emerson.edu

Emerson College is a private college in Boston, Massachusetts, and describes itself as the only college in the U.S. dedicated entirely to communication and the arts. Its academic offerings are organized into three schools, and the college reports 42 undergraduate and graduate majors, plus 4 certificates and 30+ minors. If you are looking for a school where creative and communication work is the whole curriculum rather than a side track, this structure is the main thing to understand.

The three schools

Emerson groups its programs under three schools:

• School of Film, Television, and Media Arts
• School of Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies
• School of Communication

Each school anchors a different kind of creative work — screen and media production, arts and cross-disciplinary study, and communication-focused fields.

Majors and degree levels

Emerson offers 42 undergraduate and graduate majors, so the same subject area can often be studied at more than one degree level. The college also lists 4 certificates and 30+ minors, which let students add a second area without committing to a full second major.

Student spotlights on the site show the range of degree types in practice, including:

The pattern worth noting: Emerson awards both BFA degrees (studio-intensive, e.g., Theatre, Acting, Media Arts) and BS degrees (e.g., Communication Studies), and students can combine two programs — Kendel Dawson’s dual BFA/BS is an example of that.

What the curriculum emphasizes

Emerson frames its approach as “learn by doing — from day one.” The site highlights hands-on access to professional-level studios, stages, and labs, mentorship from people working in the industry, and study locations beyond Boston, including Los Angeles and the Netherlands. For a prospective student, that means the choice is less about picking a traditional liberal arts major and more about which production- or communication-centered program matches the work you want to make.

How to decide if it fits

• Choose Emerson if you want a college where communication and the arts are the entire focus, you value studio and production experience early, and you want access to industry-connected locations like Boston and LA.
• Look elsewhere if you want a broad range of unrelated majors (engineering, natural sciences, business) alongside the arts, or if you prefer a large university with a wide general-education core.

To see the full, current list of majors, minors, and certificates, check Emerson’s official academic programs pages, since the exact catalog can change by year.

Emerson College is a private college in the United States dedicated entirely to communication and the arts. It describes itself as "the only college in the U.S. dedicated entirely to communication and the arts," which makes it a fit for students who want to study film, media, theater, communication, or related creative fields rather than a broad liberal arts curriculum. If you are looking for a school built around creative and communication work, Emerson is designed for that focus; if you want a wide range of unrelated majors, it is not.

What Emerson focuses on

Emerson's stated purpose is to help students "turn your creative energy into real work, real connections, and real momentum." Its academic structure is organized around three schools named on its site:

• School of Film, Television, and Media Arts
• School of Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies
• School of Communication

This structure reflects the college's emphasis on creative production and communication rather than traditional academic divisions like a separate school of engineering or business.

Scale and academic offerings

Emerson reports the following numbers:

The range of majors, minors, and certificates means students can combine interests within the creative and communication space, but the offerings stay within that broad area.

Reputation

Emerson's film program is ranked #5 in the U.S. by The Hollywood Reporter, according to the college's site. That ranking is one signal of its standing in film and media education.

Learning environment

Emerson emphasizes learning by doing. Its site highlights:

• Learning by doing from day one
• Hands-on access to tools of the trade
• Professional-level studios, stages, and labs
• Faculty who are "people leading the industry"
• An urban campus
• Opportunities to live and learn in Los Angeles, the Netherlands, and beyond

It also fields 14 NCAA Division III teams for students who want athletics alongside creative work.

Who Emerson is for

Emerson suits students who already know they want to work in communication or the arts and want an environment centered on those fields. The site frames this directly: "MADE FOR CREATIVES AND COMMUNICATORS." If your interests sit outside communication and the arts, or you want a school with a broader mix of programs, Emerson's single-focus model may not match your goals.

Next step

If the fit seems right, Emerson holds undergraduate open houses in the fall. Its site lists four open houses and an "Upcoming Events" section where you can check dates and register.

