School of Communication Fact Sheet
About the School of Communication
Established under the leadership of former New York Times education writer and Pulitzer Prize winner Dr. Benjamin Fine, Point Park University's Department of Journalism and Mass Communication officially became the School of Communication in fall 2009. The School of Communication distinguishes itself as a program rooted in hands-on learning opportunities and faculty with real-world experience.
Some Key Achievements:
- Launch of the region's first graduate program in journalism and communications in 1981.
- Investment in a $2.5 million television studio and control room.
- The Innocence Institute of Point Park University, which has ceased operations as of academic year 2012-2013, provided educational training in investigative reporting and examined wrongful convictions in western Pennsylvania and the surrounding region.
- Launch of U-View, Point Park's student-run news and entertainment television network, February 2007.
- The Point Park News Service, started in 2005, is a wire service operated by faculty and students, which allows student articles to be distributed for publication through newspapers, web sites and broadcast outlets.
- Wood Street Communications, started in 2014, provides students the opportunity to work with local nonprofits seeking assistance with communications services.
- Center for Media Innovation, an integrated, 4,000-square-foot, New York City-style media facility opened in 2016.
Website
www.pointpark.edu/communication
Enrollment (Fall 2023)
Undergraduate: 264
Graduate: 34
Bachelor of Arts Degrees
- Broadcasting (choose a concentration in broadcast reporting or broadcast production)
- Digital Journalism
- Multimedia (choose a concentration in production or visual communication)
- Public Relations, Advertising and Social Media (also offered fully online)
- Social Media Management (degree completion program)
- Sports Communication
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degrees
- Graphic and Interactive Design
- Photography
Fast-Track Programs
The M.A. in PR, advertising and social media program is available to students majoring in: broadcasting, digital journalism, multimedia, photography and sports communication.
The fast-track programs with Rowland School of Business are available to students majoring in: broadcasting, digital journalism, multimedia, photography, public relations, advertising and social media and sports communication.
Master's Degrees
- Broadcasting, Sports Media, Documentary
- Multimedia (also offered fully online)
- Public Relations, Advertising and Social Media
- M.A./M.B.A. (in conjunction with the Rowland School of Business)
Certificate
- Social Media
Facilities
The Center for Media Innovation includes: TV and radio broadcast studios, photo studio, multimedia newsroom and a transformational presentation and gallery space.
Computer Classrooms include: a convergence newsroom, a producer's newsroom and Mac and PC multimedia labs.
Photojournalism facilities include: black and white, and color darkrooms and a digital photography lab
Radio Station WPPJ 670 AM includes: all digital production equipment and operation system
Television Studio
Our 24-by-72-foot professional-grade studio/sound stage features:
- 10-foot-high lighting grid
- Three Sony digital studio cameras (with teleprompters)
- Seamless two-wall hard cyclorama
- Floor-to-ceiling green screen cyclorama
- Uniset system news desk with four different desk types
- Video/engineering control room featuring a state-of-the-art, eight mix effect Newtek Tricaster video switcher
- Live announcer's booth
- 24-channel audio board
- Routers that will patch any source into any destination
- Grommeted green-screen
Point Park Student Media
- Point Park News Service - A multi-class produced wire service
- The Globe - A student-run independent newspaper
- Wood Street Communications - Offers high-level public relations and advertising solutions to nonprofit organizations in the Pittsburgh area
- WPPJ Radio - A student-run independent radio station
- U-View - Point Park University Student Broadcast Network
- Ad Fed/PRSSA - Pre-professional student chapters of nationally recognized American Advertising Federation and Public Relations Society of America
Faculty
Bernie Ankney, Ph.D., dean
Christopher Rolinson, M.F.A., chair of faculty, School of Communication
Jenna Lo Castro, Ph.D., director, School of Communication Graduate Programs
Thom Baggerman, Ph.D.
Robin Cecala, Ph.D.
Aimee-Marie Dorsten, Ph.D.
Camille Downing, M.A.
Tatyana Dumova, Ph.D.
Heather Starr Fiedler, Ph.D.
April Friges, M.F.A.
Daud Isa, Ph.D.
Robert Meyers, M.F.A.
Ben Schonberger, M.F.A.