University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

What University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism does

The USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism is a private academic unit within the University of Southern California, established in 1971 through a gift from Walter Annenberg and renamed in 1994 to incorporate journalism. The school serves undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in communication, journalism, public relations, public diplomacy, and adjacent fields, with a graduate student body drawn from over 30 countries. Programs include undergraduate majors in communication, journalism, and public relations; master's degrees in Journalism, Specialized Journalism (with an Arts and Culture concentration), Public Diplomacy, Global Media and Communication, Communication Management, Communication Data Science, and Digital Social Media; and a PhD in Communication. Course delivery is primarily in-person at the University Park campus in Los Angeles, with a dual-degree Global Media and Communication program jointly run with the London School of Economics across LA and London.

Name

University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Legal name

University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Website

https://annenberg.usc.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

USC Annenberg is a private academic school within the University of Southern California offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in communication, journalism, public relations, and public diplomacy, serving students through specialized media facilities and industry partnerships in Los Angeles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Communication, Journalism and Public Relations)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Film, Television & Media Arts Colleges (EDAHAJAE)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Journalism programs
• Communication degrees
• Public relations education
• Media studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, with varying costs based on program and residency status. Professional and executive programs generate additional revenue.
2. Industry Partnerships and Sponsorships: Collaborations with industry partners including fellowships, scholarships, and immersive education programs that may include corporate funding and support.
3. Grants and Research Funding: External funding from foundations and organizations for research initiatives, scholarships, and program development including Ford Foundation and Templeton Religion Trust grants.
4. Philanthropic Giving: Donations and endowed programs through USC Annenberg's giving initiatives supporting scholarships, facilities, and program development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

USC Annenberg delivers undergraduate majors and graduate degree programs in communication, journalism, public relations, and public diplomacy, supported by hands-on facilities including a state-of-the-art Media Center, the Digital Lounge makerspace with Adobe Certification, and student-led media outlets. It also offers professional and executive programs, a PhD in Communication, and an LSE dual degree, with an industry-connected career services team reporting 90-98% graduate employment within 12 months.

Product overview

USC Annenberg is an educational institution offering undergraduate majors in communication, journalism, and public relations, along with graduate programs including MA in Communication, MA in Journalism (MS), MA in Specialized Journalism, MA in Specialized Journalism (Arts and Culture), Master of Public Diplomacy, Communication Management, Communication Data Science, Digital Social Media, and a Communication PhD. The school supports its academic programs with hands-on media facilities including the Media Center (a newsroom and classroom incubator), the Annenberg Digital Lounge (a creative makerspace), and student media outlets including Annenberg Media, Ampersand (arts magazine), and Impact (documentary series). Professional development programs like the Our Unsilencing Bootcamp provide specialized training for emerging writers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Annenberg Media: Student-led news outlet operated by USC Annenberg students covering news for the USC community
• Annenberg Digital Lounge
• Annenberg Innovation Lab
• Center on Public Diplomacy
• Norman Lear Center
• Annenberg Inclusion Initiative
• Ampersand

