Set in the heart of the top research institution in the world, the MIT Graduate Program in Science Writing places students learning the art and discipline of science communication alongside researchers at the cutting edges of their fields.
Our Strategy is Simple
Recruit a small cohort of hardworking students from diverse backgrounds, give them with one-on-one attention from internationally known faculty and top-level editors and journalists, provide them with access to trailblazing researchers, and shepherd their ideas from conception to publication.
Our students not only master science writing through completing professional-level projects in print, audio, video, and interactive formats; they also learn about the culture of science through completing rotations in any of MIT’s hundreds of laboratories, attending scientific conferences, and taking advantage of the thousands of scientific talks, guest lectures, and academic events hosted by MIT, Harvard, and research firms in the Cambridge area.
Our Program is Intentionally Small
A typical cohort usually has between 7 and 10 students, which allows our faculty to work with students individually to develop their passion projects, and to provide additional support and networking opportunities through professional and alumni mentoring, individualized professional development workshops, and financial support for the cost of our program as well as for reporting trips.
In the last few years, projects students developed while in the MIT Graduate Program in Science Writing have landed on the pages of The Atlantic, Popular Science, Astronomy Magazine, Mental Floss, NOVA Next, MIT Technology Review, Audubon Magazine, and many more. After leaving MIT, our students have gone on to win Pulitzer Prizes and National Magazine Awards, publish groundbreaking books in the field, and land positions at organizations including the New York Times, ProPublica, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Smithsonian, Popular Science, BuzzFeed News, Atlas Obscura, the Earthwatch Institute, the Allen Institute for Brain Science, the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, and many, many more.
Among the nation’s most prestigious science writing programs, we have the highest number of journalism and science communication awards per capita. Our alumni have been honored with numerous awards and fellowships, including the Pulitzer Prize, the National Magazine Award, the Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship, the American Academy of Arts & Science’s Science Journalism Award, and the list goes on. Find out more about our alumni and accolades by clicking here.
