College of Communications

<p>What can anyone tell me about the College of Communications and the quality and reputation of the undergraduate journalism and broadcast journalism program, the profs and internship and job placement? My D is starting in the fall of 2008, and she declined acceptances to the older and highly regarded J schools at Indiana University-Bloomington and the University of Maryland-College Park in favor of the College of Communications at PSU. She's currently interested in broadcast or possibly some manner of print, magazine or online journalism. I understand that PSU's "College" of Communications was established pretty recently in 1985, and so it's relatively young compared with the J schools at UMD and IU. Notably, when I look into the top undergraduate journalism programs (print and broadcast), I don't read or see much about Penn State. Why is that? Is it a good program? Up and coming? How are the professors and the facilities? Is the program well known and highly regarded in the industry, and are the students well prepared and well thought of by prospective employers? How do PSU J students do in terms of quality internships and career opportunities in the industry compared with students who have attended J schools with older and more established reputations? Also, I see that there several thousand enrolled in the College of Communications, and that it's supposed to be the largest program of its kind in the US. But is that a good thing or a not so good thing for the students who are enrolled? Does it result in excessive competition for use of facilities or participation in student media? Does it make one on one face time with profs and getting to really know profs tougher as opposed to a limited enrollment program such as those at UMD and IU?</p>