Our College
Our college
Learn more about what makes Grady College one of
the top communications schools in the country.
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Our Mission
Grady College prepares students to be effective and critical consumers, scholars and practitioners of media and communication industries; improves the services these industries provide their consumers; and facilitates the public use of the media to meet personal and community needs. Teaching, research and service are all integral parts of this mission.
Our Departments
Sanctioned by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, Grady College is a leader in journalism research and education. The College is home to several prominent centers and institutes, including the Peabody Awards, recognized as the most prestigious award in electronic journalism. Grady’s faculty includes internationally known researchers and respected industry professionals. Alumni include Peabody Award-winning journalists, Emmy Award-winning producers Cannes Lions Award-winning agency creatives and more.
Advertising
A top-5 nationally ranked program preparing students for careers in the field of advertising.
Entertainment & Media Studies
Innovate through skills and conceptual courses for careers in film and television entertainment.
Journalism
Preparing students in audio, visual and written communications for careers in the digital media world.
Public Relations
Teaching the essential skills in traditional and new media for effective communication.
Key Statistics
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1,300Undergraduate and graduate students
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24,700+Grady Alumni connections
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96%Grady Graduates career outcomes
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11Named Professors
Retention and Graduation Data
Visit our Retention and Graduation Facts & Figures page for details about the number of degrees we confer, our retention and graduation rates and time to degree statistics.
Faculty
Our Grady faculty are experts in their fields of research and study, and they are frequently called on by media to apply their knowledge to what is going on in the world today.
Grady Board of Trust
The Grady Board of Trust is one the college’s most influential boards of alumni and friends lending support and guidance.
“The Board of Trust exists to advance the cause of Grady College and represents an amazing collection of leaders from across the mass communication marketplace,” said Charles Davis, Dean of Grady College. “This brain trust supports the work that we do, offers insight and advice, and most importantly, forms an immensely rewarding social network. Some of my favorite days as dean have been spent with these amazing people.”
In addition to serving as ambassadors and leaders who can attract resources to the college, the BOT is the sponsoring organization of the Grady Fellowship, a recognition of alumni and friends who by virtue of their accomplishments and service are members emeritus of the BOT.
Grady Alumni Board
The Grady Alumni Board is an advisory group responsible for contributing to and supporting the development of activities for alumni and friends of the college. The board serves as the conduit between the college and its alumni. It is comprised of members from a variety of Grady majors, professions, geographical areas and graduation years.
Grady College Alumni Awards
Each year, Grady College graduates are selected as Alumni Award recipients for demonstrated excellence throughout their distinguished careers.
The four Alumni Awards are the following:
- Named after the late John Holliman, Grady alumnus and former CNN reporter, the John Holliman Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award honors sustained contributions to the profession throughout a career.
- The Mid-Career Alumni Award is presented to a graduate for their professional achievements, influence and success in his or her field.
- The John E. Drewry Young Alumni Award recognizes a graduate of the last decade who has experienced a successful early career.
- The Distinguished Scholar Award honors a graduate for excellence and sustained contributions to scholarship in journalism and mass communication education.
Grady College Bylaws
The College of Journalism and Mass Communication prepares students to be effective and critical consumers, scholars and practitioners of media and communication industries, improves the services these industries provide their consumers and facilitates the public use of the media to meet personal and community needs. Teaching, research and service are all integral parts of this mission.
Preamble
To respect the core values of the University of Georgia, to meet national accreditation standards and to accomplish its own goals, the faculty of the College of Journalism and Mass Communication (referred to here as the college) should interpret its bylaws in accordance with the principles of faculty governance. Silences or ambiguities in the bylaws should be resolved in favor of open and democratic processes. The free flow of information and the criticism of ideas are necessary for decision-making. Basic principles of academic freedom allow faculty members an opportunity to dissent from the opinions of colleagues and administrators.
The faculty has primary responsibility for the college’s priorities, policies and procedures as well as faculty hiring, review, tenure, promotion and curriculum. The university or college administration should overturn faculty decisions only under the most exceptional circumstances and for reasons that should be clearly and adequately communicated.
