This semester, Stony Brook’s School of Journalism will be launched, making it the first of its kind in the SUNY system. With the help of a score of supporters, both within the university and in the professional world, SBU’s School of Journalism features a design geared toward the future of the media and changing world issues.

According to Howard Schneider, the Founding Dean of the emerging school, Stony Brook’s new journalism major may demand more credits than any existing journalism program in the country. At 127 credits, the journalism major is second only to engineering within Stony Brook.

The new major will require 47 journalism credits, and 80 credits outside of journalism. According to Schneider, the 47 journalism credits will satisfy three phases in the students’ progression: a ‘foundation’ phase, in which the students will learn journalism basics, a ‘getting ready for the revolution’ phase, in which students will prepare for the changing face of media in the modern world, and a final phase that helps the student find and prepare for an entry level position in the professional world.

The 80 credits outside of journalism will account for DECs, electives, and a journalism ‘concentration.’ Concentrations require students to take 18 credits in a specified field beyond the journalism world, and offer four choices: Science and Environment, Diversity and Society, Public Affairs, and Global Issues and Perspectives.

According the Schneider, the concentrations are designed to diversify the expertise of journalism students and help them prepare for issues that the designers of the school anticipate to be crucial in future years. The Science and Environment concentration, specifically, is designed to take advantage of Stony Brook’s strong tradition in the sciences.

Schneider found it important to note that SUNY schools have offered journalism BAs and MAs in the past, but Stony Brook has the first undergraduate school. He also said that while 40 other states have an accredited journalism program, New York has lacked one until now.

Schneider has been a reporter and editor for Newsday for 35 years, according to Stony Brook University.

This spring, the School plans to construct a two-level ‘newsroom of the future’ in the Melville Library, in hopes of making it a sort of home base for the journalism program. According to Stony Brook University, the newsroom will eventually be connected to smaller newsrooms at the Manhattan and South Hampton campuses.

The goal of the School of Journalism, Schneider said, is to maintain, ‘Great respect for the traditions of journalism, and an eye on the future of journalism – one foot in the past, and one foot in the future.’

According to Stony Brook University, more than 100 students had registered to take journalism courses as of July 17th. The school plans to eventually offer 30 courses in journalism over the next two to three years, said Schneider.

The long-term goals of the designers of the School of Journalism include a 5-year master’s degree in Health and Science Journalism.

‘I think it’s going to be one of the most competitive programs in the country,’ said Schneider.