Rutgers University School of Communication and Information

What Rutgers University School of Communication and Information does

Rutgers University School of Communication and Information (SC&I) is an academic unit within Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, located in New Brunswick, NJ. Founded in 1982 with programmatic roots dating back roughly nine decades, SC&I serves more than 9,500 students annually across three departments — Communication, Journalism and Media Studies, and Library and Information Science — offering four undergraduate majors (Communication, Information Technology and Informatics, Journalism and Media Studies, and Data Science, the last delivered jointly with the School of Arts and Sciences), three graduate degrees (Master of Communication and Media, Master of Information, and a Ph.D. in Communication, Information, and Media), three undergraduate minors, and seven professional certificates in areas including Digital Asset Management, Crisis Communication, and Public Relations. The school operates as a founding member of the iSchools consortium and runs two in-house technology service units — Information Technology Services (ITS) and Instructional Design and Technology Services (IDTS) — that deliver remote lab access, course-design support, and software licensing to faculty and students.

The technology stack underpinning SC&I's teaching and research operations is a standard higher-ed mix: Canvas and Sakai learning management systems, Zoom/WebEx/Teams/BigBlueButton for synchronous delivery, Kaltura and Panopto for lecture capture, AWS AppStream and an Apache-Guacamole-based Lab Gateway for streaming specialized software (SPSS, Microsoft Project), an Adobe Creative Cloud site license, Tableau/NVivo/Qualtrics for analytics and survey work, Rutgers Connect/Microsoft 365 for productivity, and DUO/LastPass/VPN for security. ITS is led by a small core team (5 full-time staff plus the Director and Assistant Director of IT, plus a 10+ member student-staffed Client Support Helpdesk) with functional leads for Service Desk (George Yu), Infrastructure and Systems (Michael Souren), and Web Development (John Bowen).

As a public state academic department, SC&I's revenue model is tuition and mandatory fees at rates set by Rutgers University (varying by residency and degree level), supplemented by external research grants from federal agencies (NIH, NSF, CDC), foundations and state sources, and continuing-education certificate revenue (e.g., Crisis Communication at $1,195; DAM Bronze at $695; DAM Silver at $995). The go-to-market is a structured enrollment funnel — applications are accepted four times per year for undergraduate majors, prospective students first apply to Rutgers and then complete SC&I major prerequisites — with marketing delivered through the school's main website, the SC&I Research Portal, the Bettering NJ Together research showcase, alumni events, and email/newsletters. Notable external engagements include a multi-institutional COVID-19 health-communication research partnership with the CDC, MIT, Emory, and Lazos America Unida.

Name

Rutgers University School of Communication and Information

Legal name

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Website

https://comminfo.rutgers.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Rutgers University School of Communication and Information is a public academic unit in New Brunswick, NJ, founded in 1982, offering undergraduate majors, master's and Ph.D. programs, and professional certificates across communication, journalism, and library/information science, and serving 9,500+ students annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New Brunswick

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: As a public state university school, SC&I generates revenue through tuition and mandatory fees charged to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in its programs.
2. Research Grants and Funding: External funding from federal agencies (NIH, NSF, CDC), foundations, and state sources supporting faculty research activities and scholarly publications.
3. Continuing and Professional Studies: Revenue from professional certificates and continuing education programs including Crisis Communication, Digital Asset Management, and Public Relations certificates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Rutgers University School of Communication and Information (SC&I) is an academic unit within Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, offering undergraduate majors, master's degrees, and a PhD program in communication, information technology and informatics, journalism and media studies, and data science. It also delivers continuing and professional studies certificates in areas such as crisis communication, digital asset management, and public relations. The school provides in-person instruction at its New Brunswick campus as well as online and hybrid course delivery through Canvas LMS.

Product overview

Rutgers University School of Communication and Information (SC&I) is a higher education institution organized as a platform-plus-departments model with three academic departments (Communication, Journalism and Media Studies, Library and Information Science) offering undergraduate majors, graduate degrees, and professional certificates. The school provides technology infrastructure through Information Technology Services (ITS) and Instructional Design and Technology Services (IDTS), and operates community-focused research initiatives via Bettering NJ Together. The academic portfolio includes four undergraduate majors (Communication, Information Technology and Informatics, Journalism and Media Studies, Data Science), three graduate programs (Master of Communication and Media, Master of Information, Ph.D. in Communication Information and Media), six professional certificates (Advanced Creative Operations, Crisis Communication, DAM Bronze, DAM+AI Silver, DAM for GLAM Silver, Media Asset Management, Public Relations), and three minors (Data Science, Digital Communication/Information/Media, Gender and Media). SC&I supports its educational mission with technology services including computer labs, software access (Adobe Creative Cloud, SPSS, Tableau, Avid Pro Tools), video conferencing (Zoom, WebEx, Teams), learning management systems (Canvas, Sakai), and research support infrastructure. Founded 1982 with roots dating back nine decades, SC&I serves over 9,500 students annually and has more than 36,000 alumni.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bettering NJ Together: Community-focused research initiative addressing issues most pressing to Rutgers communities and underserved communities in New Jersey.
• SC&I Research Portal
• IDTS
• ITS

