2018-2019 Undergraduate Course Catalog 
    
    Dec 30, 2024  
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2018-2019 Undergraduate Course Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

Lorraine Branham, 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.http://newhouse.syr.edu/career-development

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 known form of public communications offering a rich variety of undergraduate and graduate programs.  You’ll find more information about the graduate programs in the Graduate Course Catalog.

Undergraduate:

Graduate: Master’s Level

  • Certificate of Advanced Study in Media and Education
  • Master of Arts in Advertising
  • Master of Arts in Arts Journalism
  • Master of Arts in Audio Arts
  • Master of Science in Broadcast and Digital Journalism
  • Master of Science in Communications
  • Master of Science in Communications Management
  • Master of Science in Computational Journalism (no longer accepting new students as of Fall 2018)
  • Master of Arts in Documentary Film and History (no longer accepting new students as of Fall 2018)
  • Master of Arts in Magazine, Newspaper, and Online Journalism
  • Master of Arts in Media and Education
  • Master of Arts in Media Studies
  • Master of Science in New Media Management
  • Master of Science in Photography
  • Master of Science in Public Relations and Master of Arts in International Relations
  • Master of Science in Public Relations
  • Master of Arts in Television, Radio and Film

Graduate: Doctoral Level

  • Ph.D. in Mass Communications

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:

  1. LAW: Identify the principles and laws of free speech and press for the US, 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;
  2. HISTORY: Describe how professionalization has historically shaped the institutions in communications;
  3. 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;
  4. GLOBAL DIVERSITY: Recognize how the diversity of peoples and cultures has shaped mass communications in a global society;
  5. VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS: Apply theories and concepts of design and visual communication to the use and presentation of images and information;
  6. ETHICS: Recognize professional ethical principles and apply them in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity;
  7. CRITICAL THINKING: Critically, creatively, and independently consider problems and issues relevant to the communications professions;
  8. RESEARCH: Conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to the communications professions;
  9. WRITING: Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve;
  10. EVALUATION: Critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness;
  11. STATISTICS: Apply basic numerical and statistical concepts;
  12. TECHNOLOGY: Apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work.

Undergraduate Education

Lorraine Branham, Dean

Degree Program Overview

The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications offers programs of study that lead to the B.S. degree. Students enrolled in the dual program with the College of Arts and Sciences  are granted the degree appropriate to the arts and sciences program of study, either the B.A. or the B.S. Students enrolled in the dual program with the School of Management  or with the School of Information Studies  also earn the B.S. degree Dual programs are available to all majors except the Bandier Program in Recording and Entertainment Industries, which is already a cross-disciplinary program with course work in four different colleges.

Professional coursework in communications may be taken in advertising; broadcast and digital journalism; graphic design; magazine; newspaper and online journalism; photography; public relations; and television, radio and film.

Broad scholarship is stressed in all the programs to ensure that students attain the background necessary for serving in leadership roles in public communications.

All work prepared for classes in the school must be written electronically. Students are encouraged to bring a computer to campus for use in word processing, e-mail, web searches, and graphic, multimedia, video, and photographic production and presentations.

Public communications students at Syracuse University, as at all accredited schools of public communications, receive a broad education in completing their degree requirements, devoting more than two-thirds of their study to areas other than communications, and earning a minimum of 65 credits in the liberal arts and sciences. Students in all majors except the Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries may complete up to thirty-eight of the 122 credits required for graduation within the Newhouse School. Students in the Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries must complete 61 credits in the liberal arts and sciences, and forty-two credits of the 122 required for graduation within the Newhouse School.

Graduation Requirements

For academic rules and regulations that apply to all Syracuse University students, see the Academic Rules  section of the Course Catalog, which also contains special regulations that apply to all students matriculated in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. In addition, the following rules and regulations apply to students in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

In addition to meeting all general University requirements for graduation, students must complete a minimum of 122 credits of coursework, of which 30 must be taken in residence at Syracuse University. All students must take a minimum of 30 credits in public communications courses.

Single Enrollment Graduation Requirements

Students who are singly enrolled in the Newhouse School of Public Communications must satisfy the general requirements of the professional major program they are pursuing. In addition, non-public communications requirements assure a broad education, and a minor or an area of specialization provides special competency in a selected field of study outside the School of Public Communications.