This document includes the following articles:
- Article I. Faculty: membership, meetings, and procedures for meetings
- Article II. College academic structure: officers (dean, associate deans, and department heads), their duties and their evaluations; administrative units (departments, centers and institutes), how they are defined, responsibilities, appointments and reviews.
- Article III. Committees of the faculty: Committee types (standing, ad hoc, search ), membership definition (core, ex-officio, special, chairs, substitutes, student representatives), general rules that apply to all college committees, and standing committee definitions and responsibilities. Standing committees include: Admissions, Undergraduate Curriculum, Diversity, Executive, Graduate, Promotion and Tenure, Scholarships/Awards, Information Resources, Global and Special Awards.
- Article IV. Dispute Resolution Process
- Article V. Amendments to the Bylaws
Grady College Strategic Plan
Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication Strategic Plan 2025 has three main goals:
- Strengthen the graduate program
- Enhance the global scope of The Grady College
- Convene a conversation with the faculty about The Grady College’s organizational structure
Academic Assessments
To ensure our academic programs maintain the highest quality, the college annually assesses each degree, major and certificate in terms of student learning outcomes. Industry professionals and alumni play a major role in this assessment. The goal is to make sure our students are learning what we think we are teaching and what our ever-changing disciplines require. Reports are filed annually with the UGA Academic Program Assessment Office and shared with external accreditors, the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The plans are available here.
Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Plan
The goal of the diversity plan is to create a culture of inclusion whereby all people are valued. The current plan has been developed by the College’s Standing Committee on Diversity and reviewed by the college’s faculty and staff. Because it is the goal of the College to create an environment where all members of our community can succeed, the purpose of this plan is to acknowledge differences exist because of this historical and—still today—contemporary truth. We also recognize that some aspects of diversity are only apparent when communicated through self-identification. This plan is meant to serve as an action plan to grow and champion an inclusive environment where people of all cultures, and particularly those of historically excluded, non-dominant backgrounds, are given the opportunity and support to succeed.
Grady College
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ADPR department
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Carmical Grady Sports Media / Sports Media Certificate
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Center for Health & Risk Communication
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Graduate Certificate in Media Analytics
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Cox International Center
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Cox Institute
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Digital Media Attention and Cognition Lab
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Entertainment and Media Studies department
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Grady College
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Grady Careers
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Grady Newsource
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GSPA
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Journalism department
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National Press Photographers Association
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New Media Institute
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Peabody Awards
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Public Affairs Communications
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SEE Suite
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Visual Journalism
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UGA Crisis Communication Think Tank
Clubs and Organizations
Involvement with clubs and organizations are excellent ways for students to meet their peers, network with industry professionals and gain hands-on experience with projects and events. The following list features clubs and organizations sponsored by Grady College and/or UGA, which many of our students are involved in.
Get Involved at Grady
Grady is more than a college; we are a community. Several student organizations offer opportunities to get more involved with the college, your peers and the digital media industries.
Proud to Be Educating Students for Over a Century
What is now known as the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication started in 1915 when a young English professor, Steadman V. Sanford, thought journalism should be taught at the University of Georgia. The Board of Regents agreed and passed a resolution on June 12, 1915, approving the creation of the School of Journalism.
For seven years, Professor Sanford was in charge of the new school. On June 12, 1921, the Board of Regents changed the name to Grady School of Journalism.
In 1988, the school became the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Today Grady College is a digital-first college offering multiple graduate degrees and undergraduate majors. It is regarded by many as one of the top journalism and mass communications schools in the country.
The Peabody Awards
The Peabody Awards honors excellence in storytelling that reflects the social issues and the emerging voices of our day. Winning a Peabody Award is the defining achievement for programs and individuals alike. For over 80 years, these awards have championed the creativity and achievements of storytellers across television, streaming, radio and digital media. Each year, 30 Peabody Awards are given for entertainment, documentary, news, podcast and radio, children’s/youth and public service programming. Special awards are also given to individuals for career achievement and institutions for their long-standing body of work.
Beginning in 2022, Peabody will expand its award categories to recognize storytelling achievements across interactive, immersive and new media categories, including Gaming, Interactive Journalism, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Social Video, Interactive Documentary, Transmedia Storytelling and more.
