Learn More About 2025 Class and Application
SoC students may apply for the GMCS seminar each fall quarter. Application details for the 2025 class and trip available below. If you have any questions, please reach out to epics@northwestern.edu
Sponsored by the School of Communication in cooperation with the London School of Economics (LSE) Department of Media & Communications, the Global Media & Communications Seminar (GMCS) features a combination of lectures both in Evanston and London as well as site visits that allow students to develop an understanding of and gain exposure to the global media and communications industries. This program allows students to engage with prominent industry professionals in the field and NU/LSE faculty in the classroom, all while exploring and touring the city of London. This program is open to School of Communication undergraduate majors only.
The GMCS Seminar consists of two separate but connected parts: the seminar class taught in Evanston by instructor Dean Lori Barcliff Baptista during winter quarter 2025, and the trip to London, England over Spring Break. Students will first learn about the Global Media & Communications industries in the classroom. Upon completion of the class, students travel alongside faculty and staff to London where they engage first-hand with the country, culture, and industries they studied.
Students accepted into this program must enroll in and complete the one credit Global Media & Communications Seminar course CMN 350-0 during the winter 2025 quarter. The trip portion of the seminar is scheduled to take place in London over NU’s spring break. All participants must be available from 3/21/25 – 3/28/25.
What is covered by the SoC and what are the costs?
The School of Communication will cover:
- Roundtrip airfare
- Hotel (shared room)
- Ground transportation while in London
- Ground transportation to/from airport in Illinois and London
- GeoBlue: Northwestern’s international medical assistance and insurance (mandated by Northwestern)
- One meal daily, plus 1-2 additional meals based on schedule of events
- Costs associated with class required enrichment activities (i.e. theatre tickets, admission to museums, etc.)
Participating students will be responsible for their own meals, relevant visa/passport fees (as applicable) and discretionary spending money if they are selected to participate. The average cost of participation per student this academic year will be approximately $800. Students with demonstrated financial need may request additional funding to supplement the anticipated cost of per diem and visa/passport fees.
Important Dates
Below is the timeline for the 2025 seminar and trip
- Applications accepted October 1 – 25, 2024 (by 11:59 PM)
- Students notified of acceptance by early November
- CMN 350 course dates: January 6 – March 21, 2025 (Tuesdays 2pm – 4:50pm)
- Travel to London: March 21 – 28, 2025
How to Apply:
This program is open to School of Communication undergraduate majors only. Students must be sophomore, junior or senior and be in good academic standing. Students accepted into this program will be enrolled in and must complete the one credit Global Media & Communications Seminar course CMN 350-0 during the winter 2025 quarter. The trip portion of the seminar is scheduled to take place in London over NU’s spring break. All participants must be available to travel from March 21 – 28, 2025
Before applying, schedule a meeting with your academic advisor to ensure that the Global Media & Communications Seminar aligns with your academic plan and that you meet the eligibility requirements. Your advisor can also help you understand how the course fits into your broader academic and career goals.
The GMCS application includes 5 questions regarding your interest in participating in the course. Each answer should be a few short sentences (around 150 – 300 words). Students should write responses in a word processing program and then copy them into the text box in the application portal.
- Why do you want to participate in the Global Media & Communications Seminar?
- How will participating in this class and trip relate to your academic, creative, and/or career goals?
- What is your interest in global media? Why do you think it’s important?
- Describe a piece of media, performance, or creative work that impacted you and others globally. Why was it important to you? What was the global impact?
- Describe a particular course or co-curricular experience (internship, conference attendee, employee, student group member, etc.) that you participated in that supports your interest in this program.
Accepted students will be asked to provide proof of travel eligibility by early January. It is advised that if you do not have a current passport, you begin this process immediately. Passports are required to have an expiration date of September 2025 or later.
International students should research specific travel and visa considerations and be able to provide proof of travel eligibility by early January. If a student is unable to provide proof of travel eligibility, they will be required to withdraw from the course.
The deadline for submission is Friday, October 25 at 11:59pm.
If you would like to request financial assistance, you must complete the steps below:
Log into One Form (with Northwestern NetID and Password): https://northwestern.academicworks.com/
Copy this link, https://northwestern.academicworks.com/opportunities/2401, and paste it into your browser after logging into One Form.