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Utica University
Utica University

Communication and Media

  1. Academics
  2. Our Programs
  3. Communication and Media

About This Program

You know that communication is a powerful part of human interaction. You’re fascinated by the many ways we share information in today’s digital world. You want an education that offers a multitude of career possibilities. Communication and Media may be the major for you.

Why Utica University

Communication and Media combines elements of the University’s longstanding journalism, communication arts, theatre, and public relations programs to explore the information we share and the way we share it. Students will develop skills to discover, understand, and report information, and the knowledge to analyze the power of written, oral, and digital media. A common core of courses taught by expert faculty, combined with courses in a chosen concentration, provides graduates with both the specialized and essential communication skills necessary to excel in today’s top fields.

Internships

Utica University offers students the opportunity to learn through doing in real-world environments with hands-on internship experiences.

Internship opportunities for Communication and Media students with a concentration in Social Justice include:

The Central New York Labor Council

  • Paid Internship
  • Contact Enisa Sabanagic at CNY Labor Council for more information.

The Workers Justice Center of New York

  • Unpaid Internship for Credit
  • Detailed description of Communications Intern position here.
  • Contact Sara Curtis at WJC for more information.

**Please contact Dr. Jeff Miller or Dr. Wilfredo Alvarez if interested in either internship.

The Communication Arts concentration focuses on developing a broad array of knowledge and skills applicable to many careers, with particular emphasis on oral, interpersonal, organizational, intercultural communication and media studies. Students engage in a critical assessment of the values underlying communication practices, technologies, institutions, and their social and ethical consequences. Advisors work with students to develop a course of study based on a student’s interests and desired career path. 

Link your passion for social justice with a communication-based foundation and a variety of disciplinary perspectives to develop the knowledge and skills you need to understand and combat the social, cultural, and institutional causes of inequality, injustice and oppression.  The concentration provides excellent preparation for students wishing to become human rights, civil rights, or environmental advocates, community organizers, social workers, alternative media workers, or lobbyists, as well as those considering graduate study in the social sciences, social work, or law. 

Brainstorm, experiment, fail, try again and discover new ways to deal with challenges.  Creativity is the ability to come up with a variety of innovative solutions to a problem, and it is a skill that anyone can develop and apply to any field.  Students who select a concentration in Creativity Studies will combine the skills from their core communication classes with a variety of arts and learn to apply all of these in any future career path.  This is particularly beneficial for students who choose careers where they will be asked to develop creative ways to get across a message using multiple media or any field where innovation is critical. 

Performing and Fine Arts at Utica University

This concentration will provide students with an understanding of the many ways that communication plays a role in healthcare. Whether it is the interaction between a physician and a patient discussing treatment options for a serious illness, the unraveling of complicated healthcare insurance rules, or effectively explaining dangerous drug interactions to an elderly patient, healthcare in our society requires professionals who understand the importance of communication. 

The journalism concentration provides the core courses necessary for today’s digital, broadcast and print journalist. Students will learn the storytelling, reporting and media production skills essential for careers in journalism and study the issues shaping the field. The concentration emphasizes hands-on experience through interactive classes, working with student media organizations and internships with professional media organizations.

The public relations concentration prepares students to manage relationships between an organization and its key publics by becoming skilled in communicating across multiple media platforms, research, problem solving, strategic decision making, conflict resolution, speaking and campaign/event planning. Public relations practitioners are highly sought after in a wide range of industries, including business, government, education, sports, health care, and human services. 

The sports communication and public relations concentration is designed for the person who wants to promote sports and emphasizes applying public relations skills in a sports setting. Students study the complex relationship between sports and the media, how the business of sports works, and how sports reporters craft their stories. Students also gain experience through internships at professional sports organizations and sports media outlets.

The sports journalism concentration focuses on how to cover sports for television, websites and other digital media, magazines, and newspapers. Students learn to write and produce sports stories, study the complex relationship between sports and the media, and learn how the business of sports works. Students also gain hands-on experience through professional media internships and student media outlets.

The purpose of the theatre concentration at Utica University is to create a culture of theatre-makers who are adept at collaboration, grounded in social justice, and interdisciplinary thinkers. We in the Department of Performing & Fine Arts believe that the art of theatrical storytelling is a continuous exercise in empathy, enabling theatre artists and audiences to imagine themselves into the places of others, gain emotionally engaged knowledge about their situations, and use that empathetic perspective to build community across differences. To that end, we train students in a variety of theatrical roles, contexts, and styles from around the world. Paired with our grounding in social justice and theatre for community building, this emphasis on variety prepares our students to be effective collaborators across disciplines, subcultures, and professions well beyond their time at Utica University.

Performing and Fine Arts at Utica University

Contact Information

Office of Admissions

(315) 792-3006
admiss@utica.edu

General Information

Track

  • Major

Degree

  • B.A.
  • B.S.

