Best institutions to study Science/Health/Environmental Journalism
A program that focuses on reporting on science, health, or environmental policy issues; investigating environmental problems and their causes; and public relations.
1 U.S. institutions graduated 7 Science/Health/Environmental Journalism students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 09.0407, a specialization of Journalism (CIP 09.04), and leads most directly to the News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists occupation (BLS SOC 27-3023).
About Science/Health/Environmental Journalism programs
A program that focuses on reporting on science, health, or environmental policy issues; investigating environmental problems and their causes; and public relations. Includes instruction in communication law, health reporting skills, interactive journalism, integrated marketing communication, journalism methods, media ethics, persuasion and political communication, science, health and the environment, social marketing, and video journalism.
See also: 01.0802 - Agricultural Communication/Journalism.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Science/Health/Environmental Journalism program focuses on reporting critical issues related to science, health, and the environment. This program is designed for individuals passionate about investigating environmental problems, understanding health policies, and communicating complex information to the public. It prepares students for a career in journalism with a strong emphasis on ethical reporting and effective communication. Students in this program will gain the skills necessary to navigate the intersection of journalism and scientific inquiry. They will learn to cover topics that impact society and contribute to informed public discourse, making it an ideal choice for those looking to make a difference through media and communication.
Core coursework includes instruction in communication law, health reporting skills, interactive journalism, media ethics, and video journalism. Students will develop essential skills such as writing, critical thinking, and active listening, enabling them to effectively convey complex information to diverse audiences.
Credentials awarded
What Science/Health/Environmental Journalism graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree7 graduates / yr · 1 institution100%
Graduates over time
Science/Health/Environmental Journalism completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 7 |
CIP 09.0407 was introduced in CIP 2020, so the series starts when institutions began reporting under the new code.
Top 1 institutions for Science/Health/Environmental Journalism, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Montana Missoula, MTPublicMaster's | 7 | 48% | — | $35,924 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Journalism field (CIP 09.04) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 1 states
Where Science/Health/Environmental Journalism graduates come from. Each state links to all Journalism programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 1 | 7 | The University of Montana7 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 27-3023, News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Science/Health/Environmental Journalism program typically pursue careers as news analysts, reporters, and journalists. While the job outlook for this field is projected to decline by 3.9%, there are approximately 4,100 annual openings. The median wage for these positions is $60,280, and a bachelor's degree is typically required for entry-level roles.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 09.0407
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalistsprimary SOC 27-3023 | $62,200 | -3.9% Decline | ~4,100 | Bachelor's degree |
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1122 | $78,580 | +2.1% About as fast as average | ~2,700 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Science/Health/Environmental Journalism programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Write commentaries, columns, or scripts, using computers.
- Coordinate and serve as an anchor on news broadcast programs.
- Examine news items of local, national, and international significance to determine topics to address, or obtain assignments from editorial staff members.
- Analyze and interpret news and information received from various sources to broadcast the information.
- Receive assignments or evaluate leads or tips to develop story ideas.
- Research a story's background information to provide complete and accurate information.
Tools and technology used
Other Journalism specializations
The 6 other 6-digit CIP codes under Journalism (CIP 09.04).
- JournalismCIP 09.04019,258 graduates / yr356 institutions
- JournalismCIP 09.04991,031 graduates / yr40 institutions
- Broadcast JournalismCIP 09.0402712 graduates / yr49 institutions
- PhotojournalismCIP 09.040466 graduates / yr14 institutions
- Cultural JournalismCIP 09.0406limited data2 graduates / yr1 institutions
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Business and Economic Journalism09.0405
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degree will I earn from this program?+
You will earn a Master's degree.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in writing, speaking, critical thinking, and media ethics.
What careers can I pursue after graduation?+
You can work as a news analyst, reporter, or journalist.
What is the job outlook for journalism graduates?+
The job outlook is projected to decline by 3.9%, with about 4,100 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for Science/Health/Environmental Journalism?+
Science/Health/Environmental Journalism is CIP 09.0407 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Journalism (CIP 09.04). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on reporting on science, health, or environmental policy issues; investigating environmental problems and their causes; and public relations. Includes instruction in communication law, health reporting skills, interactive journalism, integrated marketing communication, journalism methods, media ethics, persuasion and political communication, science, health and the environment, social marketing, and video journalism.
How many institutions offer Science/Health/Environmental Journalism programs?+
1 U.S. institutions reported Science/Health/Environmental Journalism graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 1 states, awarding 7 credentials in the year. That is 0.1% of all Journalism graduates.
How much do Science/Health/Environmental Journalism graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists occupation, which Science/Health/Environmental Journalism most directly leads to, pays a median of $62,200 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Journalism field report median earnings of $35,924 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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