Amy Falkner, Dean

Rob Gearhart, Associate Dean

Melodye MacAlpine, Associate Dean

Mission

In the Roy H. Park School of Communications we continue to build on our tradition of blending and balancing liberal arts and professional, theoretical, and practical studies. We explore, create, and practice communication in its many forms, educating agile, adaptable thinkers, ethical professionals, and lifelong learners.

We meet this mission by:

Offering eight degree programs and nine minors, encompassing a wide range of opportunities in the field of communications. Students are immersed in their degree requirements from their first semester, studying with excellent teaching faculty, and engaged with fellow majors. Blending major and liberal arts requirements and electives. 

Providing experience both in and out of the classroom. In addition to experiential learning through classes providing opportunities for producing and writing in studios or labs, and with field equipment, our students are given access from their first semester to participate in our co-curricular organizations – our network of professionally mentored student media groups – which includes two radio stations, a television channel, a newspaper, a professional production unit, a creative athletics media team, and a promotions agency.  

Creating opportunity for students through the generous funding of two endowments. These funds create grants to support student research and production projects. They also contribute to the incredible facilities and equipment of the Park School, a resource that is available to students through courses and co-curricular activities from their first semester. This opportunity prepares students for the professional environments of internships and jobs. 

Introducing our students to the vast professional network of Park School alumni. With over 70 years of alumni impacting the field of communications, this network has perpetuated a pipeline of opportunities for Park School students. Park School alumni generously create many opportunities for internships and jobs for the next generation, not only in the traditional media capitals, but everywhere they apply their craft. 

Co-curricular Media Organizations

Creative expression and experimentation are strongly encouraged, and students are invited to participate in the school’s various student-operated media opportunities, including:

• radio stations WICB-FM and VIC;
• television cable access channel ICTV;
• the professional production unit, Park Productions;
• the campus newspaper, The Ithacan;
• The Studio, a student-led media production studio;
• Park Promotions, our student-powered promotions agency;
• and, Ithaca Athletics Creative Media, a collaboration with IC Athletics.

Professional Development

Students enrolled in the Roy H Park School of Communications (Park School) have multiple opportunities to network and meet professional mentors through coursework, events, workshops, conversational forums and multiple panel series hosted by the Park School Career Engagement Specialist and others. These opportunities help to make new connections, spark insights and build momentum within the Park School community with its allies to drive discussion around the industries and professions.

The Park School also boasts a diverse and expanding group of passionate alumni who participate as mentors, employers, and advisors to ensure every student gets an opportunity to volunteer, job-shadow, intern, freelance or engage in professional experiences during their academic career.

IC Handshake is more than just a job posting site—it’s a career services management tool designed just for students and alumni. This platform is maintained by Ithaca College Center for Career Exploration and Development and provides a great set of resources for students to tap into when seeking employment or internship opportunities while enrolled at Ithaca College and after graduation as alumni. 

All Park students are encouraged to join the School’s professional and alumni network on LinkedIn in the private group “IC Park Careers.” The group includes hundreds of Bombers who are willing to lend a helping hand, answer questions and share advice. 

facilities and equipment

Our students have access to a continuously updated inventory of professional media production and post-production equipment and facilities. With over $5 million in total assets housed in a 79 thousand square foot building, they can create and display their work using state-of-the-art television studios and sound stages with a fully equipped master control, a remote TV broadcast truck, audio, radio, and photography studios, 14 media labs and classrooms, multiple student workrooms and a 200 seat auditorium with 4K projection and a 7.1 sound system.

Managing our inventory of production equipment is the Park Portable Equipment Center. In PPECS, our students can find all levels of digital and film cameras, lighting, audio, and grip equipment all of which are dedicated for them to use on shoots for films, documentaries, video segments, journalistic reports, and a variety of media projects.

