At Ithaca College, students are encouraged to pursue their interests, not choose among them. The Creative Industries major reflects that philosophy by bringing together learning opportunities from across campus and giving students the flexibility to develop a course of study aligned with their goals.
In this major, you'll connect creativity with strategy, communication with innovation, and ideas with action. Through coursework spanning media, communications, business, and the literary and performing arts, you'll gain the knowledge and practical skills needed to navigate the creative economy. Along the way, you'll build a portfolio of work, professional experience, and industry connections that can help launch your career after graduation.
Through hands-on learning, you'll explore how ideas become organizations, events, brands, experiences, and ventures. You'll learn how creative projects are developed, managed, marketed, funded, and brought to audiences while building skills employers value.
The major prepares students for a wide range of careers across the nonprofit, arts, entertainment, media, and commercial creative sectors. Whether you're interested in arts administration, managing a festival, launching a venture, shaping a brand, creating digital content, or supporting a mission-driven organization, you'll graduate with the experience and confidence to pursue meaningful opportunities.
Potential career paths include:
- Creative Director
- Producer
- Event or Festival Director
- Ticketing or Venue Manager
- Corporate Sponsorships Coordinator
- Brand or Social Media Manager
- Arts Administrator
- Content Strategist
- Community Engagement Manager
- Entrepreneur and Business Owner
The signature practicum brings classroom learning into professional practice. Working closely with a faculty mentor, you'll pursue a project, internship, research experience, or other professional opportunity aligned with your interests while building the skills, confidence, and network to support your future.
At IC, creativity is everywhere. Students produce films, launch media projects, perform on stage, manage live events, develop marketing campaigns, conduct research, and build entrepreneurial ventures, often collaborating across disciplines. With access to nationally recognized programs, accomplished faculty mentors, and a culture that encourages exploration, Creative Industries students are uniquely positioned to turn their creativity into real-world opportunities and rewarding careers.
