Emerson College School of Communication

What Emerson College School of Communication does

Emerson College School of Communication is a private, nonprofit academic division headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, operating as part of Emerson College — an institution founded in 1880 as a school of oratory. The School of Communication delivers 23 undergraduate and graduate programs of study across four academic departments: Communication Sciences and Disorders, Communication Studies, Journalism, and Marketing Communication, supported by 16 minors and 6 experiential-learning programs and initiatives. It provides hands-on learning infrastructure including Emerson Polling (a public-opinion research operation operating for 25 years), the Robbins Center (a clinical speech-language pathology training facility operating since 1953), Emerson Stage (a professional performing arts production venue), WERS/UnCommon Radio (a student-run radio station broadcasting from Boston), Emerson Channel (a student-run television platform), and the EVVY Awards (the largest student-run awards show in the United States, in its 45th year).

The institution operates three physical campuses — Boston (headquarters at 120 Boylston Street), Los Angeles (5960 W. Sunset Boulevard, serving the entertainment industry), and Kasteel Well in The Netherlands (study-abroad campus at Kasteellaan 20, 5855 AE). It serves traditional undergraduate students seeking bachelor's degrees in communication and arts, graduate students pursuing master's and doctoral degrees in specialized fields, and community clients seeking clinical speech-language services at the Robbins Center, drawing from a global alumni network of 58,000+ across 115+ countries working in 150+ industries. The School of Communication generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees charged to enrolled students, supplemented by ancillary revenue from on-campus housing (notably the Little Building on Boylston Street), performing arts ticketing through ArtsEmerson, and clinical service fees.

Following its 2020 alliance with Marlboro College, the institution expanded into liberal arts and interdisciplinary studies via the Marlboro Institute, while Emerson College as a whole adopted a new strategic plan ('Extraordinary Emerson 2030') in February 2025 and underwent substantial senior leadership renewal between 2023 and 2024, including a new President (Jay Bernhardt) and three new divisional Vice Presidents covering Marketing and Communications, Enrollment Management, and Strategy, Innovation, and Institutional Initiatives.

Name

Emerson College School of Communication

Legal name

Emerson College

Website

https://emerson.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1880

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Emerson College School of Communication is a Boston-based private nonprofit academic division offering 23 undergraduate and graduate programs across four communication-focused departments, serving students through experiential facilities including Emerson Polling, the Robbins Center, WERS Radio, and Emerson Stage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Private college operating on tuition revenue from undergraduate and graduate programs across communication and arts disciplines
2. Campus Housing and Facilities: Revenue from student housing (Little Building) including partnerships with other institutions like Wentworth Institute of Technology

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Emerson College's School of Communication is an academic division offering 23 undergraduate and graduate programs across four departments: Communication Sciences and Disorders, Communication Studies, Journalism, and Marketing Communication. The school prepares students for careers in public relations, marketing, advertising, journalism, political communication, sports communication, communication disorders, management in creative industries, and digital media. The school is supported by experiential learning facilities including television studios, radio stations (WERS), performance theaters (Emerson Stage), the Robbins Center clinical training facility, and the Emerson Polling operation.

Product overview

Emerson College's School of Communication is an educational/academic unit, not a technology product company. It offers a portfolio of academic programs and experiential learning opportunities including: the School of Communication (23 programs across 4 departments), Emerson Polling (public opinion research), The Robbins Center (clinical speech-language pathology training facility), Emerson Channel (student media), and the EVVY Awards (student-run awards show). These are educational offerings, not commercial software products or technology platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Robbins Center: Clinical training facility for communication disorders, open since 1953, providing evaluation and treatment for children and adults with communication problems
• Emerson Contemporary
• ArtsEmerson
• HowlRound Theatre Commons
• Emerson Polling
• EVVY Awards
• UnCommon Stage
• WERS (UnCommon Radio)
• Marlboro Institute for Liberal Arts & Interdisciplinary Study

