S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

Academic Offerings
Faculty
Courses
About the College
Educational Mission
Accreditation

Graduate Education
Executive Education
Facilities
Research Centers
Library Resources and Services

Amy Falkner, Interim, Dean
400 Newhouse I
newhouse.syr.edu

About the College

The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications is widely regarded as one of the nation’s top schools of communications. Engaged in industry partnerships and ongoing curricular development, the scope of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications reaches beyond the confines of the classroom. The school prepares students and faculty alike to take a leadership role in addressing the issues of today’s rapidly changing media landscape.

The Newhouse School claims a distinguished faculty with a broad range of expertise which is supplemented by visiting communications professionals, regularly bringing new experiences to the classroom. Students study in a modern, three-building complex, which houses multimedia labs, television and photography studios, and sound production and recording facilities. Students are supported in their professional development by the Tina Press and David Rubin Career Development Center which serves students who are engaged in public communications studies and helps them make professional connections and find internships, as well as professional positions.

Upon graduation, students join the ranks of Newhouse alums, a large and robust group of communications professionals influencing all aspects of the industry. The Career Development Center encourages networking among alums and between students and alums, supporting their continued involvement in the Newhouse School.

The S.I. Newhouse School embraces every form of public communications offering a rich variety of undergraduate and graduate programs:

Undergraduate:

Bachelor of Science in Advertising
Bachelor of Science in Broadcast and Digital Journalism
Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design
Bachelor of Science in Magazine
Bachelor of Science in Newspaper and Online Journalism
Bachelor of Science in Photography
Bachelor of Science in Public Relations
Bachelor of Science in Recording and Entertainment Industries (Bandier Program)
Bachelor of Science in Television, Radio and Film

Graduate: Master’s Level

Graduate: Doctoral Level

Mass Communications, PhD

Minors

Communications Photography
Public Communications Studies

Accreditation

The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, and the School is a member of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Educational Mission

The S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications’ mission is to educate ethical, visionary communicators whose goal is to establish an open marketplace of ideas guided by the First Amendment using contemporary professional practices. In the course of earning their degree, students are expected to achieve the following educational outcomes:

LAW: Identify the principles and laws of free speech and press for the U.S., as well as compare the American system of freedom of expression with others around the world, including the right to dissent, to monitor and criticize power, and to assemble and petition for redress of grievances;
HISTORY: Describe how professionalization has historically shaped the institutions in communications;
U.S. DIVERSITY: Explain mass communications in relation to social identities such as gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and, as appropriate, other forms of diversity in American society;
GLOBAL DIVERSITY: Recognize how the diversity of peoples and cultures has shaped mass communications in a global society;
VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS: Apply theories and concepts of design and visual communication to the use and presentation of images and information;
ETHICS: Recognize professional ethical principles and apply them in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity;
CRITICAL THINKING: Critically, creatively, and independently consider problems and issues relevant to the communications professions;
RESEARCH: Conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to the communications professions;
WRITING: Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve;
EVALUATION: Critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness;
STATISTICS: Apply basic numerical and statistical concepts;
TECHNOLOGY: Apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work;
Contribute to knowledge appropriate to the communications professions in which they work.

Graduate Education

Amy Falkner, Interim Dean
Joel K. Kaplan, Associate Dean for Professional Graduate Studies
Dennis Kinsey, Director of Doctoral Studies
Maria P. Russell, Director, Executive Education Programs

The S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications offers master’s degree programs in advertising; arts journalism; audio arts; broadcast and digital journalism; magazine, newspaper, and online journalism; media and education; multimedia, photography and design; new media management; public relations; and television, radio and film. In addition to these residential programs, the Newhouse School offers an online master’s program in communications with specializations in advertising, public relations, and journalism innovation. A Certificate of Advanced Study is also available in media and education in conjunction with the School of Education. A combined degree program is offered in public relations in the Newhouse School in international relations in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Students in combined programs earn two master’s degrees.

In addition to the professional master’s degree programs, the School offers a research-based master’s degree program in media studies.

At the executive, mid-career level, the Newhouse School offers an interdisciplinary, master’s degree program in communications management for those who have a minimum of five years full-time experience in public relations or communications.

