Magazine

Magazine journalism at Medill has a storied history that has grown, adapted and embraced changes in the industry through the decades. Our alumni have launched print and digital magazines, become editors-in-chief at big circulation glossies, won awards for feature writing, launched podcasts, built complex video features and become leaders in digital media. Medill Magazine students learn how to apply magazine thinking—story ideation, reporting, feature writing and editing, and more—to topics ranging from politics to sports to finance to celebrities to food and fitness, and to do so in any storytelling medium.

About the Magazine specialization

Students who have joined the Magazine specialization have had varied goals such as a passion for writing nonfiction features, editing a fashion website or inventing new media platforms. Yet all of them put good storytelling at the core of their education.

The Magazine specialization explores the nuances of reporting, writing, building and editing cohesive long-form narrative pieces as well as magazine-styled short-form features and profiles. It emphasizes learning how the media industry works, how to use magazine devices to tell stories across different media, and how to connect to the magazine industry whether you want to work in Chicago, New York City or other parts of the country.

Why magazine journalism?

Readers remember the stories that bring a unique character to life, or vividly drop them into a new world. This happens through deep reporting and eloquent writing. It takes time and dedication to master in-depth narrative journalism. The Magazine specialization teaches students the building blocks of telling a great story:

• the immersion reporting that makes readers feel they’re walking in a subject’s shoes
• the framing and packaging that gets stories into formats that make other click, watch and read them in digital and print publications, social media and more

Because our graduates know how to build and deliver memorable stories, they excel in jobs ranging from consumer and trade publications to digital news sites, start-ups and Fortune 500 companies.

What will I learn?

In this specialization, you’ll learn the ins and outs of print and digital magazine publishing, from pitch development to writing to production. You’ll take a deep dive into a newsworthy topic or topics, investing time into learning about controversies, places, characters and issues. You can pursue topics that interest you. Your writing explores multiple forms, from the personality profile, to an explainer, an analysis, an op-ed, a how-to service piece, a personal essay, a feature, a review or memoir. You’ll learn about each style and begin developing your own voice.

In addition, you’ll learn how to produce a multimedia piece that incorporates video, audio, photography and graphic elements. Our Chicago campus offers the latest cameras and equipment.

Our experienced faculty, who have written for and served as editors for top-tier magazines, will work closely with you and help you publish your work on Medill Reports – a good way to get clips that showcase in-depth, professional-quality reporting and writing. They will also help you learn how to pitch your ideas to local and national publications.

How will Medill help me launch my magazine career?

The network of Medill alumni who work in magazines or use their magazine background is vast. Students in the Magazine specialization will connect with them, both on our campus in Chicago and in New York City. In particular, as part of the specialization, our mentoring network of NYC-based alumni will help students learn how to develop career mentors and how to understand the rich and diverse paths magazine training prepares them to pursue.

Watch an overview of the magazine specialization