Singly enrolled students must:

  1. Fulfill 65 credits in the College of Arts and Sciences (61 credits for students in the Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries)
  2. Complete the following general skills requirements:
  3. Complete the following divisional requirements:
    • two courses (6 credits) in social sciences
    • two courses (6 credits) in humanities;
    • two courses (6 to 8 credits) in natural sciences and mathematics;
    • four additional courses (12 to 16 credits) from any of the three areas listed above.

All courses fulfilling divisional requirements must be from the Divisional Lists included in the Newhouse School Fact Book 2018-2019. For updated information, check with the Newhouse Undergraduate Advising and Records Office, 315-443-4722, nhadvise@syr.edu.

  1. Complete the requirements of one major plan of study in the Newhouse School of Public Communications. Up to 38 credits in Newhouse may be counted in the 122 credits needed for graduation, except for the Bandier Program in Recording and Entertainment Industries which requires 42 Newhouse credits.
  2. Complete a minor or an area of specialization comprising at least 18 credits in a single department in a school or college other than public communications. In most cases,12 of these credits must be in upper-division courses. This minor or area of specialization may include courses taken to fulfill requirements other than the major. A complete list of minors offered by Syracuse University can be found in the Undergraduate Course Catalog. The minors in Public Communications Studies and in Communications Photography are intended for students who are not enrolled in the Newhouse School.
  3. Complete enough credits in electives to total 122 credits, which are required for graduation. For most Newhouse majors, these electives may be taken in any school or college within the University. No more than four credits may be in physical education.  For students in the Bandier Program in Recording and Entertainment Industries, elective credits must be taken in the liberal arts and sciences.
Dual Enrollment Graduation Requirements

Students dually enrolled in the Newhouse School of Public Communications and another school or college within the University must fulfill the degree requirements of both schools. Upon graduating, they receive a bachelor’s degree (one diploma) conferred jointly by the two schools.

Formal dual programs of study are available in cooperation with the College of Arts and Sciences , the School of Information Studies , and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management .These programs are available to all Newhouse majors with the exception of the Bandier Program in Recording and Entertainment Industries since this major is already cross-disciplinary in nature and requires courses from multiple colleges.

Admission to Major Programs

Students must declare a major program of study before the end of the sophomore year. Students majoring in photography or graphic design may need a minimum of five semesters on Main Campus to complete the major; other majors require a minimum of four semesters on Main Campus. Admission to the creative emphasis in advertising is based upon a student receiving a grade of B+ or better in ADV 401  and upon a positive committee review of a portfolio. Students are admitted to the Bandier Program in Recording and Entertainment Industries through the first-year application for admission to the University.  Entry into the major in Recording and Entertainment Industries after a student has enrolled in the University in a different major is dependent upon available seats.

Intra-University Transfer

Students may apply for internal transfer into all majors in the Newhouse School; however, acceptance as an internal transfer does not guarantee access to limited enrollment programs (i.e. Bandier).   Applicants must complete a minimum of 30 graded (not P/F) credits at Syracuse University before they are eligible for internal transfer. All internal transfer students must have completed an introductory writing course, such as WRT 105 , WRT 109 , CAS 100, ENL 211 , or ENL 213 , achieving at least a “B” in the course. (AP and IB credits with acceptable scores may also fulfill this requirement, as well as acceptable transfer credit with a “B” or higher grade.)  Admission is based upon a student’s cumulative Syracuse GPA.  Applicants who meet the minimum credit qualifications and the writing requirement are rank-ordered by GPA and admitted in that order, highest to lowest, until all seats are filled. The cumulative GPA includes all courses taken at Syracuse University.  The GPA required for admission varies each semester, depending upon the number of spaces available and the number and strength of the applicants. Because Newhouse majors require a minimum of four semesters to complete, juniors and seniors are ineligible to transfer. (A junior is defined as a student who has earned 60 credits.) Students must complete the necessary paperwork no later than the last day of classes of the sophomore year. Students are admitted twice each year. Application deadlines are December 15 for spring and May 1 for fall. Applications must be turned in to 316 Newhouse 3, the Newhouse Undergraduate Advising and Records Office. Students wishing to major in photography or graphic design may need a minimum of five semesters on Main Campus to complete this major.

Transfer Credit

The Newhouse School accepts a maximum of 12 transfer credits in communications. Transfer credit in communications must be judged applicable to the student’s major to be acceptable, in addition to meeting general University criteria for transfer credit.

