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Become #MerrillMade

Learn from the best. Become one of the best.

Practice innovative real-world journalism from day one, with guidance from our all-star, Pulitzer- and Peabody-winning faculty. All at one of the nation's top public universities, on the doorstep of the journalism capital of the world.

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Top 5
Merrill College is ranked a top-five journalism school by multiple services
17
Pulitzer Prizes and Peabody Awards won or directed by current faculty and staff
18
Maximum number of students per skills class at Merrill College
Nov. 1
Undergraduate Early Action application deadline for Fall 2025
Dec. 2
Master's Early Consideration application deadline for Fall 2025
Dec. 10
Graduate Certificate in Multimedia Journalism application deadline for Spring 2025

Why Merrill?

The Philip Merrill College of Journalism prepares you for the real world. Our students report from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Annapolis and College Park through our Capital News Service. They investigate issues of national importance at the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism and learn to look beyond the box score at The Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism. Data reporting is weaved through every inch of our curriculum and practiced in our signature programs. Our graduates are hired and desired by the top news outlets in the country.

There are a few standout journalism colleges in the country. But Merrill is the only one standing in the media capital of the world, which serves as its laboratory.

Kevin Blackistone
Kevin Blackistone Professor of the Practice
Howard Center

Howard Center

The Howard Center for Investigative Journalism allows students to work with news organizations and universities across the country to report stories of national and international importance.

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Alumnus Daniel Oyefusi signs the Povich Center wall.

Povich Center

The Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism prepares students to be innovators and leaders in all facets of sports media. Its experiential curriculum and public programs elevate and amplify discussion of race, gender, politics and the world.

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Capital News Service College Park Bureau

Capital News Service

Overseen by professional journalists, Capital News Service is the University of Maryland’s student-powered news organization with bureaus and news teams in Annapolis, Baltimore, Washington and College Park.

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NABJ

National Association of Black Journalists

NABJ, headquartered in Knight Hall, is an organization of journalists, students and media professionals providing quality programs and services to, and advocating on behalf of, Black journalists.

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Knight Hall

More Centers and Organizations

The Philip Merrill College of Journalism hosts and supports a number of signature centers and organizations in Knight Hall, a state-of-the-art facility just a few miles from Washington, D.C.

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Master's Cohort 2019

Cutting-Edge Research

The college's faculty and graduate students are active researchers, serving the public and the profession by producing rigorous scholarly work that seeks to improve journalism.

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Truly one of the great journalism schools.

Bob Woodward
Bob Woodward Legendary Washington Post Reporter

#MerrillMade Alumni

Portrait of Connie Chung

Connie Chung

Former TV Anchor/Correspondent, CBS, CNN, NBC, ABC, MSNBC
Portrait of Emilio Garcia-Ruiz

Emilio Garcia-Ruiz

Editor In Chief, San Francisco Chronicle
Portrait of Scott Van Pelt

Scott Van Pelt

Anchor, ESPN SportsCenter
Portrait of Maria Douglas Reeve

Maria Douglas Reeve

Managing Editor for News, The Star Tribune
Portrait of Sara Murray

Sara Murray

Political Correspondent, CNN
Portrait of Robert Klemko

Robert Klemko

Reporter, The Washington Post

News

  • Sports Writing in the Pandemic

    This essay was an assignment in Mark Hyman's Sports and Society course

  • Sports Writing in the Pandemic

    This essay was an assignment in Mark Hyman's Sports and Society course Working as a sports journalist is difficult enough. What about when you’re in the middle of a worldwide pandemic? Almost impossible. So, how am I, a sports journalist, succeeding amidst the coronavirus pandemic? Hard work and persistence.

  • Championship Chat: In Povich Center Panel, Former Terps Cover The Bases On 2020 World Series

    By Annie Dankelson Maryland Today Six weeks after facing each other in Game 4 of the 2020 World Series, former Terps Brandon Lowe and Adam Kolarek met again last night, this time swinging at questions from Mark Hyman, director of UMD’s Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism. Hyman wasn’t throwing softballs, either, when he asked Lowe, the Tampa Bay Rays’ second baseman, what it was like to be struck out by Kolarek, a relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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