At the doctoral level, the mass communications program is designed for advanced study in research, analysis of public communications, and teaching. For a complete listing of faculty members associated with the Newhouse School, see the Faculty section of the Graduate Course Catalog.

Admission

Master’s Degree Programs

Candidates with bachelor’s degrees from accredited colleges or universities are eligible for admission. For some programs, the Graduate Record Exam, or GRE, is required. No prior academic or professional experience in communications is required.

Our on-campus professional programs begin in the summer only. Media studies begins in the fall only. Our online Communications program offers four start-terms per year.

International students from non-English speaking countries who have not studied for a year or more in an institution in the United States must take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing Systems).

The Newhouse Graduate Admissions website offers more detailed information about the application process, including any special program requirements.

Inquiries for the professional Master’s programs should be directed to the Graduate Records Office, S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, nhmasters@syr.edu, 315-443-4039. Inquiries for the research-based Media Studies program should be addressed to masscomm@syr.edu, 315-443-3372, and inquiries about executive education should be directed to mprussel@syr.edu, 315-443-3368.

Doctoral Program

Only students with outstanding records will be considered for the Mass Communications doctoral program. A candidate must be a graduate of an accredited college or university and have a master’s degree or equivalent in communications or a field considered appropriate by the school’s committee on graduate programs. Inquiries about the doctoral program should be directed to the Director of Doctoral Studies, Newhouse School of Public Communications, masscomm@syr.edu, 315-443-3372.

Program Requirements for Master’s Degree

All candidates for master’s degrees must satisfactorily complete no fewer than 30 graduate credits approved by the dean of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Graduate School. The specific number of credits required varies from 33 to 58 credits. (See the program descriptions for specific requirements under Academic Offerings.) At least half of a student’s classroom courses must be 600-level or above. Except where noted, Newhouse courses carry three credits.

Master’s students at Newhouse are allowed to transfer a maximum of 20% of their total required credits into their program. Specific credit earned at another accredited graduate school must carry at least a grade of B, must have been taken within seven years, must not have been used toward an undergraduate degree or its equivalent, must form an integral part of the degree program, and must be evaluated by the academic department and the Associate Dean for Professional Graduate Studies. Students must fill out a petition form and submit a syllabus and an official transcript. Petitions for transfer credit should be completed during the student’s first semester of study.

The completion of a specific number of courses does not, in itself, qualify the candidate for completion of the program. Each of the programs of study requires the completion of course work as well as a culminating experience through which the student is given the opportunity to demonstrate his or her mastery of public communications. This culminating experience may involve a capstone course, comprehensive examination, special project, or a thesis, depending on the student’s program of study.

A thesis is required in the Media Studies program and, in certain cases, allowed in other programs. A thesis or graduate project is also required for the Master’s degree in Multimedia, Photography and Design. The thesis is regarded as a test of the student’s ability to do investigative work and to present the results in clear, accurate, and logical form. A good command of literary expression is required. A student required or electing to do the thesis must register for 3 to 6 credits of thesis work.

The Television, Radio and Film program requires students to complete their program with a comprehensive examination. Students must complete a minimum of 30 credits before taking the exam.

Public relations students who do not pursue the thesis option must complete an internship in addition to their comprehensive examination.

In addition to the Master’s degree programs described above, the School offers dual-degree options with the College of Law on a space-available basis.

Graduate Awards

Newhouse Foundation Fellowship/Internship for Minorities

Established in 1993, these awards are made annually to two minority students who wish to enroll in the Magazine, Newspaper, and Online Journalism Master’s program to pursue a newspaper career. Only students who have majored in subjects other than journalism on the undergraduate level are eligible. Funded by the Newhouse Foundation, each award provides free tuition and a monthly stipend for 18 months of study (during which time the student also works as a reporting intern at the Advance Media New York).

Doctoral Awards

In addition to University fellowships and scholarships, the Newhouse School funds up to five new doctoral students each year who help support research or the teaching of undergraduate classes. Some research assistants work with either the John Ben Snow Chair or the S.I. Newhouse Professor.

