True grit
MMC and health communication certificate alumna Sara Sinclair wants to help people live a healthy lifestyle and improve their food mindset through her business, Get Gritty Nutrition.
Classes
Students take 36 hours of coursework, which includes a practicum with a newspaper, magazine, television or radio station, advertising or public relations agency or some other approved organization.
As a student, you will take courses in research methods, strategic communication or multimedia journalism, media law, management, and new technologies. You will choose a focus in either multimedia journalism or strategic communication management.
You will also take a number of electives either in the journalism school or other USC colleges, which allows you to tailor your degree toward your career goal.
Practicums
A practicum is an internship-like experience that combines field experience and academic activities. The practicum is a core requirement for the MMC program, and students typically take part in this experience after completing other course work. Students work a total of 300 hours (or 20 hours a week for 15 weeks) at a professional organization during their practicum.
Some places where students have done their practicums in the past include the United Nations Department of Public Information in New York, WOLO-TV and WIS-TV in Columbia, the Media Relations Office of Auburn Athletics at Auburn University, NBC News in Charlotte, BMW Manufacturing, Palmetto Health Foundation, Cohn & Wolfe, Liz Lapidus Public Relations in Atlanta, and more.
Careers
Some students turn their practicums into full-time jobs after graduation, while others take the skills and knowledge gained during their practicum to pursue a different path.
Our MMC students have been highly successful in finding meaningful work after finishing our program. For example, recent graduates have gone on to work with organizations such as APCO Worldwide, United Way, the American Red Cross, the Tampa Bay Rays, Fox Sports in Miami/Fort Lauderdale, WCBS-TV in Charleston, the San Francisco Chronicle, USC Athletics, Fleishman Hillard, and more.
Specific jobs students have gained after graduating with their MMC include Social Media Community Manager for Main Street Hub in Austin, TX, Communications Director for a Congressperson in the U.S. House of Representatives, Digital Lead Advertising Account Executive for The McClatchy Company, Carolina News Producer for WIS-TV, Employee Engagement Manager for MGM Resorts International, and many others.