In fall 2025, the Quinnipiac University School of Communications is launching a semester-long program: QU in NYC. Students will experience New York City culture while holding an internship as well as attending events and programs.

The program serves as the New York version of QU in LA, which still remains as an option for students.

“There’s so much media and communications that takes place in New York, it’s kind of the epicenter for the industry,” Nadine Barnett Cosby, dean of the School of Communications, said.

With so much to learn from the culture and resources in the city, students are given an opportunity they may have otherwise not had.

“I think a huge benefit is to be able to gain experience at communications and media companies in New York City while they’re still students,” Barnett Cosby said. “Offering that opportunity for students to experience that rich global culture of New York is always a benefit, really for anyone.”

Students are required to secure an internship, as well as have at least 57 credits, a 3.0 GPA and pass COM 201. These requirements ensure they are at a steady pace, academically speaking.

“We don’t want to add on to their academic load,” Barnett Cosby said. “So it’s making sure they’re in good standing academically with their GPA.”

Outside of their internship, students will also be able to further explore the city and communications field through programming, events, talks and workshops.

Holding these internships in New York will give students the kind of hands-on and real world experience they will need for their early career just out of school and beyond.

“I would feel really happy and really proud of what we’ve done if our students are getting more internships, better internship experiences, if they’re getting job offers because sometimes that’s the huge thing,” Barnett Cosby said. “It’s really just having access to people and companies to be able to network, to be able to make an impression.”

As for housing, students have several options. Quinnipiac has partnered with a housing company, Educational Housing Services (EHS), which specializes in housing students and interns. The company is providing two locations within the city, Brooklyn and Manhattan. In both locations, they will be housed with other college students, providing an added networking experience.

“As part of the EHS community, you’ll have access to a bundle of impressive amenities including free wifi, central air conditioning, fitness centers, 24-hour security and more,” according to their website. “All EHS residents also enjoy access to EHS’ exclusive Student Life program, which includes trips to Broadway shows, Yankees games, food festivals and more.”

The Brooklyn location functions as a typical residence hall. The building has resident assistants, who plan several activities throughout the semester, as well as a fitness center and a mail center.

Each room is similar to a dorm room, with two beds and desks, a full-sized fridge and a bathroom. The building also sits on the same block as the subway, allowing for easy access to other locations in the city.

The second location available to students is located in Manhattan at the New Yorker Hotel. Students choosing to live in one of the city locations have the option to select their roommate if a friend or peer is in the program as well.

Having housing locations in two separate parts of the city provides students with the option of experiencing different atmospheres of New York City.

“So it really is like ‘do you want that living among the chaos vibe (in Manhattan)’ or Brooklyn is much more peaceful and quieter,” Lila Carney, School of Communications Director of Career Development, said.

Aside from housing in New York, students have additional options. They can remain on campus and commute to their internship in the city. Or, if they live close enough, they can live at home for the semester and commute as well. Both of these options add a layer of flexibility to the program that is not possible in LA.

“There are some financial, some geographic barriers that make (LA) less of an option for some of our students, and that was a concern too,” Barnett Cosby said. “How can we in a way duplicate this program in a way that’s more accessible to a larger number of students.

Unlike the LA program, there will be no ground director in New York. Instead, it will be managed from campus by Barnett Cosby, Carney and other faculty and staff.

As the program is still in a planning phase and brand new, certain aspects will develop and be learned along the way. With the close proximity to the city from Hamden, Barnett Cosby hopes to have faculty travel into the city to teach a weekly course once a week. This could also be an opportunity possibly offered to faculty that already commutes from New York.

“Maybe we also have faculty rotate to kind of supervise the different trips and things that are happening, cultural events happening on a weekly basis in New York,” Barnett Cosby said. “That’s the part that’s still in development, but it’s exciting because it’ll create a lot of different opportunities that don’t currently exist.”

While there are no events officially planned yet, Barnett Cosby looks at anything from tours of media companies to panel sessions with professionals in the industry.

“There are a lot of cultural events in New York that make sense and tie into the student experience in New York, as well as tying into communications and the industry,” Barnett Cosby said.

With The Big Apple being a hub for jobs in the communications field, both Barnett Cosby and Carney see this new program to give students an early experience into where they might be, come graduation.

“I think our students are going to have an amazing experience just living in New York and seeing what a glimpse of what life after graduation will be like if they want to do the New York thing,” Carney said. “I think for a lot of students, they’re going to fall in love with it and really have some clarity on what they want to do.”

On the other hand, students may come to find that New York is not for them. Whatever the outcome, however, the program is geared toward having a unique experience and preparation for their career.

“I think it will give students clarity on what their post graduation goals are, and that’s what I’m hoping for,” Carney said.