NEW MEDIA PHOTOJOURNALISM
MASTER OF ARTS
Lead the next generation of photojournalists with innovative storytelling
The New Media Photojournalism program at the Corcoran School is the first of its kind, created to help visual journalists study and address their ever-changing field. Underscoring strong storytelling skills and fluency in multimedia platforms, the MA in New Media Photojournalism incorporates writing, photography, audio, video and web design in its curriculum to prepare students to work as freelancers, visual reporters, editors and producers. The program emphasizes the individual as a visual reporter and advocates experimentation with innovative methods of storytelling, documentation and editing. Students are encouraged to explore the latest digital practices in conjunction with the enduring fundamentals of visual reporting, editing and ethics.
Through intensive faculty mentoring alongside a broad and flexible program of study supplemented by internship opportunities, students choose and develop their professional paths. New Media Photojournalism students benefit from the program’s proximity to The Washington Post, National Public Radio, National Geographic and Discovery Communications, and countless other newspapers, magazines, trade journals and major media outlets.
The Corcoran New Media Photojournalism program provides students with the skills to lead a new generation of photojournalists as the field continues to change with advancing technology. Graduates are prepared to take on and excel in careers in a wide range of visual media including photography, picture and video editing, documentary production, and multimedia management. If you’re ready and interested in a fast-moving, dynamic industry, our program will help you get there.
INFORMATION SESSIONS
MA in New Media Photojournalism
Date: Monday, October 4, 2021
Time: 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Online
MA in New Media Photojournalism
Date: Monday, November 1, 2021
Time: 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Online
MA in New Media Photojournalism
Date: Monday, December 6, 2021
Time: 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Online
WHAT YOU'll STUDY
The MA in New Media Photojournalism program is a 36-credit program that may be completed at a full-time pace in two years, or part-time in up to four years.
The first semester of the program is structured as a four-course immersion experience to establish a deep understanding of the journalism and photojournalism processes and best practices. You're encouraged to develop your visual reporting voice and to work on subjects about which you are passionate. During the Spring semester the curriculum opens up and you are able to select electives that enable you to explore areas of interest and expand on specific skills you seek. At the end of the first year, you'll begin the proposal process for a thesis project to be completed in the second year. During the second year the course load drops to three classes per semester as you work on your thesis.
ADMISSIONS
We accept students into the program each fall. The application deadline is February 1. All applicants must follow the graduate application process by the appropriate deadlines.
COSTS & FUNDING
The Student Accounts Office provides up to date cost information on our program. The program has a number of support packages that it offers to select students, and students are automatically considered as part of the application process. You may also find fellowships through the Office of Fellowships & Assistantships. The Office of Student Financial Assistance also has more information on aid opportunities.
Professor Steve Elfers is the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize in explanatory reporting for his work on the U.S. and Mexico border.
Our faculty are knowledgeable teachers who can provide expertise on the theory, background and practice of the photojournalism field. Just as important, they are experienced photojournalists themselves who provide real-world information to help students as they grow professionally and artistically.
WHERE YOU'LL GO
While pursuing the MA in New Media Photojournalism, you'll make career connections in a way that best fits you and your lifestyle. Many students opt for internships for credit, while others complete them without credit. Many students take on work as freelance image-makers or hold part-time media positions while in school.
We also place importance on having working professionals in the classroom as faculty, visiting artists, mentors, and collaborators and find opportunities for students to work on other Corcoran community engagement projects.
Recent Internships
- The Washington Post Online
- Discovery Communications
- The Baltimore Sun
- Good Fight Media
- Greenpeace
- Hand Print Studio
- National Geographic Books
- National Press Foundation
- Metro Collective
- The ARC
- USA Today
- National Public Radio - News Desk
- National Public Radio - Tiny Desk Concerts
- Population Services International
- Smithsonian Institute
Networks
Our program has ties to many professional organizations, through internships and fieldwork and through continuing relationships with alumni. This network of skilled media professionals is an invaluable resource for students and graduates seeking to deepen their knowledge and advance their careers.
Video by Maria Luz Bravo (MA in New Media Photojournalism '18)
WHAT WE CREATE
Every year, Corcoran hosts NEXT, a year-end celebration of art and scholarship. In 2021, New Media Photojournalism M.A. students like Zach Brien captured important moments in action during the difficult past year. Zach depicted the particular experience of the Black Community from May 2020, onward: “My goal in undertaking this project is to show the complexities of starting a human rights movement for social change. I want to show viewers that another, more equitable world is possible. It won’t be simple. It won’t be easy. It will, however, be worth it.”
Work shown: “Fists Up, Fight Back” by Zach Brien
Carry With Us
By Bonnie Cash (NEXT Exhibition, 2021)
Carry With Us focuses on Ryan Thomas, a 23-year-old nurse.
Do Not Pretend to Forget: Surviving a Known Assailant
Cheyenne Coleman (NEXT Exhibition, 2021)
Every 73 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.
