(Press release, Feb. 24, 2009)

Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and Media Management Center (MMC) will offer a unique master’s degree track starting this fall tailored to media professionals who want to retool and broaden their skills to meet the challenges of the digital age.

The degree will enable experienced professionals to choose classes from Medill’s graduate programs in Journalism and Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) and the media management major at the Kellogg School of Management.

For instance, a student could choose interactive and multimedia classes from Medill’s journalism program; consumer insight, database analysis, marketing finance and e-commerce classes from Medill’s IMC program; and classes in media, sports and Internet marketing from Kellogg.

Medill Dean John Lavine noted that while some traditional media are under severe stress, “others, both traditional and new, are creating exciting new digital enterprises that offer content that enables the public to be better informed than ever before. This track is for experienced media professionals who want to build new careers and enterprises.”

Michael P. Smith, who runs Kellogg’s media management major and is executive director of the Center, said: “MMC is re-positioning and restructuring itself to ensure relevance to domestic and global media companies and to Northwestern University students.” He said the re-positioning is necessary at a time when media are undergoing huge change. “Not a day goes by without headlines and announcements of changes in the workforce and ownership. Recently, the economic crisis faced by most domestic media has forced many companies to curtail or suspend executive education and research.”

But Smith noted that “global interest in media management is growing and technological advances promise substantial growth when the economy recovers.”

Medill, MMC and Kellogg are uniquely placed to provide professionals with what they need to engage the future. Beginning in 2000, MMC partnered with Kellogg to deliver to MBA students the only major in media management in the top 20 business schools in the U.S. That major has grown, and it draws an increasing number of Medill graduate students who want to create their own media enterprises.

Smith said the Center will continue its supported research and executive education projects that are scheduled or pending throughout 2009 as well as working with Medill on the new track.

Persons interested in the new master’s track for experienced professionals and the wide array of classes it offers should contact Michael P. Smith, m-smith3@northwestern.edu, 847-467-2065.