College of Human Development, Culture, and Media

Launching in Summer 2023, Seton Hall’s emerging College of Human Development, Culture, and Media (CHDCM) will be the singular place for purpose-built interdisciplinary learning focused on innovation along the continuum of human development.  

Integrating the exceptional faculty of Communication and the Arts and Education and Human Services, along with dynamic cross-disciplinary curricula, the new College will seek to improve the human condition by collaborating across distinct fields that uniquely complement one another and prepare students as dynamic leaders poised to address complex issues.  Expression will underpin all facets of the integrated College’s portfolio — media as a form of education and artistic expression; teaching and learning as modes of creative expression; self-expression as a vehicle of social agency.

Many of the biggest challenges our society faces relate to the intersection of education and communication.  These challenges can’t be solved in silos.  They require innovative approaches that capitalize on the synergies of art, design, communication, instruction and media residing in various systems ranging from law enforcement to educators to counseling to leadership that respond to important societal questions fueled by human experiences and inequities.

Our collaborative ethos is the hallmark of a Seton Hall education: an interdisciplinary approach to learning that grounds students firmly in their chosen discipline while expanding their perspectives through collaboration — setting them apart in their ability to lead in a variety of fields and solve pressing problems in society. 

As with all Seton Hall programs, our students are the focus. Within this new College:

Our students will stand out.

Core discipline knowledge across the College will be strengthened by additional elements that make our graduates more valuable in the field.

• Education students have the potential to graduate with multiple teaching certificates, such as special education. 
• Communication students understand the role of art and media as tools for social change and professional success that facilitates global connectedness. 
• Professional Psychology students may take courses in gaming and the arts to forge connections with digitally minded young people often treated on virtual platforms.

Our students will be more versatile.

Academic excellence is combined with immersive experiences across disciplines, equipping students with performance and communication skills that are critical components of compelling leaders in any field. 

• Imagine communications designed with access in mind, connecting more people to the services and resources they need to maximize their potential.
• Education graduates grounded in child psychology to help spot early intervention needs sooner.
• Counselors trained in interactive media to educate community members about everything from mental health to online medicine to overall well-being. 

Our students will be difference-makers.

The values of servant leadership guide us. Across the CHDCM, we will cultivate impactful educators, distinguished communicators, compelling leaders, and critically needed social change makers.

Our teaching, research , and technological innovation will focus on complex societal challenges: The extraordinary pressures on educators and the need to overcome sociological dynamics to help all students learn; the perceptions and interactions between law enforcement and communities; the role of technology in enhancing cultural knowledge and awareness; the complexity of sharing messages across all media to create shared meaning and understanding among diverse groups.

Our graduates will be a step ahead.

CHDCM graduates will be prepared to practice in a multi-media world, thanks to cutting-edge tools and unparalleled studio-based learning opportunities. 

At their best, today’s media channels are powerful and effective platforms that respond to important societal questions, creating shared meaning and understanding among diverse groups. As part of the first Adobe Creative Campus in New Jersey, Seton Hall's CHDCM will train students in tools and technologies that make them more nimble, relevant and digitally savvy communicators. 

Our Creator Spaces and media programming immerse students in experiential learning opportunities at our award-winning platforms for expression: WSOU 89.5FM, a Marconi award-winning “best Non-Commercial Radio Station,” our recently upgraded 4k television studio, Center for Sports Media, and Institute for Communication and Religion.