Contact

Joel Kaplan, Program Director
315-443-1429
jkkaplan@syr.edu

Faculty

Sean Branagan, Theo Cateforis, Eric Grode, Christopher Hanson, Ellen Hebden, Soo Yeon Hong, Rawiya Kameir, Zizi Majid, Cary Peñate, Romita Ray, Will Scheibel, Kirsten Schoonmaker, Leah Stacy, Robert J. Thompson

Program Description

The Goldring Arts, Style and Culture Journalism program is the first program at an accredited communications school to train journalists to write about arts and culture. Based at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, the program is an interdisciplinary collaboration with the School of Architecture, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Visual and Performing Arts, giving students access to an array of arts and communications courses taught by writers, academics, and artists.

Student Learning Outcomes

In addition to the comprehensive Newhouse School learning outcomes listed in the School’s Educational Mission, students in the Arts, Style and Culture Journalism Master’s program are expected to achieve the following additional learning outcomes:

1. Analyze and interpret cultural products such as theater performances, operas, jazz and classical music performances, fashion shows and art exhibits.
2. Apply journalistic storytelling to specialized reporting on arts, style and culture.
3. Employ best practices in creative, compelling communications on behalf of cultural organizations.

Program Requirements

The curriculum offers a uniquely flexible combination of courses to meet the educational objectives of each student. The student will arrive with specialized expertise or declared interest in areas such as architecture, film, music, fashion, popular culture, television, theater, food or the visual arts. Working closely with two advisors–the program director and a faculty member specializing in one of the concentrations–students identify their educational objectives and create their own curricula of communications and arts courses. Through its core courses, the Goldring Arts, Style and Culture Journalism program offers opportunities for experiential and cross-disciplinary learning. During the program year, students are encouraged and assisted in creating multiplatform arts coverage as well as undertaking freelance professional publication in order to build and expand a professional portfolio.

The 36-credit Master of Arts (M.A.) degree is completed in one calendar year. The intensive program begins at Syracuse University in early July. In the fall and spring, students take communications and arts classes and have the option of interning at a magazine, newspaper, or arts organization. During the winter break, students can attend an arts-immersion trip to New York City, which includes attendance at theater and music performances, film screenings, museum and gallery tours, restaurants, architectural site visits, symposia, and lectures; encounters with artists and administrators at major arts institutions; and writing workshops with arts and style editors and writers. The program concludes with a capstone writing experience in May and June. The program was made possible by a gift from SU Trustee and arts patron Lola Goldring and her husband Allen. Additional information is available on the Newhouse website.