Studio 20 requires applicants to submit a personal essay that will be used to judge your suitability for entrance into a demanding course of study that requires both individual initiative and collaboration, as well as an experimental or "new media" attitude. (This essay takes the place of the Statement of Purpose requested in item 25 of the application.) In writing the essay, applicants should be aware that Studio 20's working philosophy is: "bring skills, share skills, get skills." And they should understand that the personal essay will be judged as a work of writing, as well as an informational statement about the applicant's background and interests.
Studio 20 expects all applicants to have a keen interest in journalism and improving it, a strong command of written English, a devotion to high standards in reportage and verification, and a familiarity with creative uses of the World Wide Web. It also requires applicants to have obtained competence in at least one of the following three skill sets: 1.) capturing audio and editing it, or 2.) video recording, production and editing; or 3.) web skills (which could be production, design and coding, or web journalism and blogging).
The personal essay should therefore:
- describe your background, work history and the interests that have led you toward journalism;
- explain your interest in Studio 20, as against more traditional forms of journalism training;
- specify which of the three skill sets you're claiming competence in (audio, video or web);
- describe those skills and how they were obtained (self-taught, through school work, during employment, etc.);
- include information about whom we can contact to verify that competence (meaning: references of people who know your work);
- indicate any experience you have in working as part of a team or in intensely collaborative environments;
- suggest what your aspirations and goals are in journalism and "new media."
- identify a few people or institutions doing the kind of work you would like to do in journalism after graduation.
Feel free to include any other information about you that would help the Studio 20 admissions committee understand what you bring to the mix and what you hope to get from your graduate training.
Studio 20 also requires that you append to your essay a brief statement of your plans for financing your graduate work. All applicants must include this statement, whether or not you are applying for financial aid. Studio 20 also requires that you read and sign a certification statement.
For additional information on applying to graduate programs at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, see Graduate Studies: How to Apply.
