USA · Bachelor's
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University
BS in Magazine, News and Digital Journalism
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University
Course Overview
Syracuse's BS in Magazine, News and Digital Journalism is delivered through the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications — the #1-ranked journalism and communications school in the US (College Factual, US News rankings) with more Pulitzer Prize alumni than any other journalism school in the nation. The Newhouse School operates dedicated TV and radio studios (NCC News, WAER FM, CitrusTV), a daily student newspaper (The Daily Orange), Bloomberg-equipped financial journalism labs, and a major partnership with the Newhouse Sports Media Center. The 4-year programme combines journalism craft (reporting, writing, multimedia production, data journalism, investigative methods, video and podcast production) with a required "second major" in a content area (Political Science, Economics, History, International Relations, Public Policy — Newhouse's distinctive double-major model trains journalists with substantive expertise, not just craft).
Sri Lankan applicants choose Syracuse Newhouse because no other US journalism programme has the same combination of brand prestige, technical resources, and direct New York City media network (Newhouse runs a flagship 1-semester programme at the Newhouse Manhattan campus where students intern at the Associated Press, Bloomberg, ABC News, NBC News, The New York Times, BuzzFeed, and Condé Nast). F-1 to OPT (12 months) is the standard pathway — Journalism is not STEM-designated. Sri Lankan returnees route into senior editorial positions at the Sunday Times, the Daily Mirror, Daily FT, the Sunday Observer, Echelon, LMD, Lanka Business Online, Ada Derana, NewsFirst, MTV Channels, Capital Maharaja Organisation, Channel C, Sirasa TV, and into communications leadership at JKH, Dialog Axiata, HSBC Sri Lanka, IFC South Asia, and the UN Country Team in Colombo.
Entry Requirements
Academic
- check_circle Sri Lankan A-Level: A, B, B with at least one humanities / social sciences subject (English, Political Science, Economics, History).
- check_circle Edexcel / Cambridge International A-Levels: AAB-AAA.
- check_circle IB Diploma: 34-38 points overall, with strong English HL grades.
- check_circle SAT 1300-1450 (25th-75th percentile) OR ACT 28-32. Syracuse is test-optional for the 2026-2027 admission cycle.
- check_circle Two teacher recommendations + counsellor recommendation; CV; common app personal essay; Newhouse-specific supplemental essay; portfolio of journalism / writing samples (optional but highly valued).
English Proficiency
- check_circle TOEFL iBT: 90 Overall.
- check_circle IELTS Academic: 7.0 Overall.
- check_circle Duolingo English Test (DET): 120 Overall also accepted.
- check_circle Waived if you completed at least 4 years of full-time secondary education in English — Sri Lankan applicants from English-medium streams typically qualify with an MOI letter.
Estimated Cost of Study
| Expense Category | Amount (USD) | Approx. LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee (per year) | USD 62,000 | Rs. 19,840,000 |
| Living Expenses (per year, Syracuse, NY) | USD 17,000 | Rs. 5,440,000 |
| Student Visa (F-1), SEVIS Fee & Health Insurance | USD 3,500 | Rs. 1,120,000 |
| Books, Equipment (Camera/Audio Kit) & NYC Semester | USD 3,000 | Rs. 960,000 |
| Total Year 1 Investment | USD 85,500 | Rs. 27,360,000 |
*LKR conversion based on current bank rates. Subject to change.
Career Outcomes & PR
F-1 to OPT gives 12 months of US work authorisation (Journalism is not STEM-designated, so no extension). Syracuse Newhouse BS Journalism grads place into the Associated Press, Reuters, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, NBC News, ABC News, CBS News, BuzzFeed News, Vox Media, Condé Nast, Hearst, plus into in-house communications at Microsoft, Google, Meta, Goldman Sachs (USD 50,000-75,000 starting; LKR 16M-24M/yr). Many graduates leverage the Newhouse network into Master's programmes at Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, NYU, USC Annenberg. Sri Lankan returnees route into senior editorial roles at the Sunday Times, the Daily Mirror, Daily FT, the Sunday Observer, Echelon, LMD, Lanka Business Online, Ada Derana, NewsFirst, MTV / Sirasa Channels (Capital Maharaja Organisation), Channel C, plus into communications leadership at JKH Group Corporate Affairs, Dialog Axiata External Communications, HSBC Sri Lanka, IFC South Asia, and the UN Country Team Colombo (UNDP, UNICEF, WHO communications portfolios).
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