Dean’s Multicultural Scholarships

Established in 2003, these awards are designated for outstanding applicants who demonstrate financial need, have a background and/or interest in multicultural communications, and demonstrate a career interest related to multicultural communications. Such background interest might be indicated by undergraduate study abroad, an undergraduate major in a foreign language, and/or communications work experience in a non-U.S. setting.

Instructional Associates

The Newhouse School has a number of instructional associates (IA) who spend 10 to 20 hours per week helping faculty members with classes or labs. They are paid $18.00 per hour and also receive tuition scholarships (usually 7.5 credits per semester). Some positions are just for one semester, and others are for the academic year; the appointments depend upon what courses are being taught for a particular semester. IAs assist with classes by leading discussion sessions, helping with grading and meeting with students during office hours. Some also work in labs, helping undergraduate students with specialized equipment.

Online Education

Master of Science in Communications

The online masters in communications program prepares media professionals to succeed in today’s world of mass media and digital communications. With classes created and taught by Newhouse faculty, the master’s in communications offers students around the world the opportunity to receive the highest quality education without relocating. Students can start their degree in January, April, July or October. The program is intended for students with bachelor’s degrees and/or backgrounds in media and communications, journalism, public relations, advertising, media business management, and related fields. Students may choose from three secondary focus tracks: Journalism Innovation, Public Relations, and Advertising.

There are two required immersions which take place Friday through Sunday in various locations. (Past immersions have been in Syracuse, New York City, Los Angeles and Costa Rica.) During the immersion, students come together to learn from professionals in the field, interact with their classmates and faculty, network with Newhouse alumni and work together on a case study on a specific topic. This program is designed to be completed in as little as 15 months.

Executive Education

Master of Science in Communications Management

The executive master’s degree program in communications management is for experienced public relations and communications professionals (minimum of five years of full-time experience). Since 1995, the Newhouse School’s fine reputation in public relations education has been extended to experienced professionals whose busy work and personal lives won’t allow them to earn a master’s degree in the traditional manner - even if a good program is just a few miles away. Students come from all types of public relations specializations. They come to our program from across the United States and countries around the world, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Lebanon, Poland, Switzerland, the Sudan, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Caribbean.

This interdisciplinary program combines courses in public relations, business and leadership – the fusion of the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for career advancement in the changing face of the public relations profession in an ever-changing world. Students participate in a highly effective hybrid format of short-term residencies and distance learning. A new class forms once each year in August. Application deadline: May 15.

For more information contact the director, Anthony D’Angelo, at dangeloa@syr.edu or at 315-443-3368.

Facilities

The S.I. Newhouse School’s buildings are known on campus as Newhouse 1, 2, and 3. All three buildings have faculty offices and classrooms capable of supporting Web, KeyNote, PowerPoint and advanced multimedia presentations.

Newhouse 1 contains administrative offices; digital news writing and editing laboratories with motion graphics, 3D animation, and research tools, such as SPSS. Newhouse 1 also houses multimedia laboratories supporting digital imaging, video editing, digital sound editing, an advertising/public relations campaigns laboratory, and the Bill Glavin Magazine Lab, a collaborative space for magazine writing and production. There is a large professional photography studio fully equipped with Profoto D4 strobe equipment and lighting attachments, as well as HDSLR and digital Mamiya medium-format camera gear. Exhibition space and a portfolio prep center with digital ink jet printers are also housed in Newhouse 1.

Newhouse 2 contains an extensive field-equipment facility that manages the School’s digital video cameras (HD and DSLR formats), lights, microphones, and other production accessories. Post-production facilities include video editing stations (AVID©, Adobe Premiere, and Final Cut Pro©), a 16-channel, digital music-recording studio equipped with Pro Tools© HD and 5.1 surround sound capabilities; a digital post-production sound studio equipped with Pro Tools© HD; an extensive sound effects and music collection; Full Adobe Creative Cloud© suite of software; direct network connection to the Avid Isis© storage server for video. The Newhouse School is an AVID© and Apple authorized training partner and offers courses that lead to AVID© and Final Cut Pro© certification. In Newhouse 2, there are also two radio news production labs, and writing labs equipped with ENPS©, the most widely used broadcast newsroom software in the world. Several voice recording booths for recording voice tracks for radio and television stories support the creation of newscasts on multiple platforms. Students edit voice tracks using Audacity© and Adobe Audition©.