The Park School offers the following programs:

Department of Media Arts, Sciences, and Studies

• Television, Photography, and Digital Media - B.S.
• Film - B.F.A.
• Documentary Studies and Production - B.A.
• Writing for Film, Television, and Emerging Media - B.F.A.
• Minors in:
  • Animation
  • Audio Production for Television and Film
  • International Communications
  • Still Photography
  • Writing for Film, Television, and Emerging Media

Department of Strategic Communications

• Advertising, Public Relations, and Marketing Communications - B.S.
• Communications Strategy and Design - B.S.
• Minors in:
  • Communications Strategy and Design
  • Advertising, Public Relations, and Marketing Communications
  • Live Event Design and Management

Department of Journalism

• Journalism - B.A.
• Minor in Journalism

Interdisciplinary Programs

• Sports Media - B.S.

PARK PATHWAYS

Park Pathways provides students an alternative to applying directly into a specific Park School degree program, offering an opportunity to be admitted to the Park School and explore coursework across programs for up to three semesters before declaring their major. Students in the Park Pathways program enroll in the S'Park: Igniting Your Future in Communications course and those faculty become their Park Pathways advisors.

Supplies

Because the convergent nature of the communications discipline requires that all students have consistent access to a basic set of multimedia tools, entering students are required to acquire a laptop computer for use in their classroom and production work. Specifications about the required make and model and any required software is on each degree's web page and students are required to check this information before they arrive on campus. Students enrolled in certain courses may also be required to supply their own equipment and/or materials, including computer data storage media. In the Film and Television, Photography and Digital Media program students are expected to furnish their own DSLR or mirrorless design cameras for some still photography courses. Additionally, in some courses students must purchase materials such as photographic film and paper, motion picture film, and mounting board. Because of the large number of production courses, students may incur additional costs for materials.

Academic Policies

In addition to general College guidelines for academic standing, majors in the Roy H. Park School of Communications must meet the following requirements:

• All students at Ithaca College must complete the Integrative Core Curriculum (ICC).
• The regulations of the New York State Education Department require 60 credits in courses designated as liberal arts (LA) for the B.S., 90 credits for the B.A., and 30 credits for the B.F.A.
• Majors must take all required communications courses, and all outside courses applied to the major (including supplemental requirements) for a letter grade. The only exceptions are specially designated communications courses, which may be offered on a pass/fail basis, and internships, which are typically pass/fail. Credit for courses that a student has taken pass/fail and passed before becoming a major will be accepted. Credit for courses that a student has taken S/D/F before becoming a major will be accepted as long as the grade is Satisfactory.
• Majors are required to take a minimum of 12 credits each semester. Part-time status requires the approval of the associate dean and is usually granted only to seniors who lack fewer than the 12 credits required for graduation and to certain students of nontraditional age who are enrolled in approved majors.
• Majors are required to make up incomplete grades in communications courses by the end of the following semester, as required by the course instructor. Incompletes will not be given in production courses (a production course is any course that requires equipment to be checked out from the Park Portable Equipment Center).
• Students may be enrolled in only one major within the Roy H. Park School of Communications.
• A few courses offered in the Roy H. Park School of Communications may be taken twice with the permission of the instructor (these are specified in the course descriptions). However, even with the permission of the instructor, if there is not enough space to permit a student’s taking the class a second time, preference for registration in the course will be given to students who have not taken the course and who need it to stay on track for graduation.
• Total credit for workshop courses in the Park School may not exceed 8 credits, except for B.F.A. majors, who may not take more than 12 credits in workshop courses.
• Auditing laboratory or production courses is not permitted.
• In programs requiring concentrations, students should elect the concentration before registration for the first semester of their sophomore year. Several courses are available only to students with declared concentrations that require the course. A student may have only one concentration; the concentration most recently declared is the one in force.
• All proposed waiver-substitution forms must be submitted to the appropriate department chair or advisor before the last day of class of the semester before the student’s final semester. Requests submitted after that deadline may not be honored, which may delay the student’s graduation.
• Students enrolled in 1-credit minicourses are not permitted to add, drop or withdraw from the course within the three days before the course’s start date.
• Plagiarism — the use of work other than one’s own without proper citation or credit — is a serious offense. Penalties for plagiarism include failure on the assignment, failure in the course, and/or College academic discipline, which could mean suspension or dismissal from the College. Plagiarism can involve not only written work but also computer programs, photographs, artwork, films, videos, and sound. Students at all unsure about what constitutes plagiarism or how to give credit should see their instructor and consult the Ithaca College student handbook. For further information see also “Plagiarism” in the "Academic Affairs Information" section of this catalog. 

