4 new Media School degrees gain final approval
The Indiana Commission on Higher Education granted final approval for four new Media School degrees Thursday: Bachelor of Science degrees in global media, media advertising, and public relations, and a Master of Science degree in media leadership and business.
The programs introduce new interdisciplinary opportunities and elevate existing concentrations to degree status, allowing students to take more credit hours in their area of interest.
“As a media school, it’s imperative that our curriculum continuously evolves to keep pace with the industry,” said Dean David Tolchinsky. “These programs represent innovations and connections that will prepare our students to lead in this changing media landscape.”
B.S. in global media
Offered in partnership with the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, the B.S. in global media will prepare students for global journalism and strategic communications careers, as well as equipping graduates who go on to work in all areas of international relations with high-level communications skills. Students will complete core curricula in The Media School and HLS, study an international area of focus, and learn a foreign language complementary to their chosen area of focus.
“The global media degree showcases how the rich blend of expertise on the Indiana University Bloomington campus can provide students with unique and transformative experiences,” said Galen Clavio, associate dean for undergraduate affairs. “As the media world continues to grow more global in nature, this joint degree between The Media School and the Hamilton-Lugar School of Global and International Studies gives students the opportunity to train for unique and emerging roles in the worldwide exchange of communication and ideas.”
B.S. in media advertising
The Media School’s most popular area of study is its undergraduate media major with a concentration in media advertising, with more than 900 students currently enrolled. The introduction of the B.S. in media advertising elevates the concentration to its own standalone degree.
Advertising majors will choose between two concentrations with specialized curricula: creative advertising, where students will gain skills in art direction, copywriting, and other media forms; and advertising planning, which equips students with expertise in audience analysis, analytics, and media brand strategies.
B.S. in public relations
Like the media advertising major, the establishment of the B.S. in public relations elevates The Media School’s existing public relations concentration within the journalism major to its own degree. Core areas within the new public relations curriculum include audience analysis and measurement, social media management and strategy, and public relations skills and strategies.
“These new standalone degrees in media advertising and public relations show The Media School’s commitment to providing students with the blend of skill development, theory, and experiential learning that are needed in today’s strategic communication industry,” Clavio said. “We have a long and successful history of producing industry leaders in both of these disciplines, and these new degrees will further solidify our leadership in these areas.”
The new undergraduate degrees are available for current IU students to opt into as early as this semester, and they’ll be available on the Common Application for new applicants soon.
M.S. in media leadership and business
The M.S. in media leadership and business, offered jointly with the Kelley School of Business’s Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, will equip students with the skills and experience required to lead and innovate in today’s complex and fast-evolving media landscape. Coursework, which is split between the two schools, covers a range of topical options including entrepreneurship, media economics, audience analytics, digital marketing, content strategy, leadership, and organizational behavior.
“Because media are woven into countless facets of business and organizational operations, there’s a strong need for versatile, ethical, and media-savvy leaders in today’s marketplace,” said Jason Peifer, interim associate dean for graduate affairs, research, and creative activity. “If you want to lead and innovate in media — whether within a particular media industry or in an adjacent business sector — this degree will give you the tools, the mindset, and the connections to help get you there.”
The new degrees align with The Media School’s five-year strategic plan, which calls for reorganizing and realigning degree programs to strengthen academic excellence, as well as IUB2030’s objective to lead in graduate curricular innovation.