Products and services

• Undergraduate Majors in Communication, Journalism, and Public Relations Bachelor's degree programs in Communication, Journalism, and Public Relations and Advertising, with academic advisement, career development, and internship opportunities through the central USC Undergraduate Admissions process.
• Master's Degree Programs (MA/MS in Journalism, Specialized Journalism, Public Diplomacy, Global Communication, Communication Management) Graduate degree programs covering MA in Communication, MS in Journalism (11-month program), Specialized Journalism MA with tracks (including Arts and Culture), Master of Public Diplomacy (first graduate-level program of its kind in the world), MA in Communication Management, and Digital Social Media, with small class sizes and industry-connected career services.
• Communication PhD Program Full-time, in-person PhD program at the USC University Park campus preparing researchers and scholars in communication, with a December 1 application deadline for Fall admission.
• Global Media and Communication Dual Degree with LSE Dual degree partnership with the London School of Economics and Political Science. Students spend the first year at LSE in London and the second year at USC Annenberg in Los Angeles, building international networks and research portfolios for global media careers.
• Professional and Executive Programs Short-format non-degree programs for working professionals offered by USC Annenberg to develop specialized skills in communication and media.
• Annenberg Media (Student News Outlet) A student-led news outlet where students explore writing, podcasting, television, and video production for social media under award-winning faculty guidance, covering news for the USC community.
• Annenberg Digital Lounge Creative makerspace on the third floor of Wallis Annenberg Hall for experimentation with digital tools, offering workshops, events, helpdesk support, and Adobe Certification courses through the Digital Literacy Initiative for the Annenberg community.
• Ampersand (Arts and Culture Magazine) An award-winning online arts and culture magazine created, edited, managed, and sustained by arts journalism master's students, providing entrepreneurial expertise and real journalism experience.
• Impact (Student Documentary Series) An award-winning student documentary series with national distribution through Spectrum Networks, showcasing student-produced documentaries.
• Our Unsilencing Bootcamp An intensive bootcamp providing training in commentary across traditional op-eds, personal and hybrid essays, and commentary for radio, TV, and social media, plus long-term mentorship to help emerging writers become public intellectuals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90-98% of graduates employed within 12 months of graduation across various programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SpotifycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUSC Annenberg and Spotify collaborate to host conversations with notable figures in media. Most notably hosted a World of Podcasting conversation with Jemele Hill, award-winning sports journalist, culture critic, and podcaster.
• KTLAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExperimental journalism class partnership where students developed tools for engaging KTLA viewers. Students learn impactful work for local TV news through this hands-on collaboration.
• ViacomCBScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerViacomCBS and USC Annenberg established a scholarship to advance newsroom diversity, creating a robust pipeline for Black journalists to both enter and lead in the newsroom.
• WE CommunicationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs part of the Annenberg Intelligence series, Dean Willow Bay leads conversation with WE Communications Global CEO and Founder Melissa Waggener Zorkin on the power of communication in uncertain times.
• PinterestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPinterest representative Elizabeth Luke participates in Lunch with a Leader career programming, encouraging students to seek opportunities outside their job description through special event series.
• Andy Keown - Annenberg AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlumnus and adjunct instructor Andy Keown helms the Annenberg Agency providing micro-internships for students to do well by doing good. Students participate in digital content creation, PR, crisis communication, brand communication, and marketing for nonprofit organizations.
• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual degree partnership for Global Media and Communication MA/MSc. Students spend first year at LSE in London and second year at USC Annenberg in Los Angeles, building international network and research portfolio.
• UCLA Latina Futures 2050 LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJean Guerrero created 'Our Unsilencing' Bootcamp at UCLA Latina Futures 2050 Lab with co-founder Sonja Diaz to address underrepresentation of Latinas in opinion media.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism: Medill is a leading journalism school offering undergraduate and graduate programs with strong industry placement, directly competing with USC Annenberg for top journalism applicants and faculty. Both emphasize hands-on learning and professional preparation.
• NYU Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute: NYU's journalism institute offers graduate programs in journalism with strong NYC media industry ties, competing with USC Annenberg for media-focused students and featuring comparable emphasis on emerging media formats.
• Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism: Columbia Journalism School is the most direct peer to USC Annenberg, offering graduate journalism and communication programs with similar Ivy-tier employer placement and global brand recognition. Both compete for top journalism faculty and prospective students.
• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE): LSE is USC Annenberg's dual-degree partner for Global Media and Communication, and a globally top-ranked competitor in communication and media studies. Both schools serve international students seeking global media careers.
• Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University: Newhouse is one of the largest and most prominent communications schools in the US, offering journalism, advertising, and public relations programs that directly overlap with USC Annenberg's curriculum and target student segments.
• Boston University College of Communication: BU College of Communication offers journalism, public relations, and communication programs with similar industry-connected approach, competing with USC Annenberg for East Coast applicants and serving comparable media industry employer pipelines.
• University of Texas at Austin Moody College of Communication: Moody College is a top-ranked communication school with journalism, advertising, and public relations programs that overlap directly with USC Annenberg's offerings and compete for similar student profiles and employer relationships.
• University of Missouri School of Journalism: The world's first school of journalism, Mizzou offers comprehensive journalism and strategic communication programs and is a foundational peer in journalism education, competing with USC Annenberg for traditional journalism students.
• UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism: Berkeley's journalism school offers graduate programs focused on investigative and new media journalism with similar emphasis on technology integration, directly competing with USC Annenberg for West Coast applicants and tech-savvy journalism students.

Emerging players

• George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs: GWU's SMPA offers journalism, political communication, and public affairs programs with strong government and DC media connections. While smaller than USC Annenberg, it provides partial overlap in public diplomacy and political journalism niches.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uscannenberg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/uscannenberg
• Facebookfacebook.com/uscannenberg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/university-of-southern-california-annenberg-school-for-communication-and-journalism
• Instagraminstagram.com/uscannenberg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism