In a signing ceremony with Dean Everette Dennis of Northwestern University in Qatar and Dean Gerd Nonneman of Georgetown University in Qatar, the two deans inaugurated a new joint program in Media and Politics. The program will allow enrolled students to specialize in the study of journalism and communication in the political, diplomatic and policy-making processes, as well as the role of politics in the shaping of mass media products and policies. It will enable students to better understand how politicians, governments and citizens influence, and are themselves influenced by, the media in its myriad forms and formats.
Everette Dennis, Dean and CEO of NU-Q, noted that “media are a crucial link between citizens and governments of all kinds. This program will enable future leaders to develop a deeper understanding of the subtleties of this powerful dynamic as they prepare to become practitioners in media, public affairs or other fields. We are proud to partner with Georgetown to create this unique opportunity for students studying in Qatar.”
For Georgetown students, this is an 18 credit hour certificate program; for Northwestern students, this is an 18 credit hour minor program; while classification is in-line with each university’s tradition, the content is identical. The courses are offered equally by Georgetown and Northwestern campuses in Education City, and most courses will be completed during the junior and senior year. Completion of the sequence requires a student to take six courses.
Georgetown assumes responsibility for ensuring that the certificate is accurately reflected on the transcripts of its students completing the program, and Northwestern assumes responsibility for ensuring that the minor is accurately reflected on the transcripts of their students completing the program.
“The program will provide a purposeful curricular grouping for students interested in the intersection of these two fields, and should prove quite popular at both institutions. We think these are exactly the kind of collaborative opportunities our joint presence in Qatar enables. The Education City environment acts as a catalyst for creating world class joint programs that would not be possible anywhere else. We are thrilled to partner with Northwestern in this endeavor,” noted Dr. Gerd Nonneman, dean of Georgetown University in Qatar.
Access to the program will be by application in the second semester of the second year of university study. Students will be required to write a brief essay explaining why they are interested in the Media and Politics program and how it relates to their studies and to their ambitions after graduation.
In addition to completing the required courses, all students in the Media and Politics program will be required to give a formal presentation of an original project that focuses on the intersection of, or interaction between, media and politics. Both campuses will take turns hosting these presentations in alternate years and the presentations will be open to the public.
