Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the Goldring Arts Journalism Program and the Magazine-Newspaper-Online (MNO) major at Newhouse?
The Goldring program has a subject concentration – arts and culture - while the MNO program is more broadly focused on reporting and writing skills for newspapers, magazines and online. Also, while the MNO program is based solely at Newhouse, the Goldring program is a collaboration among four components of Syracuse University: the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Visual & Performing Arts, and the School of Architecture. This gives the arts journalism students access to an array of arts classes across the SU campus.

What kinds of classes could I take?
Some of the many courses Goldring students took in the past have included Film Theory & Criticism, Introduction to Museum Studies, Jazz Improvisation, Magazine Editing, Survey of Choral Literature, Critical Writing, Survey of Theater History, Walt Disney and Pop Culture, Play Analysis, Travel Writing, Ear Training, Advanced Reporting and Writing, Piano for Non-Majors, Photography for Newspaper and Magazine, Independent Studies in Graphics and Fine Arts, and many more.

What is the Newhouse Boot Camp?
Students accepted into the Goldring program will begin in July with the Newhouse Boot Camp experience. For arts journalism students, this intensive six-week program includes a course in Newswriting for half the week, and the Issues for Arts Journalists class for the remainder of the week. The Boot Camp Newswriting class has proven to be exceptionally valuable to students in refining journalism skills and being introduced to multi-media digital communications, in preparation for the more advanced classes that follow. Journalists with extensive professional newswriting experience may opt to take another class instead.

How will I decide what arts and journalism classes to take?
You will work with the program director and the faculty advisor in your declared subject area to identify your goals and create a curriculum that will meet your objectives. Some students may arrive with journalism experience and have a primary goal of learning about an art form; other students may come with expert knowledge in an art discipline but need journalism skills. A student interested in architecture, for example, may especially want to investigate urban planning and design; a musically oriented student may pursue opera or jazz. Another student may have graduated from a program in visual arts and want to take more courses in writing, criticism and reporting, or learn photography. There are many combinations possible with the flexible curriculum. Since the program is an unusual interdisciplinary collaboration among four schools at Syracuse University, there is an extraordinary range of options available, as well as support from a variety of faculty specialists in the fields of journalism and the arts.

What about rock and jazz music?
Classes in these areas are part of the curriculum at Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music, where a broad knowledge of many kinds of music is encouraged.

Why is there no dance concentration?
While Syracuse University has exceptional schools of architecture, film, fine arts, music and theater, and there is an excellent theater choreography area, there is no graduate component of classical or modern dance, which precluded including dance as a concentration.

Can I take studio classes, like acting, painting and singing?
A wide array of art history and theory courses are open to arts journalism students and can be very enriching. But studio class admissions are by audition only, just as they are for other graduate students. Admittance to studio classes at the graduate level is dependent on the demonstration of a particular skill (acting or musical proficiency, for example), which is not part of the admission process for the Goldring Arts Journalism program. Some arts journalism students may qualify for studio courses. If this is the case, talk to your advisors to make special arrangements.

What about television and radio?
Newhouse offers excellent courses in these areas in the Television/Radio/Film (TRF) Department, and Goldring alumni work currently at radio networks such as WNYC and Minnesota Public Radio, as well as at CNN. In addition, courses are available through the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture, directed by renowned popular culture commentator Robert Thompson, who is a Goldring faculty advisor.

Is financial aid available?
Thanks to a generous gift from arts patron and Syracuse University trustee Lola Goldring and her husband Allen, the program offers special financial aid for highly qualified students to help defray the cost of the degree.

Does Syracuse University provide any institutional funding for international students?
Unfortunately not. However, fellowship and scholarship money from the Goldring program is available for qualified international students.

Will I fit into this program?
The best way to get a sense of the kinds of students who are admitted to the program is to read the biographies of current and past Goldring arts journalists posted elsewhere on this site. This will give you an idea of the background and qualifications of successful candidates.

Can the GRE requirement be waived?
No. All requirements must be fulfilled for an application to be considered.

What is the typical GRE score and grade point average needed for admission requirements?
There are no typical scores for admission. Obviously higher is better but test scores and grades are taken into account as part of the whole picture. Your writing samples, recommendation letters, and personal essay are important components in showing that you are someone who will contribute to and benefit from this program.

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