Chapman vs Fordham for communications: which is better for internships and media jobs?

Fordham has the edge for communications if internships and early media or PR work are your top priority. Its New York City location gives you direct access to major media, advertising, publishing, entertainment, and public relations employers during the school year, and that matters a lot because semester internships often turn into stronger networks than summer-only experiences. Fordham students can realistically build a resume across multiple internships before graduation without needing to leave campus life behind.

The biggest differentiator is geography. Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus sits in Manhattan, and even students at Rose Hill can tap into the city for internships, events, and alumni connections. For communications fields where informational interviews, part-time internships, agency exposure, and industry panels matter, being in New York makes networking much more routine and less dependent on school-arranged opportunities.

Chapman is appealing for a different reason: it offers a more contained campus experience and strong access to Southern California media spaces, especially entertainment-adjacent opportunities. Its Dodge College is especially well known for film, television, and production-oriented work, so if your idea of “communications” leans toward creative media, content production, or working near the Hollywood ecosystem, Chapman becomes much more compelling.

Chapman can absolutely lead to strong outcomes, but it often shines most for students who want a more traditional residential college environment and a closer connection to entertainment media rather than the broader NYC communications market.