There are no set criteria for judging the winners. Peabody Awards recognize stories that illuminate social issues with depth and complexity as much as stories that entertain and inspire through their art or voice. We honor stories that matter.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Grady
The Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, one of the nation’s leading schools of its kind, views faculty, staff and student diversity and inclusion to be core values of our work and learning environments. Diversity creates opportunities for intellectual stimulation, tough conversations, learning, growth and innovation that subsequently enable our students to become effective leaders and well-rounded citizens. The College counts among its alumni Charlayne Hunter-Gault (ABJ ’63), the first African-American woman to attend the University of Georgia. We know our history and we know that at Grady College, diversity, intersectionality and inclusion make us stronger.
contact us
Need help? Feel free to contact us and we’ll answer any questions that you have.
Email: Grady College
Telephone: (706) 542-1704
The Latest
Read the newest headlines, get updates and discover events happening at Grady.
Two Grady faculty members behind an award-winning wine podcast have released a new wine book
Wine Conversations: Exploring Meaning, Mystery and Myth was produced by Keith Herndon as author and interviewer along with Charlotte Varnum as editor. The compilation of 16 interviews with prominent wine […]
MFA Narrative Nonfiction mentor receives 2025 American Mosaic Journalism Prize
Latria Graham, a mentor in the Masters of Fine Arts Narrative Nonfiction program at Grady College, is one of two recipients of the prestigious American Mosaic Journalism Prize. Graham will […]
Profiles of Tenacity: Sera Johnson
Sera Johnson is a fourth-year entertainment and media studies major from Marietta, Georgia, set to graduate in the summer of 2025. Sera is also pursuing a certificate in New Media […]
Peyton and Tyler Head: Bulldog sweethearts
When Peyton Head (AB ’19) attended freshman orientation, she remembers the presenter sharing a story about how he had found his Bulldog sweetheart and future wife on campus while he […]
Bulldog 100 Profile: Josh Cagliani (ABJ ’09)
This is one of a series of interviews honoring Grady College alumni who have been recognized as Bulldog 100 recipients in 2025. The Bulldog 100 is sponsored by the UGA Alumni Association […]
Profiles of Tenacity: Nigel Whittington
Nigel Whittington is a fourth-year journalism major from Cartersville, GA set to graduate in May 2025. Along with his journalism degree, Whittington is pursuing a certificate in sports media. He […]
Events
Intern Hours
Join us for Intern Hours, a peer networking event for Grady College students. Each session features a group of current Grady students who had or have internships in Summer/Fall 2024 or Spring 2025. Get tips on how they found their internships, how to prep for internship applications, what they did in the role and more. See details on this month’s featured interns on Instagram @UGAGradyCareers.
Washington DC Alumni Event
Join Grady alumni and friends at the Henri in Washington DC for a networking reception to welcome current students visiting the city. To RSVP, please click here.
Small Talk 101
Through our hit Professional Fridays series, the NMI has gathered years of feedback from industry partners about what traits help graduates land jobs. One common request is the development of soft skills. They need employees who can work on a team, solve problems, and demonstrate rockstar interpersonal skills. Just like with new technology, the NMI believes it takes practice to master a skill. Small Talk 101 will bring our current students together with industry experts, alumni and University friends to expand professional connections and practice networking skills. We will highlight tips and tricks to better relate in professional settings.Small Talk 101 is made possible by the support of Brooke MacLean (ABJ, 2011), CEO at Marketwake. Help our students build critical interpersonal skills. Join us on February 21 – and share with your colleagues! RSVP here: https://bit.ly/smalltalk2025
Grady College Prospective Student Day
Prospective Student Day is an opportunity for high school and transfer students and their guardians to learn more about Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Current UGA students who are interested in applying for Grady College majors are also welcome. In addition to a guided tour, students will hear about admissions, eligibility requirements and programs of study. This event covers our undergraduate programs only. If you are interested in graduate program information, email anne.hurne@uga.edu. Register here to join us at Grady College Prospective Student Day!
Gray Media Visit
Gray Media is visiting Grady College for internship and full-time hiring. They will host 1:1 meetings for students throughout the day. Check the Grady Job Leads listserv emails and weekly newsletter for more information soon.
Women in Media – A Seat at the Table 2025
UGA Women in Media hosts its Seat at the Table event. More information coming soon.