Media Arts, M.A.
The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Media Arts provides advanced education in media theory, history, and artistic practice. The program prepares students to pursue media arts in a variety of contexts including independent, commercial, and academic. Students pursuing the degree will refine their creative arts practice in one or more of the following areas: moving image, writing, new media, and media theory. Recognizing the interdisciplinarity of the media arts, the program encourages students to foster interests in and affiliations with other disciplines across the university. Students applying to the program should have academic and/or work experience in a field related to media arts and a portfolio that exhibits a capacity for theoretical, historical, and/or cultural inquiry.
Learning Outcomes
- Media Arts graduate students will demonstrate specialization and mastery appropriate to their developed program of practice.
- Media Arts graduate students will conceptualize, research and realize sophisticated and critically informed projects.
- Media Arts graduate students will submit and exhibit their artworks in appropriate external forums and proceedings.
- Media Arts graduate students will frame their own artwork in terms of current issues and theories in media culture.
Admissions
Required Documents
- Online Application to the Graduate School
- Official Test Scores (GRE or MAT)
- Official Transcripts
- Curriculum Vitae/Resume
- Personal Statement
- Link to online portfolio of media artworks
- 2 or more Letters of Recommendation (at least one must be from a professor)
Notes:
- The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Media Arts provides advanced education in media theory, history, and artistic practice. The program prepares students to pursue media arts in a variety of contexts including independent, commercial, and academic. Recognizing the interdisciplinarity of the media arts, the program encourages students to foster interests in and affiliations with other disciplines across the university. Students applying to the program should have academic and/or work experience in a field related to media arts and a portfolio that exhibits a capacity for theoretical, historical, and/or cultural inquiry.
- Successful applicants to the graduate program in Media Arts typically have an undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher on a 4.00 scale and acceptable scores on either the Miller Analogies Test (35 and above) or the GRE (total score of 170 and above). These numbers are provided as guidelines; meeting the minimum GPA and test scores does not guarantee admission. All parts of an application are carefully considered in admissions decisions.
Degree Requirements (30 Hours)
Candidates for the M.A. in Media Arts shall file a Program of Study during their second semester. The Program of Study outlines the student’s program requirements and should be planned in consultation with a faculty adviser. In order to advance to the second year of coursework and thesis preparation, M.A. candidates must successfully pass a comprehensive examination. Comprehensive exams are scheduled at the culmination of the first year of course work.
Candidates for the M.A. in Media Arts take 30 hours of coursework, of which 6 hours are for the project/thesis project. Credit hours are to be distributed as follows:
Required Courses (6 Hours)
For all M.A. students.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MART 701 | The Role of Research in Media Arts Practice | 3 |
| MART 702 | Principles of Media Arts Practice | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 6 | |
Media Arts Coursework (15 Hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARTS 560 | Photography Thesis: Portfolio | 6 |
| ARTS 561 | Photography Thesis: Exhibition | 6 |
| MART 581 | ||
| Special Topics in Research and Practice in Media Writing | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Research and Practice in Media Writing: Screenwriting | ||
| Research and Practice in Media Writing: Feature Film | ||
| Research and Practice in Media Writing: Manga and Anime | ||
| Research and Practice in Media Writing: Television Writing | ||
| Special Topics in Research and Practice in Media Arts Production | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Research and Practice in Media Arts Production: Narrative | ||
| Research and Practice in Media Arts Production: Documentary | ||
| Research and Practice in Media Arts Production: Animation | ||
| Research and Practice in Media Arts Production: Experimental | ||
| Special Topics in Research and Practice in New Media Art | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Research and Practice in New Media Art: Site-based and Installation Art | ||
| Research and Practice in New Media Art: Mobile Platforms | ||
| Research and Practice in New Media Art: Media Performance | ||
| Research and Practice in New Media Art: Video Game Design | ||
| Special Topics in Research Seminar in Media Arts | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Media Arts Research: Media Theory | ||
| Media Arts Research: Media History| | ||
| Media Arts Research: Media Aesthetics | ||
| Media Arts Research: Global Media Culture | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 24 | |
Project/Thesis Preparation (6 Hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MART 798 | Project Research and Preparation | 1-6 |
| MART 799 | Thesis Research and Preparation | 1-6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 2-12 | |
Media Theory and/or Creative Production (3 Hours)
Must be taken outside of Media Arts to support the candidate’s research in media theory and/or creative production.