Graduate Certificate in Multimedia Journalism

Mentoring and advising are an essential part of the program. Students meet with faculty and the academic program director to ensure that educational goals and career learning and development goals are met. To learn more, prospective students should contact the program director, Senior Lecturer Chris Harvey, via email: charvey@umd.edu.

• The GC-Multimedia Journalism is a 12-credit, 4-course graduate program designed for professional communicators to learn the skills and concepts needed for digital storytelling across media platforms, particularly the Internet and mobile devices. 
• Plan of study topics include an Introduction to Multimedia Skills;  Interactive Design and Development; Social Media Content Creation; Audience Engagement and Analytics; and Media Entrepreneurship.
• Students learn to shoot and edit photos and video for nonfiction storytelling; create interactive, responsive web pages using html and css; write stories and social media posts using mobile devices and engage with audiences on social media; and research and pitch ideas for new digital media businesses.

Overview

• The program features dynamic and interactive seminar-style in-person learning and online learning. 
• Instruction provided by University of Maryland faculty and professionals in the field. 
• Classes are held Saturdays, both in-person and online.

In-Person Learning

• Classes meet in Knight Hall at the UMD College Park campus. Knight Hall is a high-tech building that combines classrooms, multimedia labs, offices, and professional journalism centers in an inviting, open space.
• Students enrolled in a program that features in-person instruction are required to submit the University’s Immunization Record Form prior to the first day of their first semester/term. See Health Requirements.

Online Learning

• Using advanced audio and video technology, UMD’s online learning environment delivers dynamic and interactive content.
• Featuring convenience and flexibility, courses feature synchronous instruction and some asynchronous work.
• Lectures are video or audio archived for students who are unable to attend due to illness or emergencies.

Upon successful completion, graduates will have mastered the following competencies:

• Demonstrate facility with digital news and storytelling by using a variety of techniques, formats, and media platforms as appropriate.
• Use to best advantage the news and storytelling technologies currently available for digital publishing.
• Master basic skills needed to convey messages via digital video, audio, photos and text, and to interact with audiences on social media.
• Apply in all digital publishing the critical journalistic values of editorial, ethical, and legal care and excellence.
• Demonstrate understanding of processes and conditions needed for successful communication with today’s multimedia consumers and audiences.
• Understand start-up basics, including market research, organizing and funding, and how to change an existing media company from within.
• Produce a plan for sustainable media start-up or internal corporate enterprise.