Sarah Bee

I am also applying to a Journalism Master's programme. I got a very strong letter from my teacher, who is a senior editor with a leading newspaper but was a visiting faculty at my University. But just to be on the safe side, I got one letter from a professor too (as I am required to submit AT LEAST two letters of academic recommendation). It would be much better to ask a professor to endorse your letter, as I agree with the Mocha that a TA’s letter would not be considered very credible.

My case is worse than yours. I drafted the letter myself and the professor said she'd proofread it and make amendments if needed and it's been a month and she hasn't even done that. I requested her a few times (she is added to my Facebook) and her response was very polite. The deadline is looming over now and I don't know how to remind her again :S

I have graduated and already working as a sub-editor and a freelance reporter. Went on many international conferences and I get to meet fellow journalists who are equally enthusiastic about the field. Being a print journalist, I am often told that nobody would be reading newspaper in the next five years so journos like me should start searching for other jobs. However, I don't agree. Though the social media -Twitter, Facebook and the blogosphere, have taken their toll on newspapers, as every Tom, Dick and Harry has conveniently become a writer and an expert on issues. However, I still think that journalists are better equipped with the analytical abilities, insight on issues and most of all, journalistic ethics that you cannot find in others.

I guess it's best to be able to draft it yourself as it can take care of all your concerns. I gave a long list of pointers to my professor to mention them but the letter turned out to be mediocre and I didn't like it at all. So I prepared one myself and requested the professor to put his signatures on it and he was okay with it. And now, it looks perfect -at least to me!

All four of my professors wrote long ones. They go on two pages. However, anyone who read it says that they are very strong and based on pertinent points, so I guess it's the quality that matters, not the length.

Yes, I am applying to a Master's programme in Journalism. The said teacher taught me five of my major subjects and knows me well -better than my research supervisor.

Hello, I am almost suffering from the same problem. I am applying to a master’s scholarship in 2 weeks. A teacher, who is a Senior Editor with a well-known newspaper, taught me my major subjects for five semesters. That is the longest he taught to any batch. Since we had the longest interaction, I requested him to write me a recommendation and he wrote me a very strong one. However, he is not a professor but a visiting faculty. Does not even have a PhD. I was wondering if this is considered a negative since he is neither a permanent university faculty nor a PhD? Or should I get hold of another recommendation letter from a university professor?