The Dick Clark Studios and Alan Gerry Innovation Center are located on the first two floors of Newhouse 2. This five-studio complex is supported by three control rooms, all equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Two large soundstages and two smaller flex studios can be configured for a variety of single and multicamera productions. The Broadcast and Digital Journalism newsroom and studio feature a fully automated system for newscast labs that integrate robotic cameras, graphic systems and digital video servers. Technology includes Ross Vision© video switchers, XPression graphic systems, Overdrive automation, Lawo© audio consoles, Ikegami© broadcast cameras, Imagine© video servers, Avid Isis© storage, and Evertz© routing systems. Newhouse has partnered with SU Athletics for the launch of the ACC Network in 2019. Fiber optic lines connect athletic venues, including the Carrier Dome to Newhouse 2 and ESPN headquarters in Bristol, CT. The facility in Newhouse 2 will be used to produce over 100 live sporting events annually.

The Gerry Innovation Center encourages students to experiment with new technologies including drones, a 30-foot interactive wall, Google watches and glasses, 360° cameras, and technology which supports the creation of virtual and augmented reality programming. The University’s Orange Television Network orangetv.syr.edu is also headquartered in Newhouse 2. Newhouse has partnered with SU Athletics for the launch of the ACC Network in 2019. Fiber optic lines connect athletic venues, including the Carrier Dome, to Newhouse 2 and ESPN headquarters in Bristol, CT. The facility in Newhouse 2 will be used to produce over 100 live sporting events annually.

Newhouse 3 houses a 300-seat auditorium; a collaborative media suite in which students can build interactive sites; executive education interactive classrooms; student lounges; spaces for media-related student activities; and a research center. A dining and social area connects all three buildings in the center of the complex. A glass-enclosed bridge connecting Newhouse 1 and 2 provides a walkway with a winter garden setting for studying or socializing.

Research Centers

Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture

The. S.I. Newhouse School is the home of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture. Since 1997, the center has been overseeing the acquisition and editing of an ongoing series of books published by Syracuse University Press about television and other popular culture subjects, and maintaining a large archive of original interviews with pioneers of American television, as well as a collection of television scripts and production materials. The center provides expertise to a wide variety of TV, radio, and print reporters. On-campus activities include symposiums, guest lecturers, and weekly screenings, all of which are open to the public. For further information contact Robert Thompson, director, 315-443-4077, tvcenter.syr.edu

Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship

The Newhouse Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship provides courses, consulting, and connections to encourage Newhouse students to start businesses and to identify new career opportunities in a fast-changing media industry. The Center teaches digital media trends, business modeling, and the latest in venture development. The work of the center is reinforced through one-on-one coaching and supporting resources on- and off-campus including mentoring, team development, assistance with legal, funding, technology and management issues, and more. Through internships and events (such as South by Southwest in Austin, and events with the start-up community in NYC), students are exposed to digital media startups and the start-up culture. In promoting digital media innovation and entrepreneurship, the Center also connects students to alumni and others who are innovating and changing the media industry. For further information contact Sean Branagan, director, 315-443-6310; email startups@syr.edu or visit newhousestartups.com

Newhouse Sports Media Center

The Newhouse Sports Media Center builds upon the Newhouse School’s long history and strengths in sports communications. The Center provides courses across the spectrum of media- courses such as, sports writing across platforms, sports reporting, sports production, play-by-play announcing, interviewing, as well as internship experiences to students in a variety of fields. The Center fosters student and alumni interaction and academic-industry partnerships. The Newhouse Sports Media Center sponsors special events and frequent guest lectures on current sports issues. Television, Radio and Film Professor of Practice, Olivia Stomski is the Center director. For further information, visit: newhousesports.syr.edu

The Newhouse Center for Global Engagement

The Newhouse Center for Global Engagement is dedicated to bringing knowledge to the world through storytelling, collaboration and innovation. The center features the global work of Newhouse students, faculty and staff while providing a hub for new initiatives and partnerships. The center strives to bring the classroom into the world, and the world into the classroom. Associate Professor Ken Harper is the center director. For further information visit: newhouseglobal.syr.edu

