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Kent State’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication will be known as the School of Media and Journalism, effective July 1, 2020. The university’s Board of Trustees approved the name change at its meeting June 3, 2020.

The School’s four undergraduate majors — advertising, digital media production, journalism and public relations — will remain the same. The School also offers a Master of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.

“Media” is one word that encompasses all of the School’s programs. High schoolers surveyed associated the word “media” with news, apps, social media platforms, information and communication. The School teaches how to produce media in all of those forms and on all of those platforms — and more.

“The name change to the School of Media and Journalism will assist us in marketing our programs and connecting students with current career opportunities in our fields,” said Professor Jacqueline Marino. “The name of the School will now reflect current terminology and language used in our fields. ... ‘Media’ reflects what we do as a School, and high school students will recognize that when they are choosing their future college.”

The School of Media and Journalism is one of five schools that make up the College of Communication and Information: the School of Communication Studies, School of Visual Communication Design, School of Information and School of Emerging Media and Technology (effective July 1; formerly the School of Digital Sciences).

There will be no changes to the administrative reporting structure for the School of Media and Journalism. Dr. Emily Metzgar, currently director of Undergraduate Studies at Indiana University’s Media School, will assume the role of Director on July 1.