School of Communication, Media and the Arts

Julie Pretzat, Dean
601 Culkin Hall • 315-312-2285
www.oswego.edu/communication-media-and-the-arts/

The School of Communication, Media and the Arts is unique in the State University of New York system because it brings together the traditional fields of the fine and performing arts with the exciting opportunities related to the modern media and communication fields. The School of Communication, Media and the Arts creates distinct areas of excellence in fields related to communication and the arts. Students can focus on a specific major while exploring the interdisciplinary and communicative nature of all art forms. The goals of the school are to provide opportunities to study both theoretical and practical aspects of a specific discipline while retaining the benefits of a liberal arts education and to engage students with authentic learning opportunities.

The school combines the strengths of nationally accredited programs in art and design, music, and theatre with the exciting, highly diverse departments of cinema and screen studies and communication studies. Students enjoy the opportunity to study specific programs in the traditional arts as well as broadcasting and mass communication, human communication, public relations, graphic design, interaction design, journalism, theatre design and technology, and digital media, digital film production, screen writing, and film, history, theory, and criticism. We also offer students an opportunity to explore new interdisciplinary fields that develop organically out of the growing trends in media convergence, artistic performance and communication interconnections. Facilities are state-of-the-art, co-curricular activities enhance the student’s opportunity to develop real world skills, and studio/lab classes are small to ensure that students receive the necessary mentoring to succeed.

As digital media, performance, entertainment, and communication continue to evolve, the School of Communication, Media and the Arts offers innovative programs of study for students to tell their story through the medium of their choosing. The school offers programs that foster experiential and interdisciplinary learning. We encourage collaborative work, creative expression and innovation.

In addition to our many major programs the school participates in a wide variety of interdisciplinary minors including Arts Management, Peace and Conflict Studies, Expressive Arts Therapy, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Audio Design and Production, Sports Studies and Gender and Women’s Studies.

Nationally Recognized Program Majors

Alumni from the various programs have found success at the regional, national and international level, often attaining prominence in their fields.

Programs in theatre, music and art and design are fully accredited. The Department of Art and Design is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, while the Department of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. The Theatre Department is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theater.

The Cinema and Screen Studies Department offers a rigorous course of study in the history, theory and criticism of drama — as well as new and pre-cinematic screen media — combined with a four-course sequence in screen-writing and digital film production.

The Communication Studies Department offers degree programs in communication, broadcasting and mass communication, journalism, and public relations. Communication studies and the interdisciplinary journalism program generally follow recommendations of the various national academic organizations regarding their specific content areas.