Professional programs application
All journalism and sports journalism students are required to complete one professional program—though many do more than one! Please read the professional program descriptions and requirements below carefully before completing the application. Students must meet the prerequisites for professional programs before they may be approved for registration. Select a program below to learn more about the experience.
To apply: Click the application button for your preferred program and submit a complete application. Students may submit only one application for the summer 2023 semester, and one for the fall 2023 semester; students who submit more than one application per semester will not be admitted to a program.
For L.A. and D.C. financial support: View details here
Skip to: Cronkite News Phoenix | Cronkite News Los Angeles | Cronkite News Phoenix Sports | Cronkite News Washington, D.C. | Cronkite Noticias | Digital Audiences Lab | New Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab | Public Relations Lab | TV Production and Graphics Lab | Los Angeles Content Studio | Howard Center for Investigative Journalism
Cronkite News programs
Cronkite News, the news department of Arizona PBS, is a collection of immersive learning programs that emphasize journalistic storytelling across media techniques, languages, cities, platforms and topics.
Cronkite News Phoenix
Cronkite News is the multiplatform news division of Arizona PBS. Our newscast reaches 1.9 million homes, our daily audio program is on all major podcasting platforms, and we collaborate with more than 100 news organizations throughout the region and country to publish and air our content. Digital, broadcast and audio reporters pitch stories, conduct interviews and produce multimedia and social content. Reporters in Phoenix are assigned to a team and work closely alongside professional faculty members. Coverage areas continue to evolve, but they include: Borderlands (immigration, Latino and diversity issues, etc.), RWJF Health Reporting Initiative (focused on disparities in communities of color and underserved communities across the Southwest and along the border), Sustainability (environmental issues, such as climate change, water and urbanization), Money (business and economy), Social Justice (societal issues, including race and gender), Politics/Government (elections, government accountability) and Next Generation (issues such as education, cyberbullying and student debt).
View program, roles and prerequisites: Cronkite News Phoenix
Cronkite News Los Angeles
Students cover news or sports as digital or broadcast reporters in the nation’s second-largest media market. Los Angeles reporters pitch stories, conduct interviews and produce multimedia and social media content. Students work in Cronkite News’ new newsroom in downtown Los Angeles, and stories serve media clients in L.A. and Cronkite News headquarters in Phoenix.
View program and prerequisites: Cronkite News Los Angeles
Financial support is available: View financial, housing and transportation support
Cronkite News Phoenix Sports Bureau
Broadcast, digital and audio reporters work with broadcast and digital/social producers to cover a variety of professional and college sports in Arizona for regional and national media outlets. Students hone reporting and producing skills by covering important issues facing the sports community today, including sports business, health, technology and gender, race and social issues. Students in a sports journalism degree program receive priority placement. Note: All students enrolled in the Phoenix Sports Bureau in the spring semester are required to work through spring break on their regularly assigned days because of spring training coverage. To make up for that time, the Phoenix Sports Bureau ends the semester one week early.
View program, roles and prerequisites: Cronkite News Phoenix Sports Bureau
Cronkite News Washington, D.C.
Live in the nation’s capital for the semester and work as a Washington, D.C., correspondent in the Cronkite newsroom, just three blocks from the White House. Digital and broadcast reporters pitch stories, conduct interviews and produce multimedia and social content about national issues with an Arizona angle. Scholarship support may be available to students selected for this professional program.
View program and prerequisites: Cronkite News Washington, D.C.
Financial support is available: View financial, housing and transportation support
New Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab
Students from disciplines across campus (including journalism, business, computer engineering and design) work together to create exciting interactive products for media companies and help grow digital media startups. In past semesters, students have built news games, designed immersive scenes, produced virtual reality content, created augmented reality apps and worked with artificial intelligence. Journalism students conduct research into new products, create prototypes and experiment with cutting-edge technology.
View program and prerequisites: New Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab
Cronkite Noticias
Reporters and producers cover and produce news in Spanish and English for broadcast, audio and digital platforms. Students utilize and sharpen their bilingual skills during the news gathering and production process. Content not only appears in Cronkite Noticias and Cronkite News platforms, but it’s shared with Spanish- and English-language news organizations throughout the region and country. Cronkite Noticias’ news and sports reporters in Phoenix work closely alongside Cronkite News colleagues and with professional faculty members. Both native and non-native Spanish speakers are encouraged to apply. Note: Cronkite Noticias is available in fall and spring only; it is not available in summer.
View program and prerequisites: Cronkite Noticias
TV Production and Graphics Lab
Working with Cronkite News and Arizona PBS, students bring television to life, learning all facets of the control room, studio leadership and what it takes to turn reporter content into a vibrant production. Students learn After Effects and the art of building creative on-air and web graphics and work in the field with professionals from AZPBS to learn field production shooting, lighting and audio while exploring non-news productions.
View program and prerequisites: TV Production and Graphics Lab
Cronkite Agency programs
Together, the Public Relations Lab, the Digital Audiences Lab, the RWJF Bilingual Health initiative and a soon-to-launch sports storytelling program form the Cronkite Agency, a robust strategic communications agency. This integrated agency leverages the expertise across the previously independent programs to enable a deeper learning experience for students and improve client services.
Digital marketing
Student strategists and digital marketers work to measure, engage and grow digital audiences for real clients. Students learn techniques in paid and organic social media campaigns, SEO, paid search campaigns and content marketing while honing skills in audience research, digital analytics, competitive benchmarking, conversion optimization and content performance. Additionally, students create campaign content, manage marketing budgets and work directly with clients to implement strategic recommendations.
View program and prerequisites: Digital Audiences
Public relations
Students collaborate with peers and apply creativity and strategy to real client work. During the semester, students work with a wide range of reputable clients to achieve strategic communications goals. PR Lab activities may include creating a campaign, developing multimedia content, conducting competitive communication audits, drafting brand messages and garnering media coverage. In addition to client engagement, students prepare for careers by leading meetings and participating in assignments such as weekly topical news discussions, extemporaneous speaking exercises and formal presentations. Past clients include the National Guard, Taylor Morrison Homes, Phoenix Suns, Intel, Fiesta Bowl, Yubico, Big Brothers Big Sisters, startups and nonprofit organizations.
View program and prerequisites: Public Relations
L.A. Content Studio
Los Angeles Content Studio
NEW: Want to grow a YouTube channel, cultivate a TikTok following or build a Substack around your interests? Join the Los Angeles Content Studio and become a successful content creator with demonstrated audience growth and engagement. Content Studio students cultivate their storytelling skills as independent content creators, developing a content strategy; creating compelling strategic digital, video and social content; and measuring and monetizing that content. Students will also have the opportunity to experiment with immersive media techniques. Students work along parallel paths, building their own independent media brand and partnering with an existing brand to tell its story through innovative strategic content creation.
View program and prerequisites: L.A. Content Studio
Financial support is available: View financial, housing and transportation support
Howard Center for Investigative Journalism
Howard Center for Investigative Journalism
The Howard Center develops the next generation of watchdog reporters through intensive hands-on investigative journalism projects. Students produce in-depth digital and documentary-style journalism that illuminates problems or wrongdoing and holds public officials accountable. The Center partners with national and regional news organizations to disseminate and publish student work. Note: Spring students are devoted to research and pre-reporting on potential investigative topics for summer and fall investigative projects; students learn how to conduct investigative research and produce a pitch memo. Summer and fall students work on investigative reporting projects for publication.
View program and prerequisites: Howard Center for Investigative Journalism