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International Media & Communications (IMC)
In our Age of Information, communications and media, driven by new technology, are more integral and vital in international affairs than ever before. Advanced forms of communication like the Internet facilitate the exchange of information so necessary as globalization grows; and the media influence national and international policy-making as well as report the news of world affairs.
Running the huge and pervasive global communications and news systems effectively requires educated, skilled and trained personnel. This need is recognized by the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), which has developed the only structured, two-year graduate program of International Media and Communications (IMC) in a U.S. university. The program takes full advantage of its affiliation with academically prestigious Columbia University, and its location in New York City, the communications, media, business and cultural capital of the world.
The IMC Concentration prepares students for a variety of media-related careers: print and electronic journalism; online and new media technology; information positions in government and international agencies, media functions in non-profits and NGOs; magazine and book publishing; advertising and public relations; telecommunications; media management; media and communications law.
Dual Degree with Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism
Students who are interested in a career in journalism and want to write on international affairs may want to explore the option of a dual degree with the journalism school. This two-year degree combines the rigorous demands of SIPA’s MIA program with the world-class journalism education provided by Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Students in the dual-degree program graduate with a strong grounding in the SIPA curriculum as well as the writing, reporting and new media skills taught at the School of Journalism. .
Entry into the dual-degree program requires applying to both SIPA and the Journalism School. Dual degree students have to fulfill the core requirements of both programs.