Spanning a wide variety of class types and majors, the study of broadcasting can be found in some form at just about any college or university in the US. Sometimes, even knowing what to look for in a top-notch broadcasting school may not narrow down your options to a manageable amount of schools.
Broadcasting in the US encompasses a huge variety of skills. From technical proficiency to on-camera presence, field research to newsreel editing, and mass media theory to web expertise, American broadcasting schools may not meet all the criteria that international students require of a good broadcasting education. Here is a short list of the absolute best schools at which to study all aspects of the exciting field of broadcasting.
The University of Southern California
Boasting elite communications and cinematic arts schools, the University of Southern California in Los Angeles offers everything you could possibly need to study broadcasting in the US. USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism is the place for international students to start, offering three undergraduate majors including journalism and communications. The journalism major itself is broken down into concentrations on Print and Digital Media and Broadcasting and Digital Media, meaning that international students will study online content and then their choice of either written or broadcasted communication. A degree in communications, on the other hand, allows a broader, more theoretical mode of study with options for minors that combine communications education with other disciplines such as film and law. Either way, Annenberg undergrads will gain an excellent all-around broadcasting education from a faculty of experienced professionals.
Annenberg also offers a variety of graduate degrees, many of which are highly specialized to suit students who are already experienced in the field and looking for more specific training than available at most American broadcasting schools. There are specific master's degrees in “specialized journalism,” which aims to help students master a certain field of reporting, and “arts journalism,” an innovative major exploring the cutting edge of the journalism field. Even the “journalism” master's program is divided into five focused tracks: long-form video, news video, audio, text, and digital.
In addition, USC offers multiple print, radio, television, and web organizations for students to gain experience; the world-class School of Cinematic Arts for those interested in the entertainment side of broadcasting; and a location right in the middle of one of the country's premier cities. This all makes USC one of the top destinations for broadcasting in the US.
New York University
Way over on the other side of the country is another of the best American broadcasting schools, New York University in New York City. NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies offers an undergraduate degree in Digital Communications and Media. In addition to an excellent, comprehensive curriculum, this major requires seniors to complete either an internship or a detailed final project and offers concentrations in Interactive Media and Time-Based Media. The Interactive Media concentration focuses on the ever-developing field of mobile and web-based content, while Time-Based Media offers a more traditional study of video, broadcast, and interactive media production and post-production. Indeed, one of NYU's biggest advantages over other American broadcasting schools is the sheer amount of varied broadcasting options built right into its program.
Expanding these options even further is the School of Continuing and Professional Studies' myriad of graduate and certificate offerings. Broadcast-relevant master's programs include the M.S. in Publishing: Digital and Print Media and the M.S. in Advanced Digital Applications, a uniquely specific degree that can help students interested in design and animation learn how to integrate those passions into a broadcast setting. The certificate programs are meant to further sharpen the expertise of a working professional in such disciplines as Cinematography, Online Content Producing, Post-Production Editing, and dozens more.
Given its excellent curriculum, staff, and equipment – including the full resources of the elite film school within the Tisch School of the Arts – New York University sets itself apart as another elite broadcasting school.
Northwestern University
Halfway between Los Angeles's USC and New York's NYU is Northwestern University, located just outside of Chicago in Evanston, Illinois. Northwestern's clout in the broadcasting world comes largely from its outstanding Medill School of Journalism, Media, and Integrated Marketing Communications. Starting right away in freshman year, Medill's journalism majors are exposed to the basics of reporting and writing for all media, the specifics of web-based journalism, and business and ethics in 21st century journalism. From there the curriculum gradually broadens to allow students to specialize in their field of choice, including the broadcasting side of journalism.
But Medill isn't the only way to study broadcasting at Northwestern. Both the School of Continuing Studies and the School of Communications offer various undergraduate and graduate degrees covering diverse approaches to broadcasting such as the undergraduate major in Radio/Television/Film and the graduate degree in Media, Technology, and Society.
Northwestern University offers prospective broadcasting students a phenomenal journalism school as well as a wealth of other ways to study broadcasting, making it another great school for broadcasting in the US.
These schools listed certainly aren't the only ones worthy of your attention in your hunt for a great broadcasting education, but they are among the best. Take a look and see if either USC, NYU, Northwestern, or Ohio Center looks like the right school for you!
Broadcasting Programs
Visit the Study in the USA School search to find schools that offer programs of study in Broadcasting.
