ASU offers first online grad certificate in business journalism


To meet the growing demand for skilled business journalists, the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University is offering the first online graduate certificate in business journalism through the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism.

Starting in August 2014, the Cronkite School will offer the graduate certificate through a five-course, 15-credit-hour program taught entirely online by experienced journalists. The online program will include best practices on covering companies, markets and the economy.

The certificate, which can be completed within six months, is designed for journalists globally who seek expertise in business journalism. Those interested can apply at bizjournalism.asu.edu.

The certificate consists of five, three-credit courses: Issues in Coverage of Business and the Economy; Critical Analysis of Business Journalism; Better Business Storytelling; Data in Business Journalism; and Investigative Business Journalism.

Instructors include renowned journalists and communicators, such as Andrew Leckey, Reynolds Endowed Chair in Business Journalism and former syndicated investment columnist and CNBC anchor; Steve Doig, Knight Chair in Journalism, Pulitzer Prize winner and internationally recognized expert in data journalism; and Robin J. Phillips, Reynolds Center digital director, nationally known social media strategy trainer and a former editor at BusinessWeek Online.

“Media outlets are looking for journalists with the necessary skills and knowledge to produce quality business and economic coverage,” said Christopher Callahan, dean of the Cronkite School. “This graduate certificate offers extraordinary preparation for careers as business reporters, producers and anchors.”

Since 2003, the Reynolds Center has trained more than 20,000 journalists on how to cover business better through workshops, webinars and its website, BusinessJournalism.org. The center has been based at the Cronkite School since 2006 and is funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, a national philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named. Headquartered in Las Vegas, it has committed more than $145 million nationwide through its Journalism Program.

The Cronkite School is a world leader in business journalism education, offering a specialization at both the undergraduate and graduate levels since 2009. Graduates have gone on to internships and jobs at major media outlets, such as Bloomberg News, Thomson Reuters, CNBC, MarketWatch, MSNBC.com and the Los Angeles Times. Named after the longtime CBS anchor, the Cronkite School has been recognized as a leader and innovator in journalism education by The New York Times, The Times of London, American Journalism Review, multiple journalism foundations and the Federal Communications Commission.