Visual Journalism

Visual storytelling is thriving. From web videos to documentaries to photojournalism, news organizations are investing resources and creating new jobs in visual content specialties.

The CUNY Graduate School of Journalism is at the forefront of this changing industry. In the first semester, our program trains students in the core skills that are consistent across all visual media— good shooting, writing, and editing. Fundamentals of Multimedia Storytelling introduces first-semester students to the basics of our professional tools: Canon C100 cameras and Adobe Premiere.

Then — in the second and third semesters — visual students can specialize in photojournalism, web video, broadcast, or long-form documentary, or they can choose their own combination.

©2017BobSacha_VR viewers

Web Video

Our web video program changes nearly ever semester just to keep pace with the explosive change in the industry. We recently added a full-semester virtual reality (VR) course and have expanded our social video module into 10 weeks. We also offer a module on Facebook live.

Our core web video course is one of the most popular at the school. Video Storytelling for the Web trains students in a form of online video where subjects tell their stories in their own voices, without heavy narration or a reporter on camera.

CUNY_Canon

Photojournalism

Our photojournalism program blends the enduring power of traditional photo reportage with the realities of the changing media landscape. The program offers intro and advanced courses along with special projects and independent studies.

The independent study option is with The New York Times photographer and Lens Blog co-founder James Estrin.

Photo students routinely submit work to the CUNY Photo Wire. The school is also home to The New York Times Annual Portfolio Review and hosts the judging of the New York Press Photographers Association annual competition.

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Documentary

Documania—that’s how The New York Times recently referred to the proliferation of documentary film that we are seeing not only in theaters but on television, the web, and mobile devices.

The CUNY J-School documentary program is made up of two classes, taken in the second and third semester. Students not only learn documentary production, but spend time on the business of filmmaking, including writing treatments, managing budgets, and distributing the end product.

Students will make a short documentary that they will develop in the spring semester, shoot in the summer, and complete in the fall. They also have the option to take an additional fourth semester to finish their project.

219 West show

Broadcast

Our broadcast students get real hands-on experience while at the J-School. In Television News Magazine, students produce a monthly magazine show on CUNY-TV called 219 West. Students do all the reporting, shooting, writing, and editing for the 30-minute show and then anchor it from our modern, in-house studio.

If a monthly deadline isn’t challenging enough, students can sign up for Broadcast Deadline. This all-day course follows a typical news cycle at a local television station. After a morning meeting, students must do all their reporting and editing in order to broadcast on the NYCity News Service website the same day.

Our Faculty

See more Visual Journalism faculty

Student and Alumni Work

219West - Episode 60 - April 12, 2017 - The First 100 Days
Play Video219West – Episode 60 – April 12, 2017 – The First 100 Days

“219 West,” our student-produced news magazine show on CUNY-TV

CUNY Graduate School of Journalism Documentary Program Reel
Play VideoCUNY Graduate School of Journalism Documentary Program Reel

Highlights from student films in our documentary program

The Forger | Times Documentaries | The New York Times
Play VideoThe Forger | Times Documentaries | The New York Times

“The Forger” by NY Times staffer and alumna Samantha Stark

“Unauthorized,” Craft II class project produced during the spring 2017 semester

“Exclusive: Money diverted from public schools?” by alumna Angela M. Hill

August 15, 2014- Ferguson, Mo.- A protester walks the streets of Ferguson, Mo., in a mock police officer's uniform. 8/15/2014 Photo by Dave Gershgorn/ NYCity Photo Wire

A protester in the streets of Ferguson, Mo., by alumnus Dave Gershgorn

Check out more from 10 years of the CUNY J-School

Contact Us

Do you have a question about the Visual Journalism specialty? If so, please contact us.

Travis Fox
Director of Visual Journalism
travis.fox@journalism.cuny.edu