention to celebrity news?
- Does television advertising unfairly favor large corporations?
- Are war journalists put at greater risk today than they were a decade ago?
- Is there enough evidence to support an investigation on voter fraud?
Journalism Essay Topics for a Short Project
- In what ways have video games impacted cultural movements globally?
- How do professional athletes impact social awareness?
- What is the most effective way to interview a witness?
- Are people being influenced by what is being reported on celebrities?
- Why is it important to have firsthand accounts in news stories?
- Is it unethical for journalists to make suppositions?
Journalism Thesis Ideas for a Long Project
- Does reality television present an accurate view of modern society?
- Is it important for different news organizations to share information?
- What is meant by “message distortion” in article writing?
- In what ways do journalists impact voting in presidential elections?
- Does the media cover presidential candidates equally?
- Does the media support major candidates more so than populist candidates?
Interesting Journalism Project Topics
- What are the biggest anticipated changes to the future of journalism?
- In what ways has the internet impacted how the news is reported?
- How does the U.S. media portray adversaries from around the world?
- Does the internet make people read less about current events?
- Is stylized writing acceptable in today’s internet-heavy world?
- What are the challenges and limitations of the Bennett news model?
Controversial Literary Journalism Topics
- Should fake news be banned from social media sites?
- Are media outlets responsible for the spread of unverified stories?
- Should media agencies stop using metaphors in headlines?
- Do you think the U.S. media treats its global enemies fairly?
- What are the biggest challenges facing journalism?
- Will Trumpism disappear as soon as he leaves office?
Journalism thesis ideas don’t just fall from trees and this means that students often struggle to develop research topics that make for a great journalism essay. We are a professional academic writing and editing agency that understands what it takes to write a great assignment. Our team of experts provide best writing services and they can give you journalism topics that will impress the strictest readers. Give us a call, email us, or send us a message by chat. We will put you in contact with one of our academic professionals to help you find an ideal journalism topic for your next assignment.
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Master of Arts in Journalism
Guidelines for Hofstra MA Journalism Capstone Projects
IMPORTANT NOTE: All other degree requirements must be completed or in progress when students begin the Capstone. The Hofstra graduate journalism capstone should be done during a student’s final semester in the program.
OBJECTIVE The Capstone gives students one-on-one faculty guidance to conceptualize, report, write and produce a story that is more substantial than anything they have done before. Although comparable to a master’s thesis in importance, the critical difference is that this is a journalism project to produce a story that should be a multimedia, in-depth report. It should demonstrate the culmination of a student’s learning from the curriculum, incorporating skills and knowledge from a variety of classes. The Capstone story should not focus on subjects related to the study of journalism, which might be the subject of a master’s thesis. Instead, it should show the student’s ability to develop sources from the community at large and produce professional-quality multimedia elements to expand the effectiveness of the story.
STEP 1 - PITCH AND PROPOSAL
- Students preparing to take the Capstone course must submit a written proposal of their project to the faculty advisor of their choice during the previous semester. Copies of the final proposal must also go to both the Graduate Director and the Department Chair for approval prior to enrollment.
- This proposal should outline the scope and direction of the project, as well as the kinds of sources and resources that will be used to explore the issue. The proposal may be described as an in-depth “pitch” to an editor, and should explain clearly why a particular story idea is newsworthy and how the student intends to report it.
- Please be sure to detail how the story will be told and specifically how multimedia will be used, as well as any other notes and info about platforms and story placement.
STEP 2 - DETAILS OF THE PROJECT
- The Capstone Project is intended to demonstrate the full range of skills that a student has learned in Hofstra University's Graduate Journalism Program. As such, all stories should be presented on a WordPress or other blogsite and include the following elements:
- A. Students must produce a mini-series of two 800- to 1,000-word stories, but those stories must flow logically from one piece to the next. The capstone is not a research report or master's thesis. It should be framed as a journalistic story.
- The story should open with a hard-news, narrative or anecdotal lead and include a minimum of 10 sources whom the student has interviewed directly.
- At least 5-6 sources must be quoted within the narrative stories and the others can be quotes in multimedia or simply referred to in notes and transcripts.
- The story must be the original work of the student. If a student cites the work of another journalist or an academic, he/she/they must either quote or substantially paraphrase the source. In either case, credit must be given. If another journalist's story is cited, a hyperlink should be included. This same note applies for graphics, video, audio or any content. Citing the work of other journalists or academics should be limited, though. The primary basis for the capstone story should be in-person interviews.
- B. Students must produce a minimum of 15 minutes of video or audio that should be divided into smaller segments ranging from 2½ to 8 minutes in length. Videos should be multi-scene and include short interviews from a minimum of three to four sources, as well as demonstrate proper use of lower-thirds and voiceover.
- If students wish, they can produce one Zoom interview of not more than 8 minutes in length to help fulfill the video requirement. The interview should include a proper lead-in and sign-off, as well as use lower-thirds when appropriate.
- A student may produce a longer-form, 15- to 20-minute documentary-style report, but such a project should be completed in close consultation with his/her/their capstone adviser.
- Alternatively, rather than a video project, students could produce a 15- to 20-minute podcast that includes a minimum of three to four quoted sources.