Products and services

• School of Communication Academic Programs Academic unit offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in communication studies, journalism, marketing communication, communication sciences and disorders, and speech-language pathology for prospective students seeking careers in media, journalism, PR, marketing, and related fields.
• The Robbins Center Clinical Services Clinical training facility associated with the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders providing evaluation and treatment services for children and adults with communication disorders. Services include programs for acquired communication disorders, developmental communication disorders, voice and speech programs, and the Thayer Lindsley Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing infants and toddlers.
• Emerson Polling

Quantifiable outcome

• Students win regional Emmy awards for journalism and filmmaking
• +3 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Asian American Resource WorkshopminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2025Co-produced the Boston Asian American Film Festival with Asian American Resource Workshop through ArtsEmerson, running October 16-26.
• Boston Family Days InitiativeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 October 2025ArtsEmerson participates in Boston Family Days, providing free access to live performances to Boston families through partnership with the City of Boston and Mayor Michelle Wu.
• Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2025New one-year housing partnership where Emerson offers available housing in the Little Building to WIT students who need additional beds. WIT continues to provide academic and student support while students follow Emerson standards and procedures.
• Marlboro CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2020Historic alliance where Marlboro College merged with Emerson in 2020. Emerson honors Marlboro's tradition of self-directed study through the Marlboro Institute for Liberal Arts & Interdisciplinary Study. The Marlboro College Archives website preserves Marlboro's digital footprint.
• HowlRound Theatre Commons / Mellon FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHowlRound Theatre Commons, part of Emerson's Office of the Arts, administers the National Playwright Residency Program (NPRP) funded by the Mellon Foundation. The program provides 3-year grants to playwrights including weeklong developmental residencies on Emerson's campus.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Berklee College of Music: Berklee is a Boston-based specialized arts institution with a similar tuition-driven, narrow-focus model to Emerson, providing a relevant peer for benchmarking specialized private arts colleges in the same labor market.
• Loyola Marymount University (School of Film and Television): LMU is a Los Angeles-based private university with a strong film/TV school, competing with Emerson's LA campus for the same Southern California student pool and entertainment industry placement.

Direct peers

• Chapman University (Dodge College of Film and Media Arts): Chapman's Dodge College is a private university with a top film school, directly comparable to Emerson's film program and competing for similar West Coast- and entertainment-oriented students.
• University of Southern California (USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism): USC Annenberg is a top-tier private research university school dedicated to communication and journalism, comparable to Emerson in curriculum focus (journalism, communication, public relations) and serving similar career-bound student segments.
• Syracuse University (Newhouse School of Public Communications): Syracuse's Newhouse School is one of the most prominent communication/journalism schools in the U.S., historically the most direct competitor to Emerson in undergraduate communications education and a benchmark for industry placement.
• New York University (Tisch School of the Arts): NYU Tisch is a leading arts-focused professional school with comparable programs in film, television, media, and performing arts — a direct competitor for top-tier students aiming at creative careers.
• Columbia University (Columbia Journalism School): Columbia's graduate journalism school is an industry benchmark for journalism education, directly comparable to Emerson's journalism offerings and competing for students targeting news/media careers.
• Northwestern University (Medill School of Journalism, School of Communication): Northwestern's Medill School and School of Communication are elite counterparts to Emerson, with overlapping programs in journalism, media, and communication studies, and similar employer pipelines in media and entertainment.
• Howard University (School of Communications): Howard's School of Communications offers journalism, media, and communication programs comparable to Emerson's portfolio, with a strong industry pipeline and a peer benchmark for media-focused HBCU education.

Broad incumbents

• Boston University (College of Communication): BU's College of Communication is a comprehensive-university peer located in the same Boston market, offering overlap in journalism, film/TV, and advertising while competing for the same local applicant pool.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/emersoncollege
• YouTubeyoutube.com/emersoncollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/EmersonCollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emersonsoc
• Instagraminstagram.com/emersoncollege

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries8 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 Emerson College School of Communication