UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media

What UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media does

UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media is a public academic unit within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, tracing journalism instruction at UNC to 1909 and formally established as the School of Journalism and Mass Communication in 1975, with public relations coursework dating to 1926. The school was renamed in 2020 following a transformative gift from John and June Hussman. It serves approximately 1,288 undergraduates across two areas of study (journalism and advertising/public relations) and 109 graduate students across M.A. programs in Journalism, Strategic Communication, Theory & Research, an online M.A. in Digital Communication (MADC), and a Ph.D. program, in addition to K-12 outreach via the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association and global study-abroad programs reaching 480+ Phillips Ambassadors since 2007.

The school's core offerings include degree programs, specialized research centers focused on local news sustainability, media law and policy, and technology and public life, and operational learning facilities such as the Curtis Media Center (broadcast and multimedia production) and the Park Library. Student-run sub-brands including Heelprint Communications, Carolina Week (television), and Carolina Connection (radio) function as applied-learning platforms. Curriculum and research increasingly integrate artificial intelligence, anchored by Assistant Professor Eva Zhao's AI-for-crisis-communication research, Knight Chair Marisa Porto's work on ethical AI in newsrooms, and a formal Statement of Generative Artificial Intelligence Principles. Strategic partnerships include the International Olympic Committee for student Olympic reporting since 2008 and VCU Brandcenter for access to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

Revenue is generated across four streams: tuition and fees (in-state and out-of-state rates set annually by the UNC Board of Governors), state appropriations through the UNC System, private donations and endowments (notably the Phillips Ambassadors endowment funding $7,000 Asia-study scholarships), and external research grants. Distribution runs through UNC undergraduate and graduate admissions, online programs, global programs, and K-12 outreach. The school does not publicly disclose its operating budget, and pricing follows the broader UNC-Chapel Hill tuition structure.

Name

UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media

Legal name

UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media

Website

https://hussman.unc.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media is a public journalism and media school within UNC Chapel Hill serving approximately 1,400 undergraduate and graduate students across journalism, advertising, public relations, and strategic communication programs, with industry-experienced faculty, Olympic reporting partnerships, and award-winning experiential learning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Journalism and Media Studies

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Media & Publications (Newspaper, Radio, TV) (EDALAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Higher Education Lecture Capture & Course Media (EDAGALAB), Media Center & Audiovisual Lending Operations (Equipment Checkout, Production Support) (EDAEAGAG)

Keywords

• Journalism education
• Media studies programs
• Strategic communication degree
• Public relations education
• Advertising academic programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chapel Hill

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, including out-of-state and in-state rates, program fees for specialized programs
2. State Funding: State appropriations from the State of North Carolina as part of UNC System public university funding
3. Private Donations and Endowments: Gifts from alumni and donors including the Phillips Ambassadors endowment and other scholarship funds
4. Research Grants: External funding from grants supporting faculty research in media, journalism, and communication

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in journalism, advertising, public relations, strategic communication, and media theory and research, supported by hands-on training in broadcast and multimedia production facilities. Programs are offered on-campus in Chapel Hill and online, with experiential learning through student-run media outlets, an Olympic reporting partnership with the IOC, and study abroad programs in Asia and Europe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Heelprint Communications: Student-run public relations agency
• Carolina Week
• Carolina Connection

