Program Overview

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George Polk School of Communications

The George Polk School of Communications offers a range of academic programs designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed for careers in today's expanding media world.

BS Communications

The BS in Communications is designed to provide the knowledge and skills needed for careers in today's expanding media world. Graduating with this degree will prepare students for employment in a wide range of private and non-profit sector businesses that increasingly require a diverse set of communications skills. These could include broadcast and film production organizations, publishing and public relations firms, and internet and social media companies.

Program Curriculum

The program provides technical experiences in the creation of digital moving images, electronic journalism, audio technology, as well as the fundamentals of researching, reporting, and writing, across many media platforms. The project-based curriculum is structured to develop creative capacities in both individual and group work, foster critical thinking, and cultural awareness, helping to prepare students to live in today's multi-faceted society.

Required Communications Courses

• BDST 6: Intermediate Television production: studio (3 credits)
• BDST 11: Production Essentials: Audio (3 credits)
• CIN 6: Basic Motion Picture Production (3 credits)
• CIN 12: Basic Editing and Sound (3 credits)
• CMA 10: Media Law and Ethics (3 credits)
• COMM 1: Cross-Media Communications: Introduction to Critical Models (3 credits)
• COMM 2: Research Methods (3 credits)
• JOU 3: Basic Reporting (3 credits)
• JOU 5: Writing for Radio, TV and Web (3 credits)
• PR 2: Writing and Editing for Public Relations I (3 credits)
• BDST 30: Producing: Concept to Audience (3 credits)
• PR 38: Social Media Tools (3 credits)

Required Writing Course

Choose one (3 credits) from the following:

• JOU 4: Beat Reporting (3 credits)
• CIN 9: Screenwriting I (3 credits)

Required Production Course

Choose one (3 credits) from the following:

• BDST 46: Web Video Production (3 credits)
• CIN 24: Video Documentary Workshop II (3 credits)

Communications Electives

Choose two (6 credits) from the following:

• BDST 4: Digital Audio Production (3 credits)
• BDST 25: Intermediate Television: Field Production (3 credits)
• CIN 4: Major Figures in the Cinema (3 credits)
• COMM 87: Internship (3 credits)
• JOU 20: Photojournalism (3 credits)
• JOU 52: Interviewing Skills for Media (3 credits)
• PR 36: Marketing for Media (3 credits)

Communications Capstone Requirements

• COMM 91: Capstone I (3 credits)
• COMM 92: Capstone 2 (3 credits)

Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

The program is designed to meet the following ILOs:

• ILO 1: Creative and Reflective Capacities
• ILO 2: Historical and Intercultural Awareness
• ILO 3: Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning
• ILO 4: Oral and Written Communication
• ILO 5: Information and Technological Literacies
• ILO 6: Critical Inquiry and Analysis
• ILO 7: Ethical Reasoning and Civic Engagement

ILO 1: Creative and Reflective Capacities

Courses that meet this ILO include:

• ART 101: Introduction to Art
• ART 105: Introduction to Beginning Drawing
• ART 106: 3D Visualization and Production
• ART 131: Pottery and Ceramic Sculpture I
• CIN/FIL 109: Screenwriting II
• CIN 111: History of World Cinema
• CMA 109: Media Arts and Technology
• DNC 108: History of Dance
• ENG 167: Creativity and Nature
• ENG 182: Introduction to Creative Writing
• ENG 183: Creative Non-Fiction
• JOU 110: Journalism, Media and You
• MA 109: Media Arts and Technology
• MUS 101: Introduction to Musical Concepts
• MUS 102: Music Fundamentals
• MUS 110: Introduction to World Music
• PHI 172: Philosophy and the Mind
• SPE/ORC 105: Public Speaking
• THE 100: Introduction to Drama
• THE 111: The Art of Theatre
• THE 143: Shakespeare in Performance
• THE 193: Theatre Research/Performance

ILO 2: Historical and Intercultural Awareness

Courses that meet this ILO include:

• History:
  • HIS 100: American Civilization to 1877
  • HIS 101: Perspectives on Premodern World History
  • HIS 102: Perspectives on Modern World History
  • HIS 108: American Civilization since 1877
• Intercultural Awareness:
  • ANT #: Any Anthropology Course
  • ART 104: Introduction to Visual Arts
  • CIN 105: The Art of Documentary
  • ENG 115: Global Literatures
  • ENG 132: Shakespeare
  • ENG 158: American Literature
  • FRE 111: Introduction to French I
  • FRE 112: Introduction to French II
  • GGR 102: Geography and the Global Citizen
  • HIS 144: Topics in Asian History
  • HIS 157: Topics in Latin American History
  • ITL 111: Introduction to Italian I
  • ITL 112: Introduction to Italian II
  • MUS 103: Music in Western Civilization
  • MUS 146: History of Hip Hop
  • MUS 147: History of Rock Music
  • MUS 159: History of Country Music
  • PHI 170: Philosophies of Love and Sex
  • POL 150: International Relations
  • POL 161: Introduction to Comparative Politics
  • SPA 111: Introduction to Spanish I
  • SPA 112: Introduction to Spanish II
  • SOC 103: Gender and Sexual Diversity
  • SOC 135: Global Cultures
  • SOC 165: Culture and Society
  • SPE 100: Oral Communication
  • THE 142: Modern Theatre History

