DePaul University College of Communication

What DePaul University College of Communication does

DePaul University College of Communication is an academic unit within DePaul University, a private Catholic (Vincentian) institution headquartered on the Chicago Loop. The college delivers eight undergraduate Bachelor of Arts programs (Communication and Media, Communication Studies, Communication and Technology, Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising, Media and Popular Culture, Organizational Communication, and Sports Communication) and five Master of Arts programs (Communication and Media, Digital Communication and Media Arts, Journalism, Professional Communication, and Public Relations and Advertising), supported by two graduate certificates (Digital Communication, Health Communication), combined BA/MA accelerated pathways, and fully online degree-completion options. Enrolment stands at 847 undergraduate and 90 graduate students taught by 50+ full-time faculty, with a student body representing 29 countries.

The college's underlying technology and production infrastructure centers on a Layered-Learning™ pedagogical model that integrates classroom instruction with project-based and service learning, anchored by specialized labs inside the Center for Communication Engagement: the Media Engagement Research Laboratory (ME Lab, audience/brand/content analytics with eye-tracking and sentiment analysis), the Virtual and Augmented Reality Communication Lab (VARC, Meta Quest, HoloLens 2, HTV Vive Focus Plus, 360 cameras), The Streaming Lab (livestreaming stations plus gaming consoles spanning original Nintendo to PlayStation 5), and the CMN Equipment Center. Hands-on practice is delivered through student-run outlets (The DePaulia, Radio DePaul, Good Day DePaul, 14 East), student-run agencies (LoopedIn Co. strategic communications agency, DePaul Student Photo Agency), and the Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence (CJIE) co-founded in 2016 with Peabody winners Carol Marin and Don Moseley.

The business model is primarily tuition-driven (subscription/recurring) from individual students, with secondary fee-for-service revenue from the ME Lab, LoopedIn Co. and DSPA serving Chicago businesses, NGOs, and DePaul-affiliated clients. Distribution is omnichannel: in-person enrollment at the Loop campus, fully online BA/MA programs, hybrid online offerings, stackable graduate certificates, and seven study-abroad destinations spanning four continents. Flagship partnerships with NBC5 Chicago, the Chicago Bears, Public Narrative, and The OpEd Project anchor industry access. The college has no equity, no funding rounds, no cap table, and operates as a nonprofit sub-unit of DePaul University; financial support flows through the university and select external grants (e.g., a Vincentian Endowment Grant funding student journalism memberships). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed except for the Double Demon Scholarship, which automatically provides a 25% tuition discount to DePaul alumni enrolling in qualifying master's programs.

Name

DePaul University College of Communication

Legal name

DePaul University

Website

https://communication.depaul.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

DePaul University College of Communication is a nonprofit academic unit offering eight BA and five MA programs to roughly 937 students in Chicago, with experiential learning through research labs, student-run agencies, and flagship media partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and academic fees: Recurring tuition revenue from undergraduate (847 students across 8 programs) and graduate (90 students across 5 Master of Arts programs) enrollment, including combined BA/MA accelerated pathways and fully online degree completion options.
2. ME Lab market research services: Fee-for-service market research and consulting provided to Chicago businesses, NGOs, and DePaul community clients at a fraction of the cost of traditional market research companies; students gain paid work experience.
3. LoopedIn Co. agency services: Student-run communication and PR agency offering full-service strategic communication, social media management, PR campaigns, and creative design to local organizations, national brands, and campus partners.
4. Double Demon Scholarship tuition discount: Alumni enrolling in graduate degree programs in the College of Communication automatically receive a 25% tuition scholarship; reduces tuition revenue per graduate student by 25%.
5. DSPA photography services: Revenue from in-house photography services provided to DePaul University clients covering events, editorial, headshots, and portraits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

DePaul University College of Communication delivers interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate education in communication, journalism, public relations, advertising, and media studies, enrolling 847 undergraduate students in 8 Bachelor of Arts programs and 90 graduate students in 5 Master of Arts programs. The college supplements classroom instruction with the Layered-Learning™ model, hands-on research labs (ME Lab, VARC Lab, Streaming Lab), student-run agencies (LoopedIn Co., DePaul Student Photo Agency), student media outlets, and industry partnerships with the Chicago Bears and NBC5 Chicago.

Product overview

The DePaul University College of Communication is an interdisciplinary academic college (not a software platform) that delivers its offering as a portfolio of degree programs, professional centers, research labs, student-run agencies, and student media outlets rather than a single unified product. At the core are eight undergraduate Bachelor of Arts programs (Communication and Media, Communication Studies, Communication and Technology / Digital Communication, Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising, Media and Popular Culture, Organizational Communication, and Sports Communication) and five Master of Arts programs (Communication and Media, Digital Communication and Media Arts, Journalism, Professional Communication, and Public Relations and Advertising), plus two graduate certificates in Digital Communication and Health Communication. Wrapping the academic programs are the Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence (CJIE) and the Center for Communication Engagement (CCE) with its specialized labs — the Media Engagement Research Laboratory (ME Lab), the Virtual and Augmented Reality Communication Lab (VARC), and The Streaming Lab — together with the CMN Equipment Center. Hands-on practice is delivered through student-run outlets and agencies including The DePaulia, Radio DePaul, Good Day DePaul, the DePaul Student Photo Agency (DSPA), and LoopedIn Co. student PR agency, alongside the annual DePaul Pop Culture Conference and a Layered-Learning™ model that connects students to Chicago's media industry through internships and industry collaborations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Center for Communication Engagement (CCE): College of Communication center that promotes communication-based problem-solving and houses research labs including the Media Engagement Research Laboratory (ME Lab), VARC Lab, Streaming Lab and CMN Equipment Center.
• Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence (CJIE)
• Institute for Journalism and Racial Justice (IJRJ)
• DePaul Student Photo Agency (DSPA)
• LoopedIn Co.
• Media Engagement Research Laboratory (ME Lab)
• Virtual and Augmented Reality Communication Lab (VARC)
• The Streaming Lab
• The OpEd Project at DePaul University
• DePaul Pop Culture Conference