Emerson College hosts undergraduate Open Houses and other admissions events for prospective students, and the main way to find them is through the "Upcoming Events" and Open House listings on emerson.edu. The college describes its fall Open Houses as built around "the things you're already into—and everything you might discover next," so they're aimed at creators who want to see whether Emerson fits them. If you're considering applying, start with the events section of the site, then plan your visit around what you want to see.

What Emerson Offers Prospective Students

Emerson positions itself as the only college in the U.S. dedicated entirely to communication and the arts. That focus shapes what a visit or admissions event is designed to show you:

• Learn by doing—from day one, with hands-on access to the tools of the trade
• Professional-level studios, stages, and labs where students create
• Faculty who are leading the industry, described as mentors
• An urban campus in Boston, plus study locations in LA and the Netherlands

The site also notes 42 undergraduate and graduate majors, 4 certificates, and 30+ minors, along with 120+ student clubs and 14 NCAA Division III teams. A visit is a chance to check these against your own interests.

Open Houses: What They Are and Who They're For

Emerson's Open Houses are admissions events for prospective undergraduates. The site frames them around questions like: What's calling you? A stage? A camera? A story that needs telling? An idea you can't stop thinking about?

The college says it opens its doors for four Open Houses built around students' existing interests and possible new directions. These events are suited to creators who want to:

• See whether Emerson's communication-and-arts focus matches their goals
• Get a feel for campus energy and the people they'd be learning alongside
• Explore programs before deciding where to apply

How to Find and Attend an Event

1. Go to emerson.edu and look for the events area. The homepage includes an "Upcoming Events" section with a "View All" link, and a prompt to "Join Us for an Undergraduate Open House."
2. Check the Open House listing. The site describes fall Open Houses and invites prospective students to attend.
3. Review the full events calendar via "View All" to see other admissions events beyond Open Houses.
4. Plan around what you want to see. Because Emerson emphasizes studios, stages, labs, and its Boston campus, decide in advance which of these matter most to you.

The site does not publish specific dates, registration steps, or cost details in the material available here, so confirm current dates and any registration requirements directly on the events pages.

What to Look For on a Visit

Use the visit to test Emerson's core claims against your own experience:

Common Questions

Is there an admissions event for undergraduates? Yes. Emerson promotes an Undergraduate Open House and lists upcoming events on its site.

How many Open Houses are there? The site references four Open Houses in the fall, built around students' interests.

Can I see the whole events list? Yes—use the "View All" link in the Upcoming Events section.

Does the site give dates and registration details? Not in the material available here. Check the events pages on emerson.edu for current dates and any sign-up steps.

Bottom Line

If you're a prospective student interested in communication and the arts, Emerson's Open Houses and events calendar are the starting points for visiting or attending admissions events. Begin at emerson.edu, review the Upcoming Events and Open House listings, and confirm dates and registration directly, since those specifics aren't included in the site content summarized here.

Student life at Emerson College centers on creative work, clubs, and an urban campus in Boston. The college describes itself as the only U.S. college dedicated entirely to communication and the arts, and its student experience reflects that focus: more than 120 student clubs and co-curriculars, 14 NCAA Division III teams, and study-away options in Los Angeles, the Netherlands, and beyond. This overview is for prospective students and families comparing Emerson's day-to-day experience with other colleges.

Clubs and co-curriculars

Emerson reports 120+ student clubs and co-curriculars, ranging from publications to performance groups. The college frames these as a way to "join the clubs, crews, casts, and communities that make Emerson feel like Emerson."

If you are evaluating fit, the practical question is whether your interests map onto that range. Emerson's club list leans toward media, publishing, and performance rather than, say, engineering or pre-med organizations — consistent with a communication-and-arts curriculum.

Athletics

Emerson fields 14 NCAA Division III teams. The college invites students to "compete, cheer, and show your Lion pride." Division III means no athletic scholarships and a schedule designed to coexist with academics, so athletics functions as one part of campus life rather than the organizing center of it.

