Application Deadline: January 31st 2019
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.
The fellowship is named for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation of Miami, which established an endowment for the program, and Walter Bagehot, the 19th-century editor of The Economist. The Knight Foundation has been the principal sponsor of the fellowship since 1987. The program also depends on grants from a number of other charitable foundations, corporations and publishing organizations for a significant portion of its annual budget. The sponsors have no role in the selection of fellows or the curriculum, which are entirely managed by the Director of the Program and the Journalism School.
Eligibility Requirements:
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. While a majority of the fellows typically come from the US, we specifically look for candidates who can help deliver better business journalism in all parts of the world, in multimedia formats.
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 previously 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.
Fellowship selections are announced by May 1, 2019. The number of fellowships awarded each year, as well as the level of the living expenses stipend, is determined by the program’s financial resources. For the 2019-2020 academic year, starting in August 2019, we anticipate awarding 10 fellowships that cover full tuition, plus a $60,000 living stipend.
Application Procedure:
Applications for 2019-20 Fellows are now open. You can apply to the program by going here (link is external). The deadline for completing the application, in its entirety, is January 31, 2019. In the meantime, you can reach us here (link is external)
You can return to the application (link is external) at any time and submit materials as you are ready. The application outlines the details of the required submission materials. Please review carefully and allow yourself plenty of time to write your essays, get recommendations and gather samples of your work.
The key things you will need to submit include:
- $100 application fee
- A professional resume
- A study plan/proposal of no more than 500 words
- An autobiographical essay of no more than 1,000 words
- Five original samples of work
- College or university transcript(s)
- Three letters of reference
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