Academics

Eligibility Requirements

  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Drew student with sophomore, junior or senior standing
  • Have completed either MCOM 101, ENGH 121, or ENGH 110
  • Be in good academic and disciplinary standing
FOR MORE INFORMATION

Jeremy Blatter

Associate Professor and Chair, Media & Communications

Sitterly House 208

973-408-4876

jblatter@drew.edu

Additional Navigation

Semester on Communications & Media

Apply Now - Applications are due March 10

This 8-credit program is offered every fall semester. Classes begin mid-August and end in mid-December. Students will travel to New York City for classes on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Information Session: Communications and Media nycTREC

Date: Tuesday, February 4th
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: Brothers College, BC 218

Date: Thursday, February 11th
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: Brothers College, BC 218

RSVP Here!

Big Experiences Lead to Bold Futures

Under the Launch career development platform, all students graduate with at least two experiential learning opportunities on their transcripts. Guaranteed.

This nycTREC program will count towards this out-of-the-classroom requirement in Drew’s rigorous curriculum.

Travel

Take the train from Drew University in Madison to the media and communications​ capital of the world! In this course, you will spend two days a week in New York City​ studying an astonishingly wide array of U.S. and international broadcasting,​ cable, advertising, public relations, publishing, music, film, and digital media​ companies. Go beyond the classroom and experience for yourself the real-world​ media and communications industries in action.

Rethink

Take a critical look at the operations of New York​ City’s media and communications industry, examining​ the making of—and meaning behind—the messages,​ while discussing the ethical and moral issues at play.​ Develop your own understanding of the role media and​ communications play in American culture, as well as an​ appreciation for topics and controversies affecting the​ media and communications sector in New York City and​ across the globe.

Explore

From TriBeCa to the Upper East Side, explore firms of every size that disseminate the ideas, information, and stories that shape our culture and collective psyche, craft the messages that establish the identities of companies, organizations, products, and political candidates around the globe, and develop the new technologies that are changing the way we communicate.

Connect

Connect from Drew University to the media hub​ that is New York City, learning from professors and​ professionals who work in the interconnected world​ of media, entertainment, culture, and communications​ industries. Connect with the places where meaning is​ created, stories conveyed, and information consumed.

Costs and Financial Assistance

Each nycTREC has an associated program fee, which is posted each semester in the Course Catalog. Students receive a grant to cover round-trip transportation to New York City from Madison and program-related events and activities.

All of your Drew University financial assistance, whether merit or need-based, may be applied to all Drew-sponsored semester programs.

 

Program Courses

New York Semester on Communications and Media Colloquium

4 credits

This course studies the institutions and operations of advertising, communications, public relations and media, and their roles in contemporary society. We will also explore the history and ethical dimensions of the principles and practices integral to media and communications. A key component to this course is the opportunity to delve into the practical, day-to-day operations of Madison Avenue, Silicon Valley, and related institutions located in New York City. Central to the program are talks by guest speakers drawn from the fields of advertising, communications, public relations, and media. The class with also go on in person visits to advertising agencies, public relations firms, digital and traditional media organizations, etc. Speakers, field trips, and student projects explore contemporary communication issues, such as the concentration of media ownership and conglomeration, media literacy, the increasing democratization of the information environment, and changes in the media landscape.

Introduction to Media Industries

4 Credits

This course offers students an introduction to the critical perspectives that are central to the analysis of communication industries, including print, broadcast, new media, film, and sound-based media. This course will provide students with the skills to explain how and why media institutions emerge, sustain themselves, grow into monopolies, shift content priorities, and interact with both consumers and their own labor force. We will also look at the financial, ethical, and regulatory structures that guide these industries. Given the focus of the semester, particular attention will be paid to media companies based in New York City.