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs (Journalism and Advertising/Public Relations) Two-year area of study undergraduate programs serving approximately 1,288 students in journalism and advertising/public relations, including foundational coursework, hands-on multimedia training, and student media participation.
• M.A. in Journalism On-campus master's degree program in journalism for students seeking advanced reporting, editing, and multimedia journalism training.
• M.A. in Strategic Communication On-campus master's degree program in strategic communication preparing students for careers in public relations, corporate communications, and strategic messaging.
• M.A. in Theory & Research On-campus master's degree program focused on media theory and research methods for students pursuing academic and research-oriented careers.
• M.A. Online (MADC) Fully online master's degree in digital communication designed for working professionals and remote learners seeking flexible graduate education in digital and strategic communication.
• Ph.D. Program Doctoral program training researchers and educators for academic careers in media, journalism, and communication.
• North Carolina Scholastic Media Association (K-12 Outreach) Outreach program serving North Carolina high school journalism educators and students through curriculum resources, teaching fellowships, and student media support.
• Phillips Ambassadors Program (Study Abroad in Asia) Study abroad program offering $7,000 scholarships to students studying in Asia, with over 480 participants since 2007.
• Curtis Media Center (Production Facility) Broadcast and multimedia production facility with multiple labs and classrooms (rooms 101, 201, 202, 204, 301, 302, 303) supporting hands-on media production training for students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8th consecutive national championship in collegiate journalism (2026)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VCU BrandcentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership through which UNC Hussman students attend Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Students from both institutions travel together to the French Riviera, attending workshops, panels, and networking events. This is VCU Brandcenter's Cannes Lions Festival Study Abroad Program course which gives undergraduate and graduate students course credit.
• City St George's, University of LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for students in MEJO 447: Media in the U.K. course. Students from UNC Hussman partner with faculty and students at City St George's to learn about global perspectives on communication messages and strategies.
• Carolina Asia CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhillips Ambassadors Program is a program of UNC's Carolina Asia Center, in association with the Study Abroad Office. The program encourages students to study abroad in Asia through scholarships and a unique Give Back component.
• Cannes Lions International Festival of CreativityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld's largest event celebrating excellence in creative communications, advertising and marketing. UNC Hussman students attend through VCU Brandcenter partnership, networking with industry professionals and attending workshops and award shows.
• International Olympic CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2008 Beijing Olympics, UNC Hussman has been sending students to cover the games as official reporters for the Olympic News Service. Students report directly for the IOC or as correspondents for North Carolina news outlets.
• Morehead-Cain FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent documentary on Yellowstone bison was supported by Morehead-Cain Foundation's Summer Enrichment Program and Lovelace Fund for Discovery. Morehead-Cain scholars produce documentaries through the program.
• 29acaciaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with 29acacia CEO Sarah Angold for Rome Workroom FashionMash program studying how American brands operate in European markets.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism: Elite U.S. journalism school with undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, widely regarded as a top competitor to UNC Hussman in national rankings and Hearst Awards competitions.
• Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism: Premier graduate journalism school offering M.S., M.A., and Ph.D. programs; competes directly with UNC Hussman for top journalism talent and industry placement.
• University of Missouri School of Journalism: The world's oldest school of journalism, offering comprehensive journalism education with similar national championship pedigree in Hearst competitions; a direct rival for undergraduate journalism talent.
• USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism: Major research university school combining communication and journalism programs with significant scale and national brand; competes for the same top journalism and strategic communication students.
• NYU Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute: Top-tier urban journalism graduate program with strong industry connections in New York media; competes with UNC Hussman for graduate students and career placement outcomes.
• University of Texas at Austin Moody College of Communication: Large public university communication school with strong journalism, advertising, and PR programs; competes with UNC Hussman in Hearst Awards, NSAC, and top-tier public university applicant pools.
• University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications: Major public university journalism and communications school with substantial enrollment and sports media focus; a frequent Hearst Awards competitor and peer in public flagship university positioning.
• VCU Brandcenter: Graduate advertising and strategic communications program; existing partner with UNC Hussman on Cannes Lions programming and a peer in the strategic communication graduate space.
• Penn State Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications: Large public university communications college offering journalism, advertising/PR, and media studies; competes with UNC Hussman for top applicants in public university rankings and Hearst competitions.
• University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication: Public flagship university journalism college with strong national reputation and similar size/scope to UNC Hussman; a frequent peer in industry rankings and Southeastern U.S. media education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/unchussman
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unchussman
• Instagraminstagram.com/unchussman
• Xx.com/unchussman

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media