Products and services

• Communication Major Undergraduate major examining how meaning is created and negotiated in human interaction to address communication challenges in 21st-century life; prepares students for leadership in private, public, and civil sectors.
• Information Technology and Informatics Major Undergraduate major focusing on information technology systems and informatics, preparing students for careers managing and analyzing information systems and technology infrastructure.
• Journalism and Media Studies Major Undergraduate major dedicated to understanding media's role in public life, culture, and democracy, combining hands-on production with critical analysis of journalism and media landscapes.
• Master of Communication and Media Graduate degree program focusing on advanced communication theories, media studies, and professional practice in communication fields.
• Master of Information Graduate degree program in the Library and Information Science Department preparing professionals for information science, librarianship, and knowledge management careers.
• Ph.D. Program in Communication, Information, and Media Doctoral program for advanced research in communication, information science, and media studies, with problem-oriented research on contemporary topics.
• Crisis Communication and Reputation Management Certificate Professional certificate addressing communication strategies for managing organizational crises and maintaining reputation during challenging situations; priced at $1,195.
• Digital Asset Management Bronze Certificate Entry-level professional certificate introducing digital asset management principles and foundational practices for organizing and managing digital media assets; priced at $695.
• Digital Asset Management (DAM) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Silver Certificate Intermediate professional certificate combining digital asset management with artificial intelligence applications for automated metadata tagging, content categorization, and intelligent asset retrieval; priced at $995.
• Digital Asset Management for Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (DAM for GLAM) Silver Certificate Intermediate professional certificate for GLAM sector professionals focusing on digital asset management practices specific to cultural heritage institutions.
• Media Asset Management in Practice Certificate Professional certificate covering practical media asset management workflows for broadcasting, publishing, and digital media organizations.
• Public Relations Certificate Professional certificate program for individuals seeking to develop or enhance public relations skills for corporate, nonprofit, or agency settings.
• Advanced Creative Operations Certificate Professional certificate program for creative professionals seeking advanced skills in creative operations management and production workflows.
• Data Science Major Undergraduate major offered through collaboration with the School of Arts and Sciences, covering statistical analysis, data visualization, and computational methods for data-driven decision making.

Quantifiable outcome

• 36,000+ alumni network providing professional connections and career pathways
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration26 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Lazos America UnidacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2020Partnership with New Brunswick-based Lazos America Unida for health communication research. The collaboration focuses on addressing COVID-19 vaccination inequities and targeting messaging for Black and Latinx communities, with group members from School of Nursing, MIT, Emory, and CDC.
• CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner in health communication research addressing COVID-19 vaccination inequities, working with SC&I researchers and community partners to inform future investigations and target messaging strategies.
• MITmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner collaborating on health communication research addressing Black and Latinx community perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines and messaging.
• Emory UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in multi-institutional health communication research initiative examining vaccination equity and messaging disparities.
• Rutgers School of NursingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntra-university partner in health communication research collaboration addressing COVID-19 vaccination perceptions and messaging in underserved communities.
• iSchools ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Library and Information Science Department is a founding member of the iSchools consortium, an international network of institutions dedicated to advancing the field of information science and related disciplines.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• University of Michigan School of Information: Direct peer and fellow iSchools founding member offering undergraduate, master's, and PhD programs in information science and informatics. Highly comparable in academic structure, technology-enabled curriculum, and research profile to Rutgers SC&I.
• UC Berkeley School of Information: iSchools founding member and one of the top-ranked information schools globally. Offers MIMS and PhD programs directly comparable to Rutgers SC&I's Master of Information and PhD in Communication, Information, and Media.
• Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications: Premier U.S. school of communications offering undergraduate and graduate programs in journalism, public relations, and media studies. Directly comparable to SC&I's Journalism and Media Studies and Communication programs in scale, mission, and curriculum structure.
• University of Maryland College of Information Studies (iSchool): iSchools member offering undergraduate, master's, and PhD programs in information science. Comparable in curriculum focus (information science, data science) and academic structure to SC&I's Library and Information Science Department.
• Indiana University School of Informatics and Computing: Large iSchools-affiliated school offering informatics, information science, and data science programs at scale. Comparable to SC&I in its combined focus on information technology, informatics, and library/information science.
• University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School for Communication: Elite communication school offering undergraduate, master's, and PhD programs in communication and journalism. Directly comparable to SC&I in its interdisciplinary mix of communication theory, journalism, and media studies.
• USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism: Top-ranked U.S. communication and journalism school combining communication and journalism programs in a single school structure. Closely mirrors SC&I's organizational model across two related disciplines.
• Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism: Premier U.S. journalism school with graduate-only programs directly comparable to SC&I's journalism and media offerings. Highly relevant peer for journalism program benchmarking and student recruitment competition.
• Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism: Elite U.S. journalism school with both undergraduate and graduate programs. Comparable to SC&I's Journalism and Media Studies major in curriculum focus, hands-on production emphasis, and professional preparation model.

Emerging players

• Drexel University College of Computing & Informatics (iSchool): iSchools member offering information science, library science, and informatics programs in the Mid-Atlantic region. Comparable academic structure and curriculum overlap with SC&I's Library and Information Science Department.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RutgersCommInfo
• Facebookfacebook.com/RutgersCommInfo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rutgers University School of Communication and Information