DEADLINE: JANUARY 31, 2020.
The Knight-Bagehot Fellowship in Economics and Business Journalism offers qualified journalists the opportunity to enhance their understanding and knowledge of business, economics, finance and technology, as well as gain a strong understanding of the business of journalism itself, in a yearlong, full-time program administered by the Journalism School.
Fellows typically take courses at Columbia’s graduate schools of journalism, business, law and international affairs; participate in off-the-record seminars with media, corporate and tech practitioners, and meet weekly with media CEOs, top editors, journalism entrepreneurs, taking advantage of Columbia’s access to New York’s media, business and tech ecosystem.
In scope and depth, it is the most comprehensive and rigorous business journalism fellowship in the world. Eligible Knight-Bagehot fellows (those with a B.A. degree from an accredited college) may also seek to qualify for a Master of Arts degree in journalism at the end of their year, if they opt to complete the course-work required for that degree.
The Fellowship runs during Columbia’s academic year from mid-August through May, and accepts up to 10 Fellows each year. Each Fellow receives free tuition, plus a stipend to offset living expenses in New York City and healthcare. For the 2019-2020 academic year, a stipend of $60,000 is expected to be granted to each fellow. Housing is available in a Columbia affiliated facility.
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The fellowship is open to full-time editorial employees of newspapers, magazines, wire services, digital media, television and radio news organizations, as well as to freelance journalists, from anywhere in the world. Applicants must have at least four years of business/economics/finance journalism experience. There are no academic prerequisites to apply and work affiliation of applicants is not a major factor in the selection process. Candidates who can help deliver better business journalism in all parts of the world, in multimedia formats are specifically welcomed.
The chief criterion for selection is demonstrated journalistic excellence. While essays and letters of recommendation are important parts of the application, the greatest weight is given to previous work samples. All materials, including letters of reference, college transcripts, essays and work samples should be compiled and submitted with the application form.
Applicants’ employers, except under unusual circumstances, should submit a letter supporting the application, but applicants are not required to obtain formal employer approval to apply for and get admitted to the program. Fellows are encouraged to return to their employers at the end of their year at Columbia.
Applications for the 2020-21 Fellowhsips are now open. Apply HERE before January 31, 2020. Selected Fellows will be announced March-April 2020. You can read the applicant profile statistics for 2019-2020 HERE.