MA in Science Writing Admission and Application Requirements

Admissions Criteria

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited US college or university, or equivalent international credential
• A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale

How to Apply

1. Complete the Online Application and upload required supporting materials
2. Submit the application along with the $75 application fee

Required Supporting Materials

• A creative, well-crafted Statement of Purpose explaining the applicant’s aspirations as a writer or editor in the field and describing the applicant’s recent reading.
• Recent writing samples demonstrating the applicant’s promise and current development as a journalist, creative writer, or communications writer.
• Résumé or biographical sketch.
• The Science Writing program reviews two recommendation letters relating to the applicant’s experience or promise as a writer. Letters of Recommendation are optional.
• Official transcripts

JHU AAP accepts official transcripts that are electronically sent directly from the granting institution and emailed to [email protected]. If your institution does not provide electronic transcripts, request that your institution send an official transcript directly to:

Johns Hopkins University
Advanced Academic Programs
Transcript Processing Center
851 Trafalgar Court
Suite 420 West
Maitland, FL 32751

Statement of Purpose

The Statement of Purpose should describe the applicant’s education, experience, and interest in writing or editing about science, medicine or technology. Statements of Purpose are reviewed for creativity, content, and the level of interest in the field, so we appreciate originality and professional or personal reflection. The statement also should describe the applicant’s recent reading (books, periodicals, digital sites, or other works). The statement should be at least one and no more than three typewritten pages, single- or double-spaced. If the applicant wants permission to take only a course or two as a special student, the statement should specify the desired course or courses.

Writing Samples

The most important parts of an application are the writing samples, which should be the applicant’s best attempt at creative, communication, or journalistic writing in medicine, science, technology, nature, health, or related fields. Any form or combination of forms, including news or feature articles, commentary/blogs, communication feature, memoir, travel, essay, newsletter article, review, profile, humor, news release, speech, book chapters, and creative nonfiction, is permitted. Applicants lacking samples about science, medicine, or technology may submit writing about other topics, although some kind of explanatory or analytical writing is useful. The samples should total 10 to 20 typewritten, double-spaced pages, or about 2,500 to 5,000 words. Samples do NOT have to be a single, lengthy piece of writing. Instead, a combination of several shorter pieces is recommended if the combined length of all pieces equals 10 to 20 pages. We suggest two to five separate or related works of prose.

Tips for a Successful Writing Sample

Typical academic or college papers, peer-reviewed research reports, extremely technical writing, or formulaic government or corporate documents are NOT acceptable writing samples. Instead, we seek an applicant’s best attempt at journalism, communication writing, essays, creative writing, blogging, op-eds, speechwriting, newsletter features, journal entries, storytelling, narrative, or other styles, in any traditional or experimental form. In some cases, a corporate document or academic paper may be an acceptable sample, but only if it displays creativity and originality beyond the typical example.

For models to emulate, potential applicants should review the content and style of writing found in the health, science, technology, or related sections of major newspapers, magazines, literary journals, scientific organizations, or web publications. The Science Writing program favors writing samples that show some understanding of the traits and techniques of such published writing, although professional-level expertise is not expected.

Our admissions committee advises applicants who don’t regularly produce the requested writing in a personal or professional setting to demonstrate creative initiative: Read and study your best models, find a topic of knowledge or interest, then seize a pen or keyboard to write.

Applicants may submit copies of published writing, although submitted samples do not have to be published. Applicants with digital writing samples should submit a copy of the entire sample, not just a link. The majority of samples in the application should be no more than five years old. Applicants may submit uncompleted work if they label it as such.