Location

  • Utica Campus
Utica Excellence, Utica Value

Communication and Media at Utica

"In my classes, I’ve learned how to give a speech, write and speak effectively, and connect with my audience. But more important, I’ve developed confidence and leadership skills that will benefit me in my career and my everyday life."

Kathleen Arcuri '17 Communication Arts

Career Opportunities

Career opportunities are almost limitless for Communication and Media graduates, prepared for a wide range of professions, including:
    • Journalism (print and broadcast)
    • Marketing
    • Publishing
    • Government
    • Education
    • Human Services
Pioneer Radio at Hockey Game

Experience It

The Communication and Media program combines intensive classroom learning with practical field experience.
12-18 Community Organizing and Positice Change

Insight

Curriculum helps students develop a deep understanding of historical, legal, cultural, and critical aspects of communication.

What You'll Learn

The Communication and Media curriculum helps students develop a deep understanding of historical, legal, cultural, and critical aspects of communication. Graduates will have the ability to write and speak logically, clearly, and precisely on a professional level, as well as to contextualize and criticize aspects of contemporary culture. In keeping with digital media trends, students will learn how to utilize multimedia technology to produce and share compelling information.

As part of the Communication and Media major, students work closely with an adviser to select a concentration in one of these areas:

  • Communication Arts
  • Communication and Social Justice
  • Creativity Studies
  • Health Communication
  • Journalism
  • Public Relations
  • Sports Journalism
  • Sports Communication
  • Theatre

Depending on the chosen concentration, a student may earn a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. Students are encouraged to explore areas outside their concentration through major electives.

Full Communication and Media Curriculum and Learning Objectives
Computer Communication Devices Generic

Communication and Media Faculty

Wilfredo Alvarez
Wilfredo Alvarez, Ph.D.
  • Associate Professor of Communication Arts
Professor David Chanatry
David M. Chanatry, M.S.
  • Professor of Journalism
Mary Christopher
Mary C. Christopher, M.S.
  • Director of Tangerine Ops.
Professor Douglas Croft
Douglas J. Croft, M.A.
  • Chief Oper & Advis Station Mgr
Dr. Ariel Gratch
Ariel Gratch, Ph.D.
  • Assistant Professor of Communication Arts
Laura Lewin
Laura A. Lewin, M.A.
  • Dir-Convergence Media Ctr.
Professor Paul J. MacArthur
Paul J. MacArthur, MPS
  • Professor of Public Relations and Journalism
Professor Jeffrey Miller
Jeffrey A. Miller, Ph.D.
  • Associate Professor of Communication

Adjunct Faculty

Thomas J. Armitage, B.S.
  • Adjunct Instructor of Public Relations
Rosemary A. Bonacci, M.A.
  • Adjunct Professor of Public Relations
Mary Christopher
Mary C. Christopher, M.S.
  • Director of Tangerine Ops.
Jason J. Powles, B.A.
  • Adjunct Lecturer of Journalism

A Degree That Works

For graduates of the Communication and Media program, career opportunities are almost limitless.  Students are prepared success in a diverse range of professions, including journalism (print and broadcast), marketing, publishing, government, business, human services, and more.

Utica College - DePerno Hall
WPNR Pioneer Radio - Malik Gayle 027

Pioneer Radio

For those seeking first-hand experience in the world of broadcasting, WPNR-FM hires matriculated students into both premier and behind-the-scenes positions. Students are hired into one of five departments (music,  production, promotions, public service, and sports broadcasting). Each department plays an integral role in the overall operation of the radio station.

Visit Pioneer Radio
Professor Raymond Simon Convergence Media Center

Utica TV

Students receive training in how to operate digital production equipment and how to produce public service announcements and interview shows for the campus.

More on Utica-TV
The Tangerine newspaper 01

The Tangerine

Utica University's weekly independent student-run campus newspaper is a great place to improve your writing, editing, and photography skills, as well as put into practice the web design principles you learn in your classes.

Learn more about The Tangerine
Ray Simon BW 650x440

The Ray Simon Institute

Named for the former head of the Utica University public relations degree program, The Raymond Simon Institute for Public Relations was founded in 1986 with the purpose of enhancing Utica's public relations and journalism programs.

Learn More about The Ray Simon Institute
Black and white cat in a cage or carrier, looking at you.

Cause for Paws

A student-run initiative as part of Utica University’s JLM 461 Multimedia Web Design class, invests energy into issues that are close to many students’ hearts. Students chose to focus on the welfare of animals in the area in order to connect the community to the resources available to them.

Learn More
Communication and Media major and Editor-in_chief of The Tangerine, Matthew Breault, stands on campus, smiling at camera.

Journalistic Accolades from Syracuse Press Club

Communication and Media major and Editor-in-Chief of The Tangerine, Matthew Breault '22, received an Honorable Mention in the Best Sports Print/Digital Story Category from the Syracuse Press Club for his article “Lack of Diversity in Division III Coaching." This is the second time in two years that Matthew Breault’s work has been honored by the Syracuse Press Club.

