Knight School of Communication
Knight School of Communication
At the James L. Knight School of Communication, the classroom meets the real world. As the only communication school in the nation to bear the Knight name, we uniquely bridge new media innovation with civic engagement.
Our curriculum is designed to be always current and always connected, preparing you to navigate a fast-evolving digital landscape. We offer a generalist Communication degree alongside cutting-edge programs directly aligned with Charlotte’s booming professional landscape:
- Multimedia Storytelling: Anchored in a top-25 Nielsen media market.
- Sports Communication: Powered by Charlotte’s major professional sports teams.
- Health Communication: Connected to a global leader in innovation-led healthcare.
Guided by an inspiring faculty, you will learn to analyze complex information flows and communicate across diverse audiences. Beyond graduation, our deep partnership with the Center for Digital Equity (CDE)—which strives to make Mecklenburg County the most digitally equitable community in America—ensures you become a dynamic agent of change, building sustainable media ecosystems where communities can flourish.
Charlotte Journalism Collaborative
The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative (CJC) unites local journalists, newsrooms, universities, and community partners to strengthen civic information. Through collaborative reporting and community engagement, CJC ensures residents have access to trusted, relevant news while giving them a voice in the stories that matter most. By serving as a convener and catalyst, CJC enables organizations to tackle complex issues together that no single newsroom could address alone.
As the institutional home and a founding partner of the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative (CJC), the Knight School of Communication at Queens provides the leadership and resources to anchor the region’s local news ecosystem. Through the Queens News Service and the CJC’s Charlotte Documenters program, students cover local government and produce real-world journalism for regional media outlets. This partnership fosters civic accountability while preparing the next generation of media leaders to serve their communities.
Queens News Service
Launched in February 2021, the student-run Queens News Service provides local news content to multiple media outlets in Charlotte, helping them cover stories they otherwise lack the resources to produce. Students aim to publish five text and video pieces monthly while supporting university broadcasting, podcasting, and content creation courses.
The service offers a realistic newsroom environment where students pitch directly to top local editors to fill coverage gaps. As part of the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative, Queens students have seen their work featured on the front page of The Charlotte Observer and on WFAE.
“The Queens University News Service is a great news asset for Charlotte newsrooms,” said Jennifer Lang, senior editor, digital news and product at WFAE. “By subscribing to this news service, WFAE can give our audience additional perspectives and coverage of news and events that we might not have had without the work of these student journalists.”
Degrees & Certificates
- Master of Arts in Communication (MA COM)
Accelerated Pathway
Queens offers a streamlined, accelerated pathway for qualified students in the Knight School of Communication. If you meet the criteria after admission, you may receive an invitation to declare intent, receive specialized advising early, and apply to the graduate pathway by the end of your sophomore year — keeping you on track for the 3.5 + 1 accelerated format.
The Knight Team
Dean’s Office
Jeremiah Wills, Ph.D.
Dean
Undergraduate Programs
Joe Cornelius, MFA
Director, Undergraduate Programs
Graduate Programs
Taylor Walker, Ph.D.
Director, Graduate Programs
Dynamic Faculty
The Knight School of Communication faculty are mentors to students, as well as well-respected scholars and experts in various industries linked to the field of communication.
Location
Queens is nestled in the historic Myers Park neighborhood, so we are just minutes from Uptown Charlotte. Come visit us at the Knight-Crane Hall!
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