The Media Arts and Studies major offers students a balanced program mixing hands-on skills with liberal arts perspectives covering a range of issues and topics related to electronic media communication and electronic personal communication. In addition, students interested in careers in the film, television, video game, and radio/music industries can integrate professional or production and skills-based courses into their program of study. Recent additions to the curriculum have also expanded into video game studies, game design and development.
Socio-cultural media courses address the historical, political and social aspects of various forms of mediated communication. Media industry courses examine institutional, economic, and/or technological dimensions of traditional and new media systems and the interrelations among these industry segments. These courses may center on mass communication issues, interactive communication issues, or both.
Media production courses cover the traditional areas of audio and video production and the latest developments in multimedia, digital media and Web design and production. All Media Arts and Studies majors will take advantage of the experiential learning opportunity provided by a formal internship. The School of Journalism and Media has an excellent internship program which offers the opportunity to work with a wide variety of employers, including companies oriented to the provision of voice, data, and/or video products and services. In addition, students may pursue special interests in media arts and studies through independent study with any of the media arts and studies professors.