READ MORE
Tim Roye '81Play Video

Alumni Voices: Tim Roye '81

Graduate of Utica University's Public Relations - Journalism program Tim Roye '81 tells the story of his journey from WPNR sports announcer to the voice of the Golden State Warriors.

Mark Mason Jr '24 inside the hallway at Pioneer Radio.

Award-Winning Radio

WPNR 90.7 Pioneer Radio, the official student-run radio at Utica University, received an excellence award from the New York State Broadcasters Association three years in a row. The most recent award received was for Outstanding Public Service Announcement (PSA) and was produced by Mark Mason Jr. ’24, a communications and media major who held the title of production manager for the radio station.

READ MORE
Student Voices Lia Tobin 16Play Video

Student Voices: Lia Tobin '16

A brief conversation with Lia Tobin '16 about her experience studying broadcast journalism at Utica University and her time as an editor of Utica's student newspaper, the Tangerine.

Alumni Voices Stephanie Zimmer 96Play Video

Alumni Voices: Stephanie Zimmer '96

A conversation with distinguished Utica University alumna Stephanie Zimmer '96, Head of Brand Experience Marketing for Mercedes Benz USA.

Film Reel

FILM@UC

Utica University's campus film series is free and open to the public. Screenings take place Thursday nights at 7 p.m. in Macfarlane Auditorium at DePerno Hall.

Film@UC Schedule
Theatre at UC 650x440

Department of Performing and Fine Arts at Utica

Art and performance continuously thrive at Utica University. Exposure to the creative arts is an essential facet of liberal education, and involvement in the arts promotes personal growth, the development of valuable skills, and the realization of a richer, more fulfilling life. At Utica University, students have a variety of opportunities to engage with the creative arts both as a participant and as an informed observer.

Learn More about the Arts at Utica
Student Voices Maggie Tabone 18Play Video

Student Voices: Maggie Tabone '18

Maggie Tabone, a Communication Arts student, discusses her program, her experiences on campus, and how she sees Utica University as one big family.

Alumni Voices Ericka Bennett 00Play Video

Alumni Voices: Ericka Bennett '00

Ericka Bennett '00 talks about her experience at Utica University and her position as Associate General Counsel at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY.

Alumni Voices Chris Bandura 99Play Video

Alumni Voices Chris Bandura '99

Hear how Chris Bandura's experience at Utica University prepared him for an exciting career as Vice President of Media Relations and Communications for the Buffalo Sabres.

Student Voices Matthew RogersPlay Video

Student Voices: Matthew Rogers '16

A brief conversation with Matthew Rogers '16, journalism major and 2016 Salutatorian, about his passion for reporting, his love for sports, and more.

Student Voices Jon Kealy 15Play Video

Student Voices: Jon Kealy '15

A brief conversation with Jon Kealy '15, graduate of the Journalism Studies program with a concentration in Sports Journalism.

PRSSA Public Relations Student Society of America

Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)

Utica University established one of the first national chapters of PRSSA in 1968, and the organization continues to be active on campus today. Its members attend national and regional conferences, including past conferences in San Diego, Detroit, New Orleans and Philadelphia. The chapter sponsors professional speakers, local tours of public relations agencies, and events.

Society for Collegiate Journalists checkerboard

Society for Collegiate Journalists

This student organization focuses on journalism and media issues. It sponsors speakers and other activities. Students also attend the national SCJ convention.  For more information, contact Professor David Chanatry at dchanatry@utica.edu.

Business Management students at UC

Tau Mu Epsilon

Public relations majors have the opportunity to be a part of the oldest honorary academic public relations fraternity in the United States, called Tau Mu Epsilon. Each year a select group of students who meet academic as well as leadership and character requirements are inducted during a special candlelight ceremony.

Camera Journalism Photography

Utica Watchdog Reporting

Presenting student projects produced for Utica University's Watchdog Reporting journalism course. The topics focus on social issues relevant to Utica, Oneida County and Central New York.

Watchdog Reporting Course Description

Communication and Media at Utica University

Provost Todd Pfannestiel presents the Paul Young Award to Professor Jeffrey Miller.
Faculty

Miller Receives Paul Young Award for Distinguished Faculty Service

Jeffrey Miller, associate professor of Communication and Media, has been named the 2022 recipient of the coveted Paul C....
Communication and Media major and Editor-in_chief of The Tangerine, Matthew Breault, stands on campus, smiling at camera.
Student

Matthew Breault '22 receives Honorable Mention from Syracuse Press Club

Communication and Media major and Editor-in-Chief of The Tangerine, Matthew Breault '22, received an Honorable Mention in the Best...
Olympic Rings on side of glass windows.
Faculty

Utica University Professor, Colleague, Determine that Women's Sports Dominated NBC’s Primetime Beijing Olympics Coverage

NBC’s primetime broadcast coverage of women’s sports during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games was historic, according to Paul J....
All Stories

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Dave Chanatry with CMM student 188A_0238
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On Stage at Utica College
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