Tully Center for Free Speech

The. S.I. Newhouse School is the home of the Tully Center for Free Speech, which educates students and the public about the value of free speech. The Center sponsors educational programs and conducts research related to media law and free speech, serves as a clearinghouse on media law issues in New York State, and supports interdisciplinary work on free speech topics at Syracuse University. For further information contact Associate Professor Roy Gutterman, director at 315-443-3523, tully.syr.edu

The W2O-Newhouse Center for Social Commerce

The W2O Newhouse Center for Social Commerce was made possible in 2012 through the generosity of Syracuse University alums, Jim and Audra Weiss ‘87. Jim is founder and CEO of the W2O Group, a network of complementary, multi-faceted marketing, communications, and digital firms, headquartered in San Francisco with eleven offices worldwide. The Center’s mission is to ensure SU students graduate with the cutting edge skills needed to address the convergence of communications with “big data,” business analytics, digital technology and social media in the emerging area of “social commerce.” Toward this end, the Center brings together marketing, communications, and digital experts from the industry with faculty and students; complements current course offerings with hands-on workshops and case studies; involves students in applied research projects for clients; and hosts internships at W2O and client offices across the United States. For more information, visit socialcommerce.syr.edu or contact Professor Maria Russell, campus director, Newhouse Executive Education Programs at 315-443-4066 or mprussel@syr.edu.

Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC)

The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) is a data gathering, research and distribution organization based at the Newhouse School in partnership with the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. TRAC’s purpose is to provide the American people-and institutions of oversight such as Congress, news organizations, public interest groups, businesses, scholars and lawyers-with comprehensive information about the staffing, spending and enforcement activities of the federal government. For more information, visit trac.syr.edu or email trac@syr.edu

Library Resources and Services

Syracuse University Libraries support teaching, learning, and research at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications by providing a wide array of research support services, facilities, and on-site and online resources at library.syr.edu

Library collections in public communications cover advertising, broadcast and digital journalism, print journalism, communication theory and research, law of the press, public relations, printing, photography, film, and freelance writing. Communications-related databases, accessible from any location on or off campus, include Nexis Uni, Factiva, Simmons Insights, MRI-University Reporter, Media Intelligence Center, PressReader, ProQuest Historical Newspapers, SCOLA, AP Images, Vanderbilt University’s Television News Archive, JSTOR, Communication Source, World Advertising Research Center, Mintel Reports, eMarketer, Ad$pender, Adforum, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, Web of Science, Scopus, and many more. In addition, the library offers ebooks in the hundreds of thousands and substantial collections of streaming videos and DVDs, sound recordings, media trade magazines, collections of the memoirs of foreign correspondents; and private papers of American news people, broadcasters, authors, and cartoonists.

Physical facilities offer extensive hours, including 24-hour access most days, open collaborative study areas, teaching and seminar spaces, quiet and silent reading spaces, information technology loans, computer labs, reservable group study rooms, digital scholarship services, Pages Café, events spaces for student, librarian or faculty use, a Center for Learning and Student Success, Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement and the Blackstone Launchpad, a multidisciplinary center for entrepreneurship.

The Library’s Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) collects the history of American broadcasting. Notable acquisitions include the personal papers of iconic broadcast journalist Ted Koppel, which includes near complete runs of Nightline and The Koppel Report. SCRC is also the repository for the papers of several American columnists of national note William Safire, Drew Pearson, Westbrook Pegler, George Sokolsky, Harold Ickes, Dorothy Thompson, and Arthur Brisbane; an outstanding collection of prints, negatives, and personal papers of noted photographer Margaret Bourke-White, as well as personal papers, scripts, and audio-visual media of communications personalities Norman Corwin, Mike Wallace, Dick Clark, Long John Nebel, and Fulton Lewis Jr., as well as those involved in the business of television, such as Ed Bleier. The SCRC also maintains an extensive archive of scripts, videos, and personal papers in the field of television history, including scripts and production notes from NYPD Blue and Party of Five; scripts and videotapes of St. Elsewhere; and interviews by critics Arthur Unger and Steven H. Scheuer.

Programs

Master’s

Doctorate

Mass Communications, PhD

Combined Degree

Certificate of Advanced Study

Media & Education, CAS