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Visual Communications B.A.

Study visual communications from a multidimensional perspective, with tracks in photography, graphic design and cinematography.
Visual communications student looks at work.
Visual communications student looks at work.

About this Program

  • Learn in a program that encourages students to let their passions drive their focus and academic path.
  • Take the first step to pursuing your career goals in an environment that fosters the individuality of students and their voices and vision.
  • Develop your skills in professional settings through internships in Syracuse and across the world during the summer.
  • Enhance your skills with electives like virtual reality or video editing, or learn more about advertising, public relations or magazine and digital journalism.
  • Build your career network with successful alumni who regularly visit campus, offer their time to talk about working in the industry, and share internship and job leads.
  • Gain practical experience at student-run media organizations, where you can design websites, shoot and edit photos and videos or explore other interests in creative storytelling.

Program Information

Degree Type

Major

Outcome

B.S.

Modality

In-person

College or School

Career Path

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S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

The Newhouse School is more than just the nation’s leading communications school. It's where passionate young minds go to discover what they can become—communicators, storytellers, leaders and innovators.
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Curriculum

The visual communications program offers four tracks: cinematography, commercial and advertising photography, design, and editorial photography and photojournalism.

The cinematography track focuses on lighting, lensing, composition, movement, crew management, color science and photochemistry.

The commercial and advertising photography track covers the areas of advertising, commercial, fashion, portraiture and illustration photography for print and digital publications.

The design track emphasizes problem-solving, storytelling, design thinking and a human-centered approach to design.

The editorial photography and photojournalism track focuses on documentary storytelling and visual journalism across all genres with an emphasis on building foundational, technical and creative skill sets.

Extracurricular Opportunities

Experiential learning opportunity

Fall Workshop

The Fall Workshop brings top professionals from around the world together with our faculty to challenge students to identify, observe and artfully communicate the core of who we are and the issues we face in everyday life. In the process, students learn to better use still photography, audio, video, motion graphics, design and words to become exceptional storytellers who engage the community.

Learn more about this program

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