Unique Features

A One-of-a-Kind Approach to Scholarship and Practice

Intellectual Rationale and Curriculum Philosophy

The Master of Professional Studies in Branding and Integrated Communications (BIC) is a 36-credit program. Graduate students will be required to take four foundational courses to anchor themselves in the core principles of branding and integrated communication (12 credits). To deepen their expertise in a single area, students are required to take three additional courses in one of three specialization tracks: Advertising Management/Planning, Advertising Concepting/Copywriting/Art Direction, and Corporate Communications/Public Relations (9 credits). Students can also select from a number of electives that will be offered at various times throughout the four-semester sequence or from the other specialization tracks (9 credits). Students can deepen their specialization knowledge from existing graduate level courses in fine arts, humanities, engineering, and the social sciences at CCNY or at other marketing programs within CUNY, such as the one at Baruch.  The program culminates in two required Convergence Workshops that are modeled on an agency experience and designed to replicate the branding and integrated communication process (6 credits).

Because of the growing importance of presentation and visualization in the communications field, all studnets will be required to defend a Senior Thesis in the form of a printed and electronic portfolio, which must be presented to a faculty committee and council of industry professionals after completing their Convergence Workshop Practicum.

Independent Projects: 

In order to explore topics not covered in class, there will be a Thesis Topic open to all students each semester; top projects are presented to entire program with juries to select winners and possibly published in a scholarly or trade journal.

Student Driven Learning:

Independent, facilitated lab sessions throughout the semester will give students access to tutorials (such as Lynda.com) which will allow students to go deep into their own areas of interest while providing "over-the-shoulder" assistance by experts in design, technology, writing, presentation, etc.

Professional Development:

Seminars on the finer points of professional development will be offered as additional seminars and workshops. Topics will include digital technology, project & digital management, trend forecasting, professional development (interviewing, resume writing, business cards, etc.), etc. All students must attend at least one NYC based Communications Conference each year and demonstrate acquired knowledge.

Corporate Partnerships:

All students will be involved in at least one workshop practicum that is sponsored by a corporation that funds a real life project, giving students hands-on industry experience.

Mentoring:

Proximity to midtown Manhattan and many major communications corporations allows for students to connect to industry professionals. Course projects and a yearly mixer will encourage such relationships.

Industry Critique and Presentation:

In addition to having major critique and presentation components incorporated into nearly every course, students will have their portfolio juried by industry panelists.

Project-centric Practicums:

These focus on a single, semester-long client in which students from each track will be able to apply their specialization to a collaborative project.

Experience in the Not-for-Profit Sector:

Before graduating, students must dedicate a semester to working on an integrated communications advocacy campaign for a non-profit organization.

Internships:

As evidenced by our undergraduate program, internships offer invaluable work experience for students making them more employable upon graduation. Students may take one internship for credit as one of their electives.

Located in the media communications capital of the world, the BIC MPS program reinforces City College's commitment to innovation, scholarship, and leadership. At a time when global, digital, and more immersive -- even tactile -- communications are rapidly evolving, BIC seeks to urgently examine and shape the new cross-disciplinary challenges of creating and managing brand identity in ways that not only benefit the bottom line, but add value to society.