Media and Communications Department

 

Media and Communications Department

Media and Communications is designed to investigate how media and communication shapes identity, society and democratic processes. Available as a major or minor program of study.

Whether your interest is in media production, film, social media, journalism, advertising, or the impact media messages have on our lives, a degree in media and communications at Drew can help you meet your goals.

Our major prepares students for graduate work or further professional training, as well as for positions in media and communications industries. Courses developed by faculty in more than a dozen disciplines allow students to explore all aspects of media and communication from the theoretical to the practical, including media analysis and documentary production.

The Department Offers

  • thorough grounding in media literacy, methods, and theory
  • multiple hands-on production opportunities in a variety of media
  • broad understanding of media technologies from print and digital to virtual reality
  • examination of the larger structures and frameworks—social, cultural, economic and political—that shape media and communications
  • familiarity with debates surrounding ethics in media production and distribution
  • a semester-long media seminar based in Manhattan
  • facilitated internships and externships
  • programming that takes advantage of Drew’s proximity to the many media companies based in and around NYC.

The NYC Semester

The NYC Semester on Communications & Media brings Drew University students into the heart of it all, to learn from professionals who work in the interconnected world of communications, public relations, advertising, and media, and to visit the places in which meaning is created, stories conveyed, and information consumed. In this semester, the student will take a critical look at the operations of New York City’s media and communications industry, critically examine the making of—and meaning behind—the messages, and discuss ethical and moral issues at play. At the end of the semester, you will have a deep understanding of the role of media and communications within American culture, as well as an appreciation for topics and controversies affecting New York’s media and communications world.

Imagine Studying...

documentary media through theory and practice. Conduct archival research, fieldwork and gain experience in interpreting and editing the material into an original finished piece in the "Documentary Practice" course.