- Campuses :
- Twin Cities
- Crookston
- Duluth
- Morris
- Rochester
- Other Locations
The SJMC is home to three vibrant research centers focusing on specialized disciplinary topics. These centers also provide numerous events and opportunities for the larger community to interact with the academy.
The Institute for New Media Studies, led by Nora Paul, is a center for creation, innovation, and examination of content and messages and the affects of new media technologies and techniques on their forms and functions. The goal is the imagining and testing of innovative forms, development of new knowledge about functions, and generation of greater understanding of the impacts of these changes in the media landscape. For more information about the INMS, its programs and initiatives, visit the INMS web site.
The Minnesota Journalism Center was established in 1979 through a gift to the University of Minnesota from the late John Cowles, Sr., chairman of the Minneapolis Star and Tribune Company, and his wife, the late Elizabeth Bates Cowles. Directed by Kathleen Hansen, the Center works to improve the practice of journalism, promote interaction between media professionals and the academy, and serves as the outreach arm of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. To this end, the Center organizes, sponsors or co-sponsors more than 30 events each year, which are detailed annually in an activity report. Visit the Minnesota Journalism Center web site for more information about upcoming programs and events.
The Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law was established in 1984 with an endowment from Otto and Helen Silha. Under the leadership of Silha Professor and Silha Center Director Jane Kirtley, the Silha Center is serves as the vanguard of the School’s interest in the ethical responsibilities and legal rights of the mass media in a democratic society. The Center focuses on the concepts and values that define the highest ideals of American journalism: freedom and fairness. It honors the importance of these ideals by examining their theoretical and practical applications and by recognizing the interdependence of ethical and legal principles. Visit the Silha Center Web site for more information on Silha Center-sponsored events and to read the Silha Bulletin, a quarterly publication that features information about the Silha Center and relevant news about law and journalism.
As with any academic community, research is a critical component in the SJMC. Minnesota has been recognized historically as one of the foremost institutions for the study of mass communication. One reason for this is the quality of our faculty members, which is apparent with a quick look at the awards they have won, the positions they have held in national and international organizations, and their roles as editors, editorial board members, and contributors to the discipline’s top journals. Perhaps our greatest resource, however, is our graduate student body. Every year, our students present research at major conferences, publish in leading journals and books and receive recognition by academic organizations.
The SJMC houses a Communication Research Division that promotes top-notch quantitative and qualitative communications research. For more than 50 years, the Research Division has supported graduate students and faculty working on a wide range of projects. Research Division support generally takes the form of consulting on research design, instrumentation, and data analysis; providing and maintaining a variety of software and hardware; and encouraging networking and cross-fertilization among researchers. For additional information, contact the Communications Research Division Director at kendoyle@umn.edu.