ILO 3: Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning

Courses that meet this ILO include:

• Scientific Reasoning:
  • AST 109/109A: Introductory Astronomy I
  • AST 110/110A: Introductory Astronomy II
  • BIO 120/120L: General Biology I
  • BIO 124/124L: Foundations of Biology I
  • BIO 125/125L: The Science of Sustainability
  • BIO 126/126L: DNA and Human Life
  • BIO 137/137L: Human Anatomy and Physiology I
  • CHM 101/101L: Chemistry for Health Science I
  • CHM 103/103L: Principles of Chemistry I
  • ERS 101/101L: Weather and Climate
  • ERS 102/102L: Planet Earth
  • ERS 103/103L: Oceanography
  • ERS 125/125L: Environmental Sustainability Science
  • FSC 100/100L: Introduction to Forensic Chemistry
  • PHY 103: University Physics I
  • PHY 104: University Physics II
  • PHY 120/120L: The Physical Universe
  • PHY 127/127L: Physics for Pharmacy
  • PHY 131/131L: General Physics I
  • PHY 131/131L: College Physics I
  • PHY 132/132L: General Physics II
  • PHY 132/132L: College Physics II
• Quantitative Reasoning:
  • MTH #: Any Mathematics Course

ILO 4: Oral and Written Communication

Courses that meet this ILO include:

• Written Communication:
  • ENG 110: Writing I Composition and Analysis
  • ENG 111: Writing II Research and Argumentation

ILO 5: Information and Technological Literacies

Courses that meet this ILO include:

• CGPH 126: Web Design for Everyone
• EDI 100: Contemporary Issues in Education
• ENG 148: Ideas and Themes in Literature
• ENG 173: Writing in the Community
• ENG 175: Writing in the Professions
• ENG 178: Writing in the Sciences
• HIS 107: Engaging the Past
• HIS 190: Research Problems in History
• POL 100: Research Problems in Political Science
• SOC 102: Social Problems
• SOC 148: Medical Sociology
• SOC 148: Sociology of Health and Illness

ILO 6: Critical Inquiry and Analysis

Courses that meet this ILO include:

• ENG 103: Grammar and the Structure of English
• ENG 112: World Literatures I
• ENG 113: World Literatures II
• ENG 140: Introduction to Literature
• ENG 180: Literary Genres
• FRE 100: French Cinema
• GGR 101: The Geography of Sustainable Development
• HIS 104: Topics in American History
• HIS 120: Topics in Medieval History
• HIS 164: History of Gender and Sexuality
• HIS 167: History of Science and Technology
• PHI 100: Beginning Philosophy
• PHI 163: Philosophy of Art
• PHI 179: Social and Political Philosophy
• POL 147: Political Psychology
• POL 156: Diplomacy and Negotiation
• PSY 103: General Psychology
• PSY 111: Psychological Perspectives on Teaching and Learning
• SOC 100: Introduction to Sociology
• SOC 112: Gender, Race and Ethnicity
• SOC 126: Sociology of Gender
• SOC 161: Sociology of Sport

ILO 7: Ethical Reasoning and Civic Engagement

Courses that meet this ILO include:

• ART 177: High Impact Art
• CIN/FIL 103: Major Forces in the Cinema
• ECO 101: Microeconomics
• ECO 102: Macroeconomics
• ENG 150: Empathy and Literature
• HIS 116: History of Race and Society
• HIS 158: History of Politics and Power
• PHI 105: Bioethics
• PHI 113: Philosophy and Film
• PHY 178: Ethics and Society
• POL 101: Introduction to Political Science
• POL 102: Introduction to American Politics
• POL 123: Political Parties and Public Opinion
• SOC 108: Sociology of Youth
• SOC 109: Social Movements and Change
• SOC 110: Human Rights and Social Justice
• SOC 119: Sociology of the Family
• SOC 122: American Social Problems/Global Context
• SPA 105: The Hispanic World

Academic Programs

The George Polk School of Communications offers the following academic programs:

• BFA Acting for Theatre, Film & Television
• BFA Broadcasting
• BA Communications
• BS Communications
• BFA Film
• BFA Film & Television
• BA Journalism
• BFA Journalism
• MFA Creative Writing and Publishing

Campus Locations

The university has two campus locations:

• Brooklyn Campus: 1 University Plaza, Brooklyn, NY 11201
• Post Campus: 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville, NY 11548