Skip to main content

Search NYU Steinhardt

The 128-credit Global Public Health/Media, Culture, and Communication (GPH/MCC) major/co-major trains you to think deeply and broadly about questions at the intersection of cultures, emerging technologies, media ecosystems, and global health.

As a GPH/MCC major, you’ll develop expertise in navigating a complex international media landscape to arrive at innovative solutions to public health challenges. 

A required component of all Global Public Health combined majors is a semester studying away at an NYU global site.

Major Requirements

Media, Culture, and Communication core courses survey the field of media studies, while subsequent ‘Framing’ courses offer an overview of a particular sub-discipline within the department’s five Areas of Study. ‘Focus’ courses allow you to explore topics in greater depth.

Areas of Study

Global Communication and Media courses examine global media production, circulation and consumption in relation to citizenship and identity, immigration and diasporas, human rights and social movements, political-economic inequalities, and geopolitics.

Visual Culture and Sound Studies courses focus on the ways that visual and sound media shape everyday life on and offline, especially through politics and power.

Technology and Society courses focus on information and communication technologies and their social, political and ethical implications.

Media Industries and Politics courses examine the political economy of media and information industries, the use of media to shape and mobilize public opinion, social movements, and electoral politics.

Interaction and Experience courses explore how we relate to ourselves, each other, and the material world in various social, cultural, and technological contexts. 

Major and Co-Major Electives

Designed to allow you to further tailor your degree, major and co-major electives can be taken in either Media, Culture, and Communication or in Global Public Health.

Program Requirements

Course Title Credits
Liberal Arts Requirements
Foreign Language
Select eight credits of a foreign language8
Expository Writing
EXPOS-UA 1Writing as Inquiry4
ACE-UE 110Advanced College Essay: Educ & The Professions4
Foundations of Contemporary Culture
Texts and Ideas4
Cultures and Contexts4
Societies and Social Sciences4
Expressive Culture4
Foundations of Scientific Inquiry
UGPH-GU 20Biostatistics for Public Health4
Physical Science4
Life Science4
Liberal Arts Electives
Select 20 Unrestricted Liberal Arts elective credits20
Additional Requirements
SAHS-UE 1New Student Seminar0
Writing Proficiency Examination
The Global Health Major requires one Fall, Spring or Summer semester abroad at one of NYU's 14 global sites.
Major Requirements
Public Health Core
UGPH-GU 10Health and Society in a Global Context4
UGPH-GU 30Epidemiology for Global Health4
UGPH-GU 40Health Policy in a Global World4
UGPH-GU 50Environmental Health in a Global World4
Global Public Health Internship
UGPH-GU 60Undergraduate Experiential Learning in Global Public Health4
Media, Culture, and Communication Core
MCC-UE 1Introduction to Media Studies4
MCC-UE 3History of Media & Comm4
MCC-UE 14Methods in Media Studies4
MCC-UE 1200Inquiry Seminar4
MCC Areas of Study: Framing Course
Select two Framing courses from any of the following areas of study:8
Global Communication and Media
Visual Culture and Sound Studies
Interaction and Experience
Media Industries and Politics
Technology and Society
MCC Areas of Study: Focus Courses
Select any three Focus courses from any of the following areas of study:12
Global Communication and Media
Visual Culture and Sound Studies
Interaction and Experience
Media Industries and Politics
Technology and Society
Electives
Select eight credits from GPH or MCC. The internship course MCC-UE 1100 may be taken as an elective. 8
Total Credits128

Sample Plan of Study 

Plan of Study Grid
1st Semester/TermCredits
MCC-UE 1/9001 Introduction to Media Studies 4
EXPOS-UA 1/9001
or EXPOS-UA 4
Writing as Inquiry
or International Writing Workshop I
4
UGPH-GU 10 Health and Society in a Global Context 4
SAHS-UE 1 New Student Seminar 0
College Core Requirement 4
 Credits16
2nd Semester/Term
MCC-UE 3/9003 History of Media & Comm 4
ACE-UE 110
or EXPOS-UA 9
Advanced College Essay: Educ & The Professions
or International Writing Workshop II
4
College Core Requirement 4
College Core Requirement 4
 Credits16
3rd Semester/Term
MCC-UE 1XXX Field of Study Framing Course 4
UGPH-GU 20 Biostatistics for Public Health 4
MCC-UE 14 Methods in Media Studies 4
College Core Requirement 4
 Credits16
4th Semester/Term
MCC-UE 1XXX Field of Study Framing Course 4
UGPH-GU 30 Epidemiology for Global Health 4
MCC-UE 1200 Inquiry Seminar 4
College Core Requirement 4
 Credits16
5th Semester/Term
MCC-UE 1XXX Field of Study Focus course 4
UGPH-GU 40 Health Policy in a Global World 4
Foreign Language 4
College Core Requirement 4
 Credits16
6th Semester/Term
Foreign Language 4
UGPH-GU 60 Undergraduate Experiential Learning in Global Public Health 4
Liberal Arts Electives 4
Liberal Arts Electives 4
 Credits16
7th Semester/Term
MCC-UE 1XXX Field of Study Focus course 4
UGPH-GU 50 Environmental Health in a Global World 4
Liberal Arts Electives 4
Liberal Arts Electives 4
 Credits16
8th Semester/Term
MCC-UE 1XXX Field of Study Focus course 4
MCC/GPH combined major electives 4
MCC/GPH combined major electives 4
Liberal Arts Electives 4
 Credits16
 Total Credits128

Note: This is a suggested program of study and semester-to-semester plan; students can take courses in any sequence and can study abroad any time within their sophomore to senior year. The GPH/MCC curriculum requires that students earn a grade of B- or better in their core curriculum (MCC-UE 1, 3, and 14).

You must earn a B- or better to use the core course toward the MCC major or minor. You are allowed one unique opportunity to retake a core course during your time in the program. Students receiving below a B- in two or more MCC core courses will have to explore other options for majoring at NYU.

If you have taken the NODEP-UA 9982 Experiential Learning Seminar at the NYU-LA campus, you have an exception to the 6 credit internship maximum in order to complete this required course at the NYU-LA campus. The 2 credit differential from taking the NODEP-UA course can count toward your liberal arts elective requirements, unrestricted electives, or professional electives.

Take the Next Step

Advance your personal and professional journey – apply to join our community of students.

Apply Now