Campus environment

Emerson's campus is urban. The college lists "feel the energy of an urban campus" among its student-life highlights, alongside "live and learn in LA, the Netherlands, and beyond." Boston serves as the home base, with the college also operating a Los Angeles campus.

One number worth noting for students considering the LA option: Emerson reports 150+ internship sites for students at its Los Angeles campus alone. That figure speaks to the industry-access side of student life, not just social activities.

Learning by doing

Emerson describes its approach as "learn by doing—from day one," with access to "professional-level studios, stages, and labs" and faculty who are "people leading the industry." For students, this shapes daily life: coursework and creative production overlap with club and extracurricular work rather than sitting in separate compartments.

Study away

The college lists study-away locations including Los Angeles and the Netherlands. These are framed as "live and learn" experiences — housing and coursework combined — rather than standalone travel programs.

Quick reference

How to decide if it fits

Emerson suits students who want their social and extracurricular life to revolve around creative and communication work — publications, performance, media production — in a city environment. It is less suited to students seeking a traditional residential campus with a broad range of non-arts extracurriculars or big-time college sports.

The most reliable next step is to visit or attend an admissions event. Emerson runs undergraduate open houses in the fall, which let you see the studios, stages, and labs and talk to current students directly.

Emerson College builds its education around learning by doing, starting from day one. According to the college, students get their hands on the tools of their fields, work in professional-level studios, stages, and labs, and learn from people who are leading the industry. That combination—early practice, professional facilities, and working practitioners—is the core of how Emerson approaches hands-on learning and industry experience.

Learning by Doing From Day One

Emerson describes its approach as "Learn by doing—from day one." Rather than waiting until upper-level courses to touch real equipment or produce real work, students are expected to engage with the tools and practices of their discipline early. The college frames this as turning "creative energy into real work, real connections, and real momentum."

This matters most for prospective students who want a portfolio, reel, or body of work built during college rather than after it.

Professional-Level Facilities

Emerson states that students "create in professional-level studios, stages, and labs." These facilities support the college's three schools:

• School of Film, Television, and Media Arts
• School of Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies
• School of Communication

The emphasis on studios, stages, and labs reflects the college's identity as, in its own words, "the only college in the U.S. dedicated entirely to communication and the arts."

Learning From Industry Practitioners

Emerson says students "learn from people leading the industry." This means instruction and mentorship come from faculty and professionals with active or recent industry experience, not only academic researchers. The college pairs this with mentorship and "real-world opportunities" as part of its stated offer to students.

Internships and Off-Campus Study

For students seeking industry exposure beyond the classroom, Emerson points to concrete numbers and locations:

The Los Angeles campus is notable for students in film, television, media arts, and related fields, given the concentration of internship sites there. Studying in the Netherlands and other locations extends the international dimension of the experience.

Sharing Work With the World

Emerson lists "Share your work with the world" as part of its student experience. Combined with the college's facilities and industry connections, this suggests an emphasis on producing finished, public-facing work rather than only classroom exercises.

Who This Approach Suits

Emerson's model fits students who:

• Want to start producing work in their field during their first year
• Prefer studio, stage, and lab environments over purely lecture-based learning
• Are looking for internship access, particularly in Los Angeles for media-related fields
• Want faculty and mentors with industry backgrounds
• Are interested in studying in more than one location

Students who prefer a broad liberal arts curriculum without a communication or arts focus, or who want a large research university setting, may find Emerson's specialized, practice-centered model less aligned with their goals.

A Note on Rankings and Reputation

Emerson cites a #5 ranking for its film school from The Hollywood Reporter. This is the college's own reference to an external ranking and reflects its positioning in film and media education specifically, not a general measure of all its programs.

Verifying Details Before You Apply

Program specifics, internship availability, and study-away options can change by major and year. Prospective students should confirm current details directly with Emerson's admissions office or program pages, particularly for the Los Angeles and Netherlands opportunities and for internship placement in a specific field.