Products and services

• Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media
• Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
• Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Technology (Digital Communication)
• Bachelor of Arts in Sports Communication
• Bachelor of Arts in Journalism
• Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Advertising
• Bachelor of Arts in Media and Popular Culture
• Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communication
• Master of Arts in Communication and Media
• Master of Arts in Digital Communication and Media Arts
• Master of Arts in Journalism
• Master of Arts in Professional Communication (PROCMN)
• Master of Arts in Public Relations and Advertising
• Digital Communication Certificate
• Health Communication Certificate
• Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence (CJIE)
• Media Engagement Research Laboratory (ME Lab)
• Virtual and Augmented Reality Communication Lab (VARC)
• The Streaming Lab
• LoopedIn Co. Student-Run Communications Agency
• DePaul Student Photo Agency (DSPA)
• Center for Communication Engagement (CCE)

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of 2022 College of Communication graduates were employed, continuing their education, or not seeking employment within six months of graduation
• +6 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Chicago BearsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2025Chicago Bears Professional Partnership provides students with exclusive field experience through applied projects and internships, expanding professional networks with leaders in sports communication. Students also attended the Chicago Bears Women in Sports Media Expo on August 19, 2025, complementing the Sports Communication undergraduate program.
• NBC5 Chicago / NBC ChicagoflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Co-founder and ongoing partner in the Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence (CJIE) alongside Carol Marin, Don Moseley, and DePaul. CJIE Advanced Reporting students research and produce stories that appear on the NBC Chicago news website, visit NBC studios to assist Marin and Moseley with political reporting, and gain hands-on experience in investigative journalism. Some CJIE coursework appears on mainstream NBC5 Chicago media outlets.
• Public NarrativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates in partnership with Public Narrative through the Institute for Journalism and Racial Justice, supporting independent journalists and advancing more inclusive storytelling. The institute provides events, guest speakers, panel discussions, workshops, and resources for independent journalists.
• The OpEd ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partnership powering the Public Voices Thought Leadership Fellowship at DePaul University, coaching a diverse group of faculty and staff to increase their influence as thought leaders through published op-eds and essays in major media outlets. The OpEd Project at DePaul is sponsored by the Center for Communication Engagement, Office of the President, Academic Affairs, and University Marketing and Communications. Nearly 10,000 participants have gone through The OpEd Project nationally.
• The Dialogue CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterdisciplinary initiative from the College of Communication and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences focused on effective dialogue principles and practices.
• Media Engagement Research Lab (ME Lab)coreTechnology or IntegrationLoopedIn Co. collaborates with the ME Lab for research-driven strategy on every project, using tools like surveys, focus groups, eye-tracking, social media analytics, and sentiment analysis to inform campaign work. The ME Lab serves as an internal research partner powering student-led agency services.
• DePaul Pop Culture Conference (industry sponsors and conference partners)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual fan/academic conference with keynote speakers, vendors row, and charity partnerships; supported by the DePaul Student Photo Agency and beneficiary charity partners (ACLU, Full Flood Endowment Fund, Equality Now, Pro Publica have received over $6,000 in cumulative support).
• iHeartRadiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerDePaul Ad Society conducts agency visits to iHeartRadio as one of several agency visits throughout the year, exposing students to the latest trends in the advertising industry through real-world creative projects, guest speakers, and industry presentations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism: Premier U.S. journalism graduate school with strong NBC and media-industry placement; the gold-standard benchmark for investigative-journalism training and the primary aspirational peer for CJIE.
• S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University: Premier U.S. school of communications offering graduate and undergraduate programs in journalism, public relations, advertising, and media; competes for the same national applicant pool for PRWeek-ranked programs.
• University of Texas at Austin Moody College of Communication: Large multi-discipline communication college with undergraduate and graduate programs in journalism, advertising, PR, and media studies; comparable in structure to DePaul's interdisciplinary model.
• Boston University College of Communication: Comprehensive communication college offering undergraduate and graduate programs in journalism, public relations, film, and media; structurally analogous to DePaul's interdisciplinary college design.
• Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism: Top-ranked Chicago-area journalism, media, and integrated marketing communications school with practitioner-led faculty and a similar research-lab-plus-newsroom model; the most direct local competitor for journalism and PR talent pipelines.
• USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism: Major comprehensive communication and journalism school offering BA and MA programs across journalism, PR, advertising, and communication; one of the most-cited peers for PRWeek rankings.
• University of Missouri School of Journalism: Oldest journalism school in the world with hands-on newsroom, magazine, and advertising programs and a comparable practitioner-faculty model; benchmark for SPJ-recognized student journalism work.
• University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School for Communication: Ivy League graduate-focused communication school with doctoral and master's programs in communication and journalism; sets the research-tier benchmark against which DePaul's graduate placement is evaluated.

Broad incumbents

• Newhouse School at Newhouse NYC (S.I. Newhouse II): Syracuse's graduate-level New York extension; competes with DePaul's fully online Professional Communication MA for working professionals seeking flexible graduate degrees.

Regional players

• Columbia College Chicago School of Communication: Chicago-based arts and communication-focused college offering journalism, PR, and media programs; competes directly with DePaul for in-market Chicago applicants and industry partnerships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CMNDePaul
• Facebookfacebook.com/depaulcommunication
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cmndepaul

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 DePaul University College of Communication