Ithaca College Roy H. Park School of Communications
A comprehensive communications school in upstate New York offering film production programs that blend liberal arts education with hands-on media training.
Overview
The Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College is one of the most established media and communications programs in the northeastern United States. Located in Ithaca, New York, the school offers production-focused programs in film, television, and emerging media within a liberal arts college setting that emphasizes critical thinking alongside technical skill.
Ithaca College's campus sits on a hillside overlooking Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region. The Park School's facilities include television studios, editing suites, screening rooms, and equipment checkout for camera, lighting, and sound packages. The school's location in a college town environment creates a focused academic atmosphere, and students benefit from the scenic diversity of the surrounding landscape for location shooting.
The Park School draws on its proximity to Cornell University and the broader Ithaca academic community to provide interdisciplinary learning opportunities. Students can take courses across departments and participate in collaborative projects that extend beyond the boundaries of media production.
Programs Offered
- BS in Cinema and Photography -- the primary film production program, covering directing, cinematography, editing, and sound
- BS in Television-Radio -- a broadcast and media production program
- BS in Emerging Media -- digital storytelling, interactive media, and new platforms
- BS in Media Arts, Sciences, and Studies -- a scholarly track combining media theory with production
- BFA in Film, Photography, and Visual Arts -- through the School of Humanities and Sciences
What Students Should Know
Ithaca College's Park School is best suited for students who want film production training within a broader communications and liberal arts education. The program does not operate as a conservatory, and students take substantial coursework outside their major. This approach produces well-rounded graduates but means less total production time compared to dedicated film schools.
The school has strong alumni connections in television, documentary, and broadcast media. Ithaca graduates are well represented in New York-based media companies, local and national broadcast operations, and documentary production.
Tuition at Ithaca College is approximately $50,000 per year. The college offers merit and need-based financial aid. Ithaca's cost of living is lower than New York City, which reduces total expenses. The school operates a Los Angeles program that gives students semester-long access to the entertainment industry.
Students considering Ithaca should weigh its strengths in television and documentary production against the more film-focused curricula at schools like Chapman, FSU, or UNCSA.
Notable Alumni
Park School alumni include David Muir (ABC News anchor), Bob Iger (former CEO of The Walt Disney Company attended Ithaca College), and numerous working professionals in television production, broadcast journalism, and documentary filmmaking.
See Also
For comparing communications-school film programs with dedicated film schools, see Choosing a Film School. To explore audio delivery standards for broadcast and streaming, use the LUFS Calculator.
