Contact
Ken Harper, Chair, Program Director
318 Newhouse 3, 315-443-6131
Faculty
Rafael Concepcion, Seth Gitner, MaryAnn Golon, Ken Harper, Gregory Heisler, Paula Nelson, Milton Santiago, Michael Snyder, Renée Stevens, Bruce Strong, Jason Webb
Program Description
The Multimedia, Photography and Design graduate degree is for students who want to customize their education around their career objectives. The program offers three tracks: Cinematography, Photography, and Graphic Design where students take a foundational and an advanced course in their area of focus. Students then select electives to either deepen that area of expertise or broaden their knowledge base and skill sets into complementary areas. In an effort to work with publications, corporations and non-profit organizations on real-world projects, the program encourages such collaboration among students, faculty and professionals. To augment the emphasis on visual communication, the program also includes communications research, media law, visual communications theory and current business practices. The course work for this program may be completed in 12 or 18 months.
This 37-credit program leads to a Master of Science (M.S.) in Multimedia, Photography and Design.
Admission
A portfolio is required for admission into the Master’s program and should be sent separately to Associate Professor Renée Stevens, Chair, Visual Communications Department. Images should be presented on a personal website or through social media channels.
Please send relevant URLs to Professor Stevens at rcsteven@syr.edu. If you do not have some type of portfolio, GRE test scores must be submitted instead.
Student Learning Outcomes
In addition to the comprehensive Newhouse School learning outcomes listed in the school’s Educational Mission, students in the Multimedia, Photography and Design program are expected to achieve the following learning outcome:
- Produce professional quality cinematographic and photographic stories or design work by synthesizing the best practices and current theories of traditional graphic design, still, motion, and emerging media
Program Requirements
Course List Code | Title | Credits |
COM 698 | Media Law | 3 |
VIS 601 | Photography and Multimedia Fundamentals | 3 |
or VIS 607 | Graphic Design Fundamentals |
VIS 602 | Essentials for Visual Communicators (This course is taken as three one-credit modules: Advanced Productivity Design or Photography Writing) | 3 |
VIS 619 | Project Development: Overview | 1 |
VIS 622 | Visual Communications Theory | 3 |
VIS 629 | Project Development: Research/Pitch/Writing | 2 |
VIS 639 | Advanced Projects | 3 |
or VIS 689 | Master's Projects |
VIS 642 | Professional Practices for Visual Communicators | 3 |
VIS 669 | Portfolio Review | 0 |
| 16 |
Total Credits | 37 |
Tracks (16 credits)
Students are required to complete an emphasis that satisfies their individual career goals. Faculty advisors will work with students to select two courses that build a critical understanding in a particular area of interest.
Recommended emphases can include, but are not limited to the following:
- Commercial & Advertising Photography
- Editorial Photography & Photojournalism
- Graphic Design
- Immersive Design
- Motion Design
- Videography
Photography Track
Students in this track are required to take VIS 601 Photography and Multimedia Fundamentals.
Course List Code | Title | Credits |
VIS 604 | Foundations in Camera, Light and Concept | 3 |
or VIS 605 | Photographic Storytelling |
| 3 |
| Visual Editing and Project Development | |
| Commercial & Advertising Photography and Multimedia | |
| Advanced Light and Concept | |
| 10 |
Graphic Design Track
Students in this track are required to take VIS 607 Graphic Design Fundamentals.
Course List Code | Title | Credits |
VIS 617 | Typographic Design | 3 |
or VIS 647 | Motion Design |
| 3 |
| Type and Image Design | |
| User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design | |
| Immersive Design | |
| 10 |
Cinematography Track
Students in this track are required to take VIS 601 Photography and Multimedia Fundamentals.
Course List Code | Title | Credits |
CIN 613 | Cinematography I: Fundamentals | 3 |
VIS 603 | | 3 |
CIN 623 | Cinematic Light & Lens | 3 |
CIN 633 | Cinematography II: Cinematic Storytelling | 3 |
| 4 |