Individual departments and programs in the Park School have additional requirements, especially regarding internal and cumulative grade point averages. Students should refer to the department and program requirements for complete information.

Failure to meet any of the academic regulations of the College, school, or individual department or program will result in placement on academic warning, program suspension, or dismissal from the Park School, or suspension or dismissal from Ithaca College.

Academic Status

To remain in good academic standing, a student must meet the minimum cumulative 2.0 gpa (grade point average) and any other academic standards for their degree program under the catalog year in which they entered the degree program, unless a student elects to move to a different catalog year that occurs after the student entered the degree program. Students who do not earn the required minimum overall cumulative GPA will be placed on academic warning or suffer program suspension, program dismissal, or suspension or dismissal from the College. In the Park School a student need not be on academic warning for one semester before being suspended or dismissed from the program or from Ithaca College. Students who drop to part-time status (fewer than 12 credit hours in a semester) without written permission from the associate dean submitted on the appropriate form will be placed on hours warning.

Dean’s List

The dean’s list in the Roy H. Park School of Communications is made up of majors in each class who meet all the following criteria during the semester:

• a minimum semester GPA of 3.70
• completion of a minimum of 15 credits, of which at least 12 are graded, not pass/fail or Satisfactory/D/F option
• no final grades of D, F, or I (incomplete)

The dean’s list status, awarded each semester, is based on a student’s semester GPA rather than the cumulative GPA for all semesters the student has attended Ithaca College.

Academic Advising

All students in the Park School are assigned an academic adviser on entering their academic program. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisers each semester before registration and if they are planning to study abroad or in Los Angeles. Any change in a student’s academic plan, such as adding a minor or second major, should first be reviewed with that student’s academic adviser. A student may request to change their adviser by filling out a form available in the dean’s office.

Park students have an academic adviser assigned to them at all times, even if they are on academic warning, program suspension, or program dismissal. (Students who have been dismissed from their degree program in the Park School retain their academic adviser until they are accepted into another major at Ithaca College.) If a student’s academic adviser is on sabbatical, a leave of absence, or a medical leave of absence, or if they leave employment at the College, the student is assigned a new academic adviser. To verify the name of their academic adviser, students should check their online student information on HomerConnect or Degree Works. (www.apps.ithaca.edu)

Academic Opportunities

Internships

All departments and programs of the Park School make available internships in a variety of areas. Students intern in commercial, nonprofit, and government sectors. Internships are normally taken during a student’s junior or senior year, but first-year and sophomore students may apply for internship credit. Most internships are pass/fail. One internship credit represents 45 or more hours at the internship over the course of a semester.

Students may enroll in fall, spring, and summer session internships. A summer session internship requires an additional tuition payment beyond the regular academic year. Students may have a total of 12 internship credits, and no one internship may be taken for more than 8 credits without special permission from the deans office.

Information on discretionary internships, including policy and application, is available on the Park School website.

The satellite programs at Los Angeles, and London, U.K., have their own application processes and are administered separately.

Independent Study/Project

An independent study/project offers the student the opportunity to pursue historical, critical, empirical, and/or creative research in communications under faculty supervision. Areas of investigation are described in the course listings for each department. One credit of independent study/project requires 45 hours of faculty-supervised work, which is performed by the student outside of the classroom setting. Therefore, a 3-credit independent study will require a minimum of 135 hours of student work during a semester. An independent study/project is not permitted to supplement the work in another course; it is appropriate to serve as a substitution for a required course that a student is unable to take due to legitimate and verifiable circumstances, and if the student has no other options for taking the required course and staying on track for graduation. All independent studies/projects must be approved by the chair of the department in which they are offered and by the dean’s office.

London Program

The Park School participates in the London Center program through course offerings and selected internships. Students interested in studying at the London Center may obtain information from the Office of International Programs.

Singapore Communications Exchange

Juniors and seniors majoring or minoring in the Park School may participate in the academic program offered at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. In the exchange agreement, up to five students from the NTU School of Communications spend a semester at Ithaca College, and an equal number of Ithaca College students may attend classes, taught in English, in Singapore. For more information about the program, contact the Office of International Programs, 607-274-3306.

Minors

Communication plays an important role for students in a number of disciplines. To serve these students, the Park School offers several minor programs:

• The media arts, sciences, and studies department offers minors in animation; audio production; international communications; writing for film, television, and emerging media; and still photography.
• The strategic communication department offers minors in communication management and design; live event design and management; and advertising, public relations, and marketing communications
• A minor in journalism is offered in the journalism department.

Details of these programs, including enrollment restrictions, are given under the respective department listings.

The number of seats available for some minor programs may be limited. Students must apply to be accepted into a minor. 

Course Duplication

A course that fulfills a requirement for a student’s major and minor programs is counted toward the major. The Minor Coordinator determines whether the requirement is to be waived or how else it must be fulfilled. Course duplication will be considered an issue only when a required course is specified by number and title in both the major and minor.

Courses and Course Schedules

Students should consult the undergraduate course offerings (in Homer Connect) for specific information on the schedule of all courses for the semester. In addition to the courses listed in this catalog, others may be offered on an experimental basis. Descriptions of experimental courses, minicourses, selected topics courses, and other special offerings are available from the dean’s or department offices the week before registration begins each semester. (https://homerconnect.ithaca.edu/)

Transfer Policies

Transfer Credit after Matriculation at Ithaca College

Prior approval must be obtained on a petition-for-transfer-credit form, found on IC Workflow, for all transfers of both elective courses and courses proposed to substitute for requirements. No more than 12 transfer credits will be accepted for any summer session.

Transfer within the Park School

Students may apply for a change of major within the Park School after they have earned one semester’s worth of grades at Ithaca College. Students must complete the Change of Major form electronically at the Ithaca College Workflow website. After completion of the form, the applicant may receive a request for further information or to set-up an in-person interview. The internal transfer process is competitive, and students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 and be in good academic standing in order to apply for any of the majors offered in the Park School. Having the minimum cumulative GPA to apply for any major in the Park School does not guarantee admission.

Transfer from Other Schools at Ithaca College

Each year the Park School accepts a limited number of students from other schools at Ithaca College. Students must complete the Change of Major form electronically at the Ithaca College Workflow website. After completion of the form, the applicant may receive a request for further information or to set-up an in-person interview. Applications are reviewed each semester on a rolling basis. One semester of final Ithaca College grades is required. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 to apply for transfer to any degree program in the Park School. Having the minimum cumulative GPA to apply for transfer to a degree program in the Park School does not guarantee admission.

Transfer from Other Institutions

The Park School accepts a limited number of students from other accredited colleges and universities. For general information about transfer procedures and deadlines, see the “Transfer Students” in the Student Information section.

Credit Evaluations

If a student is considering applying to Ithaca College, the Park School Deans Office can provide an unofficial evaluation of transfer credits if the student sends copies of transcripts and course descriptions from previous coursework. Credit is granted for most college-level courses with a grade of C- or higher. Credit for internships, practicums, workshops, and independent study is generally not transferable into the Park School.

Any number of credits will be accepted, but the following requirements may mean that students will need more than 120 credits to graduate: Students must complete at least 48 credits at Ithaca College (including the London Center or the Los Angeles program) and must complete at least 50 percent of the required major credits at Ithaca College. After matriculation, transfer students must comply with the academic policies listed here and in the degree program descriptions.

Specific information about transfer student orientation is sent automatically to all matriculating students.

Ithaca College James B. Pendleton Center in Los Angeles

Stephen Tropiano, Professor and Director

The Park School offers an internship-centered, semester-long program in Los Angeles. The junior- and senior-year program is open to all majors and minors in the Park School. Students have the opportunity to intern at a wide variety of organizations in the fields of radio, television, cinema, photography, journalism, new media, public relations, advertising, and corporate and nonprofit communications. Los Angeles internships are for 6 to 8 credits in the fall and spring semesters only, and for 3 to 5 credits in the summer.

In addition to internships, ICLA offers courses that fulfill ICC requirements and required or elective courses for some Park School major or minor programs. All classes are held at the James B. Pendleton Center. Student housing is available through Kapi Residences, an independent company that contracts temporary, fully-furnished apartments in the immediate area. Tuition is the same as on the home campus, and housing costs are higher than on-campus housing costs in Ithaca.

The Los Angeles program allows students to experience the cultural diversity of the Los Angeles environment, gain real-world experience in the industry, and make valuable contacts with industry professionals, including many Ithaca College alumni.

Applications and additional information are available on the Los Angeles program website.

The following information is provided in compliance with California State Law:

1. "As a prospective student, you are encouraged to review this catalog prior to signing an enrollment agreement. You are also encouraged to review the School Performance Fact Sheet, which must be provided to you prior to signing an enrollment agreement."

2. “NOTICE CONCERNING TRANSFERABILITY OF CREDITS AND CREDENTIALS EARNED AT OUR INSTITUTION The transferability of credits you earn at (name of institution) is at the complete discretion of an institution to which you may seek to transfer. Acceptance of the (degree, diploma, or certificate) you earn in (name of educational program) is also at the complete discretion of the institution to which you may seek to transfer. If the (credits or degree, diploma, or certificate) that you earn at this institution are not accepted at the institution to which you seek to transfer, you may be required to repeat some or all of your coursework at that institution. For this reason you should make certain that your attendance at this institution will meet your educational goals. This may include contacting an institution to which you may seek to transfer after attending (name of institution) to determine if your (credits or degree, diploma or certificate) will transfer.”

3. "You must pay the state-imposed assessment for the Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) if all of the following applies to you: 1. You are a student in an educational program, who is a California resident, or are enrolled in a residency program, and prepay all or part of your tuition either by cash, guaranteed student loans, or personal loans, and 2.Your total charges are not paid by any third-party payer such as an employer, government program or other payer unless you have a separate agreement to repay the third party. You are not eligible for protection from the STRF and you are not required to pay the STRF assessment, if either of the following applies: 1.You are not a California resident, or are not enrolled in a residency program, or 2. Your total charges are paid by a third party, such as an employer, government program or other payer, and you have no separate agreement to repay the third party."

4. “The State of California created the Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) to relieve or mitigate economic losses suffered by students in educational programs who are 
California residents, or are enrolled in a residency programs attending certain schools regulated by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education. You may be eligible for STRF if you are a California resident or are enrolled in a residency program, prepaid tuition, paid the STRF assessment, and suffered an economic loss as a result of any of the following:

• The school closed before the course of instruction was completed.
• The school's failure to pay refunds or charges on behalf of a student to a third party for license fees or any other purpose, or to provide equipment or materials for which a charge was collected within 180 days before the closure of the school.
• The school's failure to pay or reimburse loan proceeds under a federally guaranteed student loan program as required by law or to pay or reimburse proceeds received by the school prior to closure in excess of tuition and other costs.
• There was a material failure to comply with the Act or this Division within 30 days before the school closed or, if the material failure began earlier than 30 days prior to closure, the period determined by the Bureau. An inability after diligent efforts to prosecute, prove, and collect on a judgment against the institution for a violation of the Act."

5. "Any questions a student may have regarding this catalog that have not been satisfactorily answered by the institution may be directed to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education at 2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95833 or P.O. Box 980818, West Sacramento, CA 95798-0818, www.bppe.ca.gov, (888) 370-7589 or by fax (916) 263-1897"

6. "A student or any member of the public may file a complaint about this institution with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education by calling (888) 370-7589 or by completing a complaint form, which can be obtained on the bureau's internet web site (www.bppe.ca.gov)."