The NYU Department of Media, Culture, and Communication is at the forefront of innovative scholarship and teaching. Our research and curriculum emphasize the study of global media and culture, digital media and new technologies, media history, media theory, visual culture, sound studies, media infrastructures, race and gender, media activism, and political communication. Grounded in the liberal arts and social sciences, MCC’s program trains agile researchers, able to think critically from diverse perspectives about changing industries, technologies, and cultures.

What is media and communications?

Media and communications degrees cover the history and effects on society of various forms of media as well as the way that they can be used to communicate different messages.

Such courses may draw on elements from the social sciences and the humanities but the core focus remains mass communication and communication studies.

New York University, Department of Media, Culture & Communication Overview

Several guiding principles shape the creative and critical intellectual projects of the Department of Media, Culture, & Communication at New York University, whether expressed in research, teaching, or mentoring: 1) A commitment to interdisciplinarity in the study of media and culture. Scholars and doctoral students in the department engage with theoretical concepts and perspectives from a range of academic disciplines and fields of study, including media studies, cultural studies, communication, media history, visual culture, sound studies, anthropology, sociology, political science, and so on, in order to deploy interdisciplinary strategies of analysis. Our approach is based on the principle that the most challenging questions of our times, in relation to the study of media, technology, and culture, cannot be examined from the perspective of any single academic discipline; 2) A multi-methodological approach that draws on a diverse array of research methods in media and cultural analysis, including audience studies, semiotics, ethnography, discourse analysis, political/cultural economy, content analysis, and other interpretive and critical approaches; 3) A historical perspective that situates the study of media, technology, and culture within historical contexts, comparative historical research, media archaeology, genealogy, and media history; and 4) A global, comparative approach in relation to cultural differences, media forms, historical frameworks, and theoretical paradigms.  Association of American Universities MemberCarnegie “Doctoral University: Very High Research Activity”Communication doctorates conferred between 2010-19: 63

Areas of Study

• Critical Theories of Media & Communication
• Global & Transcultural Studies
• Media Institutions & Politics
• Technology & Society
• Visual Culture & Sound Studies

Rankings

QS World University Rankings—Communication & Media Studies 

• #16 of 200 World Universities (tie for #16)

URAP University Rankings—Language, Communication & Culture 

• #17 of 300 World Universities

Admission Requirements 

• The application form and fee (major code: MCCD).
• A brief essay (2 – 3 pages single-spaced or 4 – 5 pages double-spaced) on the research area/topic you expect to pursue, your background preparation for advanced work in that area/topic, and some of the scholars whose work in that area has shaped your thinking (this is the statement of purpose/personal statement).
• A copy of your Master’s thesis, or comparable evidence of sustained intellectual inquiry/writing you have done, preferably in the area in which you expect to focus your advanced study.
• Three letters of recommendation from persons in a position to assess your qualifications for advanced study and research.
• A résumé of your academic and professional experience.
• Transcripts.
• GRE scores (General Test, institution code 2556, no departmental code required).
• English Profeciency Test Scores

Graduate Faculty 

• Professor Arjun Appadurai, Ph.D., University of Chicago
• Professor Rodney Benson, Ph.D., University of California
• Professor Deborah Borisoff, Ph.D., New York University
• Assistant Professor Finn Brunton, Ph.D., University of Aberdeen
• Associate Professor Paula Chakravartty, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin
• Associate Professor Lily Hope Chumley, Ph.D., University of Chicago
• Professor Stephen Duncombe, Ph.D., City University of New York
• Professor Allen Feldman, Ph.D., New School for Social Research
• Professor Alexander Galloway, Ph.D., Duke University
• Associate Professor Brett Gary, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
• Professor Lisa Gitelman, Ph.D., Columbia University
• Professor Radha S. Hegde, Ph.D., Ohio State University
• Associate Professor Ben Kafka, Ph.D., Stanford University
• Associate Professor Ted Magder, Ph.D., York University
• Associate Professor Charlton McIlwain, Ph.D., University of Oklahoma
• Professor Mark Crispin Miller, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University
• Associate Professor Mara Mills, Ph.D., Harvard University
• Professor Nicholas Mirzoeff, Ph.D., University of Warwick
• Assistant Professor Kelli Moore, Ph.D., University of California-San Diego
• Associate Professor Susan Murray, Ph.D., University of Texas
• Assistant Professor Laine Nooney, Ph.D., Stony Brook University
• Associate Professor Juan Pinon, Ph.D., Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana
• Professor Arvind Rajagopal, Ph.D., University of California
• Associate Professor Erica Robles-Anderson, Ph.D., Stanford University
• Associate Professor Martin Scherzinger, Ph.D., Columbia University
• Associate Professor Natasha Schüll, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
• Associate Professor Nicole Starosielski, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara
• Professor Marita Sturken, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz
• Associate Professor Helga Tawil-Souri, Ph.D., University of Colorado
• Assistant Professor Angela Xiao Wu, Ph.D., Northwestern University
• Assistant Professor James Wahutu, Ph.D., University of Minnesota

NCA Awards to Faculty and Students, 2000-present

• Charles Woolbert Research Award, 2017

How We Rank: Our Latest Honors

NYU Steinhardt’s programs, faculty, and alumni receive national and global recognition across the fields of education, communication, health, and the arts.

National Rankings

#6 Best Education Graduate School

Occupational Therapy

U.S. News & World Report Best Occupational Therapy Graduate Schools

Education Specialties

U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Education Schools for Education Policy, Education Psychology, and Student Counseling.

College Magazine

Top 10 Schools for Aspiring Musicians

Billboard

Top Music Business Schools

The Hollywood Reporter

Top 25 Music Schools for Composing for Film and TV

International Rankings

Times Higher Education World University Rankings

Ranked out of 1,500+ universities worldwide.

Academic Ranking of World Universities

Ranked out of 1,000 universities worldwide.

QS World University Rankings

Ranked out of 1,000+ universities worldwide.

#6 out of 100 universities worldwide for Performing Arts

#7 out of 220 universities worldwide for Communication and Media Studies

#41 out of 350 universities worldwide for Education and Training

What jobs can you get with a media and communications degree?  

Graduates with a media and communications degree have a variety of career paths available to them. Many graduates follow a career centre stage or behind the scenes due to their deep understanding of audiences. 

Some common careers for media and communications graduates include:  

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• Brand strategist 
• Content marketing manager 
• Editor 
• Event planning 
• Human resources manager 
• Journalist 
• Marketing coordinator 
• Copywriter 
• News anchor 
• Product marketing manager 
• Public relations 
• Reporter 
• Social media manager 
• TV presenter 
• Web producer