Natives: Chocolate City
Jasmin Kenya Flores (NEXT Exhibition, 2021)
A multimedia story about the whitewashing of historical Black neighborhoods in Washington, D.C
Acéptame
By Andrea Garcia (NEXT Exhibition, 2019)
Acéptame is a multimedia project that focuses on the queer and LatinX community of Washington, DC.
Everybody's Normal
By Amina Javed (NEXT Exhibition, 2019)
Everybody’s Normal highlights the diversity among American Muslim women.
Shrinking Chinatown
By Youqi Peng (NEXT Exhibition, 2019)
Shrinking Chinatown explores the state of Washington, D.C.’s Chinatown and the mostly elderly Chinese population living there today.
Living With a Forgotten War
By Zhouyi Shen (NEXT Exhibition, 2019)
Living with a Forgotten War is a documentary project about the life of a Vietnam Veteran who returned from war. He lives with his memories and injuries while the war he fought in is gradually being forgotten.
Protest!
By Graeme Sloan (NEXT Exhibition, 2019)
Protest! is a photographic and multimedia exploration of protest culture in Washington, D.C.
Underground
By Margaret Wroblewski (NEXT Exhibition, 2019)
Underground documents stories of men and women who have been harassed in public spaces.
Home to Me
By Ruby Zhau (NEXT Exhibition, 2019)
Home to Me is a multimedia project about the love and tension shared between a young Chinese-American woman and her parents as they work to build lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
DC Quadrants Project
By Maria Luz Bravo (NEXT Exhibition, 2018)
Through a series of interviews, the DCQ Project aims to give the viewer a deeper look on the socioeconomic biases in Washington D.C.
Ever Present
By Joy Bullock (NEXT Exhibition, 2018)
The project Ever Present follows the journey of my grandmother who assumed the responsibility of being the sole caretaker for my grandfather for over a decade.
Becoming Free
By Kristin Adair (NEXT Exhibition, 2017)
Becoming Free is a short documentary film that explores the reentry experience of three young people in the District of Columbia as they seek to break the cycle of poverty, violence and incarceration through entrepreneurship.
Only the Bridge Matters Now
By Carey Averbook (NEXT Exhibition, 2017)
Only the Bridge Matters Now is a multimedia documentary web and book project that explores the metaphorical bridge linking the Bolivian communities of Northern Virginia to their region of origin.
Anyone Like Me
By Mimi d'Autremont (NEXT Exhibition, 2017)
Anyone Like Me is a story about finding yourself on a deaf fotball team.
Portraits Alive
By Matailong Du (NEXT Exhibition, 2017)
Dana Tai Soon Burgess is the first choreographer-in- residence at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Portraits Alive combines documentary and fine-art photography to tell the story of Burgess and his dance company as they combine two art forms: portraiture and dance.
After Standing
By Bailey Edelstein (NEXT Exhibition, 2017)
After Standing covers the seldom-told story of addiction: the story after an individual in recovery stands on solid ground in their sobriety.
Forest of Lorien
By Caroline Space (NEXT Exhibition, 2017)
Removed from the busy stretches of commuter roads and monotonous architecture of suburbia is a mid-century modern neighborhood called Hollin Hills. Located in Alexandria, Va., the community is defined by the surrounding nature and unique architecture which establish a symbiotic relationship.
Sounds Iranian
By Nosrat Tarighi (NEXT Exhibition, 2017)
Sounds Iranian is a multimedia project that explores the role of Iranian music and poetry for Iranian immigrant community in Washington, D.C., as a means to connect our homeland and identity.
Through That Glass
By Ethan Yusheng Tian (NEXT Exhibition, 2017)
Through that Glass which consists of videos and still photos visually presents the world of large format camera and explores the approaches of contemporary photographers using it today.
Places You'll Pray
By Sana Ullah (NEXT Exhibition, 2017)
Places You'll Pray was influenced by several visual works as well as philosophers like Michel Foucault and Edward Said through the idea of othering. It is a collection of simple, yet vibrant images of young American Muslims praying in public spaces outside of a mosque.
Courage in journalism: Corcoran alumna honored for her visual storytelling
Zoeann Murphy (CORC MA ’14) doesn’t shy away from intense situations. In fact, she heads right for them.
Over the last 16 years as a photographer and video journalist, she’s traveled across the U.S. and to more than 20 countries capturing images and stories that focus on humanitarian and environmental crises, and, often times, breaking news. Read more.
Contact Us
Flagg Building
500 17th Street, NW
[email protected]
202-994-0312
Program Administrator
Eliza Mott
[email protected]
Program Head
Dean Kessmann, Associate Professor of Photography
[email protected]
Graduate Faculty Advisor
Susan Sterner, Associate Professor of Photojournalism
[email protected]
500 17th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Phone: 202-994-1700