Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts Inc

What Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts Inc does

Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts Inc (d/b/a Specs@LTU) is a media arts certificate program operating within Lawrence Technological University's Professional and Workforce Development Center in Southfield, Michigan. Originally founded in 1970 as an independent for-profit career college named after its founder Specs Howard, the institution was acquired by LTU in 2021 and now offers three one-year certificate programs: Broadcast Media Arts, Digital Media Arts, and Graphic Media Arts. Students complete three continuous semesters with classes meeting twice weekly, in either day (10:00am–2:30pm) or evening (6:00pm–10:30pm) formats, using industry-standard media equipment and project-based coursework. Enrollment is restricted to U.S. citizens, and the program does not accept financial aid for its non-degree certificate tracks.

The business model is a single one-time tuition payment per student of $18,000, offset by a universal $10,000 scholarship awarded to all admitted students, reducing out-of-pocket cost to $8,000 with flexible payment plans available. Additional fees include a $50 enrollment deposit and a $200 refundable laptop deposit for the Laptop Initiative Program, under which all students receive an LTU-issued laptop. The program generates three annual intake cohorts (Spring, Summer, Fall) and is distributed entirely through LTU's admissions infrastructure — including the online application portal, admissions counselors, university website, and institutional social media channels.

The customer base consists of individual prospective students (recent high school graduates and career changers) seeking hands-on media training rather than enterprise customers or B2B contracts. Certificate graduates have articulated transfer pathways into LTU's Associate of Arts in Media Arts and Production, Bachelor of Arts in Media Communication, and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design programs. The legal entity Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts Inc remains the corporate name, with Lawrence Technological University as the parent entity controlling Specs@LTU operations.

Name

Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts Inc

Legal name

Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts Inc

Website

https://specshoward.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts Inc (d/b/a Specs@LTU) is a one-year media arts certificate program at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan, offering hands-on training in broadcast, digital, and graphic media to U.S. citizen students pursuing media industry careers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media Arts Education

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Film, Television & Media Arts Colleges (EDAHAJAE)

Keywords

• Media arts education
• Broadcast training
• Digital media certificate
• Graphic design training
• Vocational media programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Southfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Certificate Program Tuition: One-year certificate program with total tuition of $18,000. All admitted students receive a $10,000 scholarship, reducing out-of-pocket cost to $8,000. Flexible payment plans are available. The program does not accept financial aid for certificate programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts Inc, operating as Specs@LTU, delivers one-year certificate programs in Broadcast Media Arts, Digital Media Arts, and Graphic Media Arts. Students attend classes two days per week over three continuous semesters on Lawrence Technological University's Southfield, Michigan campus, working with industry-standard media equipment in a project-based, hands-on learning environment. The program includes an LTU laptop for each student and offers articulation pathways to LTU associate and bachelor's degree programs.

Product overview

Specs@LTU is a one-year certificate program operated by Lawrence Technological University as part of its Professional Development Center. The program offers three distinct certificate programs: Broadcast Media Arts, Digital Media Arts, and Graphic Media Arts. Students receive hands-on training with industry-standard equipment, project-based coursework, and access to laptop computers through the Laptop Initiative Program. The program serves as a pathway for students to develop technical expertise and creative skills in media communications, with articulation options into associate and bachelor's degree programs at LTU. Only U.S. citizens are eligible to enroll.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Specs@LTU Broadcast Media Arts Certificate A one-year certificate program focused on radio and television broadcasting, providing hands-on experience with industry-standard equipment and project-based coursework. Graduates can transfer credits into the Associate of Arts in Media Arts and Production and/or Bachelor of Arts in Media Communication with a Focus in Film, Television, and Video Production.
• Specs@LTU Digital Media Arts Certificate A one-year certificate program covering digital content creation, video production, and digital media skills. Provides training in the latest technology for media communications with theory and practical application. Graduates can transfer credits into degree programs in Media Arts and Production or Media Communication.
• Specs@LTU Graphic Media Arts Certificate A one-year certificate program focused on graphic design and digital media arts. Combines creative vision with technical expertise through hands-on coursework. Graduates can transfer credits into the Associate of Applied Science in Graphic Design and/or Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design.

Quantifiable outcome

• $8,000 out-of-pocket tuition cost after scholarship

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Lawrence Technological UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021In 2021, Specs Howard School of Media Arts relocated to the Lawrence Technological University campus and merged into Specs@LTU. The merger provides Specs@LTU students access to LTU's campus infrastructure including career services, housing, meal plans, student organizations, and transfer pathways to associate and bachelor's degree programs. LTU's Professional and Workforce Development Center hosts the Specs@LTU certificate programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Emerson College: Private college specializing in communication, journalism, film, and media arts with degree programs in broadcasting and digital media. Comparable as a broader educational incumbent in the same media-communications category offering more comprehensive degree pathways.
• Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD): Private nonprofit university with strong programs in graphic design, film, digital media, and broadcast media. Comparable as a leading arts institution in the same media-arts categories, though operating at a larger scale with degree-granting programs.
• Columbia College Chicago: Private arts and media college in Chicago with programs in film, television, radio, audio, and graphic design. Comparable as an established higher-education incumbent offering degree programs in the same media-arts disciplines.

Direct peers

• The Los Angeles Film School: Private for-profit media school in Hollywood offering associate and bachelor's programs in film, audio, animation, and graphic design. Closely comparable as an entertainment-media career college using industry-standard equipment and offering transfer pathways to degree programs.
• New York Film Academy: Private media-arts school with hands-on certificate, undergraduate, and graduate programs in film, broadcasting, digital media, and graphic design. Comparable as a media-arts training provider emphasizing project-based learning with industry equipment.
• Full Sail University: Private for-profit university in Winter Park, FL offering accelerated degree and certificate programs in media arts, entertainment technology, film, and broadcasting. Directly comparable as a media-arts career-training institution with industry-standard equipment and project-based curricula.

Regional players

• Henry Ford College: Public community college in Dearborn, MI (near Southfield) offering associate degrees and certificates in media arts, broadcasting, and graphic design. Comparable as a Michigan-based regional provider of media-arts career training at a community-college price point.
• Schoolcraft College: Public community college in Livonia, MI (adjacent to Southfield) with media communications and graphic design programs. Comparable as a nearby regional player offering affordable media-arts training within the same Michigan geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SpecsHoward
• Facebookfacebook.com/56192172514
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/specs-howard-school-of-broadcast-arts
• Instagraminstagram.com/lawrencetechuniversity
• TikToktiktok.com/@lawrencetechu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts Inc