- The video or podcast element should not repeat information from the written piece, but rather work in tandem with it to broaden the overall story. Sources, though, can be the same.
- C. Students must produce a minimum of two graphic elements using tools such as Google Trends, Google Flourish, Canva or other graphics programs. The graphic elements should highlight important data within the story.
- D. Within their stories, students must include a minimum of five hyperlinks to other reliable websites, in particular government and non-profit websites.
- E. Students must embed a minimum of two reliable social media posts within their stories. Posts should be from accounts other than a student's social media channels.
- F. About: Please add an “about” page explaining yourself as a journalist.
STEP 3 - LOGISTICS / PAPERWORK
- Once approved by the advisor, graduate director and journalism chair, the department will create a CRN for students to register
- Note: Capstone registration cannot be done online without prior approval and overrides
STEP 4 - PREP, DRAFTS, EDITS, FEEDBACK
- Editorial feedback from the faculty advisor and faculty-student interaction is significantly greater than it is with Independent Study courses
- Students are required to do several written revisions of stories, based on editorial feedback, throughout the course
- The final project must be deemed a publishable piece of journalism by the faculty advisor, and students must seek out legitimate news outlets where they can publish their work, especially the Long Island Advocate
- Students will be asked to discuss concrete efforts made to publish (such as in-person, phone and email contact with specific editors)
- Selected final projects will also be displayed on the Hofstra website and other platforms, and be accessible to current and future students
- Faculty advisors and students must submit online links directly to the graduate director for posting when completed
- Deadlines for the project link will be near the end of the semester
- Final work: Due one week before final committee presentation
- Final committee presentation: Last week of class for the presentation
- The Graduate Director will notify registered Capstone students each semester of the deadline. If a link is not received by the announced deadline, students will not be allowed to defend the project that semester and will need to wait until the following fall or spring semester to defend their project and graduate. Students are not permitted to change anything on their sites after the deadline.
- Any changes made after the fact will affect the committee’s vote, and may result in a Fail for the course.
- All candidates for the degree must provide an oral defense of their final Capstone to the Graduate Committee, which will schedule a meeting to review and discuss submissions with students during the last week of each semester. At the conclusion of each oral defense, the Committee will offer one of the following votes:
- Pass with Honors
- Pass with Minor Revision
- Pass with Revision
- Pass with Significant Revision
After the defense, the student will have one week to revise the project in order to arrive at a Pass for the class. Students who are enrolled in JRNL 299 but do not finish within one semester, will be required to register and pay for an additional one credit course, JRNL 300 Thesis Research, in order to complete the course requirements and graduate. JRNL 300 may be repeated one time only.
Once Capstone projects are passed, the content will be handed off for display and publishing on the Long Island Advocate website
While the capstone committee determines whether or not a project will pass or fail, the faculty advisor determines the student’s grade for the course, which usually takes into account the student’s ability to meet deadlines and follow editorial direction among other criteria. Both the faculty grade and committee’s pass are required for the student to be able to graduate. Below are some general guidelines for faculty-student interaction in a capstone course:
- Email correspondence at least weekly
- Students should conduct approximately 10 interviews (with transcripts). Faculty member should give written and/or verbal feedback on all. The number of interviews may vary by faculty member
- Students should submit at least two drafts of their story, with detailed written feedback from faculty advisor
- Faculty members will supervise both print and multimedia components of the project (pictures, video, audio, blog, Website creation, charts, graphs)
- Students should have several meetings during the semester
The following are elements that capstone advisors will want to see:
- initial pitch
- background research/news clips
- source list
- requests for interviews
- Transcripts
- rough drafts (multiple)
- completed digital site with multimedia
During the presentation
- Students get 15 minutes to present
- Explain the project, why you chose it
- Explain successes, issues you encountered
- Review each part of the project; all multimedia elements, sources
- Committee gets 15 minutes to review and ask questions
- Discusses project with students on the video call - please keep in mind any feedback is direct, candid and honest
- Decides pass with honors, pass, pass with minor revisions, pass with major revisions, fail
- If we ask for revisions, students have one week to make the changes, which you can send on your site via email. The committee looks at the changes to decide on whether students fulfill the requirements.
- Faculty members are allowed to attend the presentation to the capstone committee, but they will not be permitted to speak at any point, so as to not influence the outcome of the committee’s ruling.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
The purpose of the journalism capstone is to apply the knowledge and skills you obtained in the program to complete a significant journalism project under the direction of a professional in the field. Specifically, it entails a portfolio of several related stories that are completed over the course of one semester.
Students build a portfolio of several related stories that are completed over one semester. They apply knowledge and skills obtained in the Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) journalism program to complete a significant journalism project under the direction of a professional in the field.
The Capstone Project is intended to demonstrate the full range of skills that a student has learned in Hofstra University's Graduate Journalism Program. As such, all stories should be presented on a WordPress or other blogsite and include the following elements:
Journalism Capstone. The course, JOUR E-599, entails a portfolio of several related stories that are completed over the course of one semester. You apply knowledge and skills obtained in the program to complete a significant journalism project under the direction of a professional in the field.