Student Experience
At USC Annenberg, we are student-centered and industry-engaged as we advance the fields of communication, journalism and public relations.
All of us — faculty, staff, alumni, parents, industry partners, and your fellow students — are invested in supporting your unique pathway to success. Our extensive network in Los Angeles and beyond allows us to create connections that blend intellectual rigor and professional practice in ways that few can match.
You learn from our experienced faculty who bring their on-the-job experience and highly relevant expertise into our classrooms. You feel the energy and buzz from our wide array of speakers and guests across 350+ events each year. You engage with professionals in L.A. and cities around the globe through experiential learning, internship, research and mentorship opportunities that span the media and communications landscape.
Here, you’ll learn about the support and experiences you can draw on throughout your journey.
Shape your academic path
You work one-on-one with a dedicated academic advisor who helps you shape your path, building an academic plan that fits your goals. Our Advisement and Academic Services team will help you complete your degree requirements, but more importantly will help you grow as an independent thinker who contributes to the Trojan Family and makes an impact far beyond campus.
Learn beyond the classroom
Our career advisors help you connect your studies to real-world opportunities, using career insights and data to design a meaningful pathway that is uniquely yours. Participate in a rich array of on-campus programming, including career fairs, Industry Nights, and Lunch with a Leader events and immersive experiences like Career Treks, Maymesters, and the International Communication Studies program. And you activate what you’ve learned through internships, research, mentorship, and think tank courses that place you alongside industry innovators. Leveraging the USC Annenberg network, we connect you with the people and experiences that will empower you to lead across a rapidly evolving media and communication landscape.
Leverage our network
With opportunities such as our Seeing ME in the MEdia mentorship program and our Lunch with Leaders and event series, our student services team will connect you to the USC Annenberg Trojan Family while you earn your degree and begin your professional journey.
companies, employers, and industry partners
engaged with students through experiential learning programs and event opportunities within the last year.
industry relations events
each year, including series such as Lunch with a Leader and Industry Nights
USC Annenberg alumni
are ready to welcome and support you as part of the Trojan Family.
Expand your education globally
Take your education global by expanding your studies in communication, public relations and journalism through USC Annenberg’s study abroad programs. You’ll gain new perspectives through innovative coursework, service learning and internships with leading international partners in cities like London, Rome and Sydney. These programs are designed to help you build intercultural skills, grow your network, and prepare for a dynamic international career.
Participate in groundbreaking research
Our faculty and students collaborate on research projects that generate new knowledge and accelerate positive change across the fields of communication, journalism, public diplomacy, and public relations. Strengthen your career path and résumé by getting involved with centers such as the USC Center for Public Relations or the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, or by working with your adviser to take a directed research course with a faculty member whose research interests you share.
Create and collaborate in our media spaces
You’ll gain a real professional edge through hands-on experiences in the Media Center and Digital Lounge. You can step into a live newsroom, studio and production space to create stories for TV, radio, digital and social platforms — all with guidance from industry-experienced faculty. In the Digital Lounge, you can build creative and technical skills through workshops in design, coding, video, and emerging tools like generative AI. Together, these spaces let you put what you learn into action and prepare to lead and innovate in the fast-changing world of media and communication.
Explore student experiences
Pizza, Pixar and purpose
Andrea Fernandez Cruz reflects on the connections made and doors opened during the Bay Area Spring Break Immersion program.
Playing for real
Students gain real-world experience with sports media startup OffBall.
Turning insight into impact
Student researchers bridge creativity and analytics to tackle global challenges from climate change to inclusion in media.
Mentorship in action
Alumnus Michael Chavez Booth empowers students — especially first-generation scholars — to find their place and purpose in the media industry.
Pizza, Pixar and purpose
Andrea Fernandez Cruz reflects on the connections made and doors opened during the Bay Area Spring Break Immersion program.
Playing for real
Students gain real-world experience with sports media startup OffBall.
Turning insight into impact
Student researchers bridge creativity and analytics to tackle global challenges from climate change to inclusion in media.
Mentorship in action
Alumnus Michael Chavez Booth empowers students — especially first-generation scholars — to find their place and purpose in the media industry.