Newhouse DC Academics

This course provides students with the tools to understand the erosion of public trust in democratic governance and the media and the connections between the two, and a roadmap to earn and maximize their own credibility with the public. 
  
Using data, guest speakers, readings and individualized study, we’ll examine relationship between media coverage and the state of democracy — from elections to technology, sports, the military, race, gender, education and the workforce. We’ll study the ethical pressures and codes that shape political candidates, public officials, journalists, non-news broadcasters and PR practitioners — and the differences in expectations and obligations between each field. 

This course is an introduction to fundamental issues related to diversity and inclusion in the media industries as approached through the lens of specific topics, industries, and/or media products. This course will:  
Explain the concept of social identity and the role of media in the construction of social identities. 
Define and differentiate the relationship between stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, and such concepts including but not limited to racism and sexism. 
Define and apply the concepts of representation and symbolic annihilation, as well as relevant communication theories. 
Define and apply the concept of hegemony and its role in the production of messages. 
Describe and apply the concept of the intersectionality of identities and its relationship to media reception and production. 

Practical experience in the Washington, DC communications industry. Includes media-based internship along with required in-person classroom sessions, field trips and guest speakers. Students will receive an internship grade that is determined by the internship supervisor performance evaluation, one-on-one meetings, class assignments, journal, and final paper.  

In this class, we’ll explore the ways in which psychological processes influence political communication, as well as the ways that political events play into cognitive and emotional biases to persuade, motivate or discourage people. We will focus specifically on how psychology affects our ability to deliberate—to discuss politics with the intent to learn about others’ views or collaborate to generate policy solutions. We will also critically reflect on our own political knowledge and biases and how they play a role in communication and decision-making. 

This class will expose you to the elements of First Amendment and media-related law so as communications professionals or practicing journalists, you understand the legal implications of your work. Topics include defamation, privacy, newsgathering torts, access to court proceedings, confidential sources and open records.  Additional topics include commercial speech, broadcast regulation, copyright, obscenity, indecency, and the internet.

This is an advanced reporting course designed to equip broadcast, print, and online journalism students with the skills necessary to cover campaigns, elections, and public policy. In this newsroom experience, you will write, edit, and produce content on deadline. 
You will cover local, state, and national races and significant political events. 
You will generate original reporting and cover a political race of your choice based on class discussion. 
You will gain a new perspective on beat reporting and how to develop, research and pitch news stories, 
You’ll also understand the role of various elected government officials on the state and federal level. 

Master’s students will spend six weeks of their graduate program in Washington, D.C. During this capstone experience, they apply the hands-on and academic lessons they’ve learned from their previous semesters at another level.

Students cover Capitol Hill and the federal government as reporters for Nexstar television stations in markets as varied as Austin, Erie, Shreveport and Fort Wayne. As credentialed members of the Washington press corps, they develop, research, shoot, report and edit their own stories, which then air on their assigned stations’ newscasts. Students who are interested in producing the news work with a variety of organizations, such as CBS Newspath, Agence France Presse, NBC News, The Situation Room at CNN and the Cox News Washington Bureau.

Emphasize strategic public relations and social media writing; research, compose and develop multimedia content for social sharing, websites and other media for various purposes; respond to crisis situations within the social sphere; and develop an ePortfolio.  

Students learn the responsibilities of managing a public relations department in various organizational settings; historical and current management theories and practices are applied to the public relations function.

Have you ever viewed a press conference and wanted to jump into the debate?  Watched as spokespeople and journalists cross swords and wondered if the relationship is as pugnacious and adversarial as it seems?  This course takes students inside the professional relationship between spokespeople and journalists.  
 
Students will learn how these engagements are structured, how both journalists and spokespersons prepare for this professional function and how the relationship benefits the public, strengthens civic society and generates transparency, accountability and democracy.  
 
Skills include developing questions, preparing guidance and remarks, conducting press engagements, managing the behind-the-scenes relationship and understanding the ethos that drives both professions.  Professionals in both fields will add real-world experience.