Coordinator

Brad Stalter, Academic Advisor
316 Newhouse 3, 315-443-4722, bcstalte@syr.edu

College

The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications oversees this minor.

Goal

The goal of this minor is to permit students to examine how the process of public communications affects society. Students will learn how the various media, including newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, film, advertising, public relations, photography, graphics, online journalism, social media, and new media influence specific audiences and shape society in the United States and globally.

Audience

This minor is intended for Syracuse University students who are not enrolled in the School of Public Communications. Students choosing this minor should have an interest in learning more about the social, political, economic, ethical, and legal effects of public communications on their lives as citizens, professionals, and leaders in our society.

Entrance Requirements

Applicants are admitted on a space-available basis depending upon cumulative GPA. To be eligible, a student must have completed 30 credits at Syracuse University in courses graded A-F and must submit an application here: https://newhouse.syracuse.edu/academics/public-communications-studies/. Students must declare the public communications minor no later than the second semester of their sophomore year.

Curriculum Requirements

Students must complete 18 credits of which 12 credits must be 300-level or above.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Two Required Courses
COM 107	Communications and Society	3
Select one of the following:		3
COM 505	Communications Law for Journalists
COM 506	Communications Law for Television, Radio, Film
COM 507	Communications Law for Advertising and Public Relations
Additional Courses
Four additional courses from the following list. No more than one of the additional courses may have a number lower than 300. Admission to these courses is based on space availability.
Note: Students may not take more than one course in (COM 346, COM 348 or COM 350) and (ADV 201 or ADV 206) as part of the minor requirements.
Select four additional courses of the following list:		12
ADV 201	Best Advertisements in the Universe
ADV 206	Advertising Practice in a Diverse Society
ADV 345	International Advertising
COM 300	Selected Topics
COM 337	Real News, Fake News: Literacy for the Information Age
COM 346	Race, Gender, and the Media
or COM 348	Beauty and Diversity in Fashion Media
or COM 350	Topics in Media, Diversity and Inclusion
COM 400	Selected Topics
COM 427	Social Media for Communicators
COM 442	International Communications in European Media
JNL 345	Business and Ethics of Journalism in a Changing World
MMI 300	Selected Topics
MMI 400	Selected Topics
MMI 427	New Media Venture Launch
MMI 434	Trendspotting in Digital Media
MND 205	An Introduction: Editorial, Ethics, and the Business of Magazines
PRL 206	Public Relations Principles & Practice
PRL 345	The Ethics of Advocacy
PRL 400	Selected Topics
TRF 235	Principles and Practices: Television-Radio, Film Industries
TRF 340	Topics in Critical and Historical Perspectives
TRF 530	Popular Culture Studies (variable title, repeatable)
TRF 560	Topics in International Perspectives (variable title, repeatable)
Total Credits		18

Additional Information

To declare a minor, students must apply and be accepted. Students meet with Minor Coordinator Brad Stalter (316 Newhouse 3) for approval of their minor declaration form. This form must also be approved by the student's home college.

Los Angeles Semester Option

Students who have been accepted into the Public Communications Studies minor may choose to complete half the minor by participating in the Newhouse LA program. To complete the minor and include the LA option, students must be a junior or a senior. See the requirements listed below.

Before studying in LA, students complete: 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
COM 107	Communications and Society	3
TRF 235	Principles and Practices: Television-Radio, Film Industries	3

Apply and be accepted into the LA program

While in LA, students take: 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
TRF 475	Entertainment Industry Practicum	1-3
Six credits of TRF coursework at the 300-level or above		6

Note: To be a full-time student in LA, you must be registered for no fewer than 12 credits. Students, therefore, must choose an additional course to study in LA with the advice of their home college. This course may be offered online or in person by any SU college. 

Students may choose to complete the law requirement on campus sometime during this senior year, or in LA if there is space available.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
COM 505	Communications Law for Journalists	3
or COM 506	Communications Law for Television, Radio, Film
or COM 507	Communications Law for Advertising and Public Relations

Additional Information

Application deadlines for the Newhouse LA program are in September (for spring) and in January (for fall). For more information, contact Shelly Griffin, Associate Director of Off-Campus Programs, in 496 Newhouse 2 at 443-4004, migriffi@syr.edu.