Study Abroad

London, a world center for communications, has a special appeal for public communications students. Syracuse London offers courses in advertising, communications law, television, radio and film, as well two courses on diversity in the media, and special topic courses. The programs offered abroad are intended for third-year students who have completed introductory courses. The Graphic Design and Photography majors allow for study abroad in the fall of senior year.

Public communications students who participate in the London program may take three or six credits in their major area of study. The balance of the academic program consists of courses selected from other components of the program in London, including Arts and Sciences and Management.

Also, through Syracuse Abroad, the Newhouse School of Public Communications offers public communications courses in Beijing, China; Madrid, Spain; and Strasbourg, France. In addition, students in Madrid may select from courses offered in anthropology, history, economics, political science, religion, psychology, history of art, sociology, management, sport management, science, math, Spanish language and literature, women’s and gender studies, and Latin American, Judaic, and Middle Eastern Studies. Those fluent in Spanish may do part of their coursework at the Autónoma University of Madrid. In Strasbourg, students may choose from courses in economics, history of art, French language and literature, history, philosophy, political science, and religion. Those fluent in French may do part of their coursework at the University of Strasbourg.

Students who do not need to take a communications course during their semester abroad also have the option of studying in Santiago, Chile; Florence, Italy; Hong Kong, China or in Central Europe. Direct enrollment in foreign universities and affiliated programs is available in multiple locations in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean through Syracuse Abroad’s World Partner offerings.

In addition to studying abroad during the fall or spring semesters, students may also choose from a variety of summer programs offered through Syracuse Abroad, as well as main campus courses which include a short-term abroad experience as part of the course.

Further information can be found at http://suabroad.syr.edu, or contact Syracuse Abroad, 106 Walnut Place, 315-443-3471, suabroad@syr.edu.

Study in Los Angeles

Students in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications have the opportunity to study for a semester in Los Angeles. This program, which focuses on the entertainment industry, is open to all students, but particularly accommodates students who are majoring in the Bandier Program in Recording and Entertainment Industries and students in the Television, Radio and Film major. Students spend one semester in either the junior or senior year in Los Angeles. During this semester, students engage in a professional internship, as well as take three or four courses in a variety of communications topics taught by professionals prominent in their field. Students may also continue to pursue their liberal arts studies by enrolling in one or more courses offered by the College of Arts and Sciences , either online or at the LA center. More information can be found at http://lasemester.syr.edu/

Newhouse in New York City

Newhouse in New York City provides students the opportunity to study for a semester in one of the most vibrant media centers in the world. The program is structured to engage third- or fourth-year students from all Newhouse majors in professional internships, specialized course work and regular interactions with industry leaders. The program will draw on the strength of the vast network of accomplished SU and Newhouse alumni in the communications industry. Students in the program will spend one semester in New York City, interning two-to-three days per week and taking courses at Syracuse University’s Fisher Center in midtown Manhattan. Internships will be designed to match each student’s interests and abilities and will span a range of disciplines. Students may also choose from a variety of online courses offered by SU’s College of Arts and Sciences . More information can be found at http://suinnycgiving.syr.edu/learning-in-nyc/newhouse-in-nyc/index.html, or contact Shelly Griffin, Assistant Director of Newhouse Off-Campus Programs, at 315-443-4004, migriffi@syr.edu

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, and 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; and 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©.

In September 2014, the Dick Clark Studios and Alan Gerry Innovation Center were dedicated and open for class and student use.  This five-studio complex in Newhouse 2 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.  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 http://orangetvnetwork.syr.edu/ is also headquartered in Newhouse 2.

Newhouse 3 houses a 300-seat auditorium; a collaborative media suite in which students can build interactive web 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, http://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 matters, 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 http://www.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 lecturers on current sports issues. Television, Radio and Film Professor of Practice, Olivia Stomski, is the Center director. For further information, visit: http://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: http://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 Roy Gutterman, Director at 315-443-3523, http://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 http://socialcommerce.syr.edu/ or contact 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 http://trac.syr.edu/ or mail 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 http://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 OneView, 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, tutoring and digital scholarship services, Pages Café, events spaces for student, librarian or faculty use, a Center for Learning and Student Success, and the Blackstone Launchpad, a multi-disciplinary 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

Major

Minor
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