Interdisciplinary Media Arts, MFA

Department updated after publishing — June Addendum — 6/11/2024

48 credit hours

The move away from exclusive specialization within the realm of visual arts commenced more than a decade ago, and it endures as we witness the continuous fusion of new media with traditional artistic mediums. The 3-year Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Interdisciplinary Media Arts is a terminal degree that integrates various media, harmonizing contemporary artistic practice with studies in art, design, and media production encompassing both historical and theoretical facets. Through this terminal degree program, students embark on a multifaceted journey. In their first year, they immerse themselves in exploring interdisciplinary methodologies in media creation as an artistic pursuit, gaining familiarity with the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary media art. The remainder of the program is devoted to the cultivation of their own definitive portfolio and the creation of a scholarly thesis report. This program's distinctive attribute lies in its integration of diverse media forms, affording students a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between art and technology.

Admission Requirements

Applications are initially reviewed by the Office of University Admissions to ensure all university admissions standards are met. An admissions decision will be made once all steps have been completed.

In addition to the requirements of all graduate students, applicants to the College of Arts and Humanities should complete and/or submit the following documents and information:

  • Transcripts demonstrating completion of undergraduate degree in related field with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA in all major coursework.
  • The official results from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) may be required if GPA is below 3.0. 
  • Contact information for three academic and/or professional references. 
  • 1,000-word statement of purpose describing applicant’s goals. 
  • Specific deliverables depending on area of study, such as a writing sample and/or portfolio of work.

Requirements

Major Coursework

21 credit hours of coursework from the following options:

CAH 50000Research Methods

3

CAH 51000Research and Scholastic Writing

3

CAH 55000Graduate Seminar

3

CAH 56000Graduate Seminar II

3

CAH 60000Thesis/Directed Project I

3

CAH 61000Thesis/Directed Project II

3

CAH 56000 should be taken for a total of 6 credit hours (repeatable up to 9 credit hours) to meet the minimum core credits.

History and Theory Elective Coursework

6 credit hours of coursework from the following options:

ARTH 55400Nineteenth-Century Art

3

ARTH 55600Baroque Art

3

ARTH 55700Ancient Art

3

ARTH 55800Medieval Art

3

ARTH 56100Twentieth-Century Art/Modern

3

ARTH 56200Twentieth-Century Art/Contemporary

3

ARTH 56300Early Modern Gender Studies

3

ARTH 56400Non-Western Art

3

ARTH 56500History of Photography

3

ARTH 56900History of Graphic Design

3

ARTH 57000History of Games and Critical Theory

3

ARTH 57001/CINE 54000History of World Cinema

3

ARTH 57200History of Costume and Fashion to 1900

3

ARTH 57300History of Costume and Fashion from 1900

3

ARTH 58000History of Digital Art

3

ARTH 58300Renaissance Art

3

ARTH 58400Classical Myth

3

ARTH 58600-58699Special Topics

3

ARTH 58900Art Theory and Criticism

3

ARTH 58901Independent Study

1-6

ARTH 58902Independent Study

1-6

ARTH 58903Independent Study

1-6

Media Elective Coursework

21 credit hours of media elective coursework from the following options and drawing on at least two different disciplinary prefixes (e.g., AAD and DCS), with at least 9 credit hours completed in each of two disciplines:

AAD 50000Portfolio and Career Foundations

3

AAD 50010Research Studies I: Methods in Art and Design

3

AAD 50020Research Studies II: Seminar in Art and Design

3

AAD 50030Research Studies III: Theories in Art and Design

3

AAD 50100Printmaking

3

AAD 50500Painting

3

AAD 51000Design with Illustrator

3

AAD 51100Extended Realities (XR/AR/VR)

3

AAD 51200User Experience and Interaction Design for XR (AR/VR)

3

AAD 51300Cinematics for XR (AR/VR)

3

AAD 51350Development for XR (AR/VR)

3

AAD 51500Studies in Graphic Design

3

AAD 51600Drag and Drop Web Design

3

AAD 52001Graduate Art and Design Firm

3

AAD 52100Digital Art I

3

AAD 52200Motion Graphics

3

AAD 52300Digital Art II

3

AAD 52400Digital Art III

3

AAD 52500Desktop Publishing

3

AAD 52600Digital Art IV

3

AAD 52700-52799Focus in Design

3

AAD 52900Concept Design

3

AAD 53000Drawing

3

AAD 53001Digital Photography

3

AAD 53100-53199Focus in Interactive

3

AAD 53200-53299Focus in Web

3

AAD 533103D Printing

3

AAD 53400Fibers

3

AAD 53500Graduate Projects in Art - Graphic Design

3

AAD 536003D Graphics

3

AAD 53700Digital Painting

3

AAD 54001Digital Photography II

3

AAD 54600Digital Imaging

3

AAD 54800Digital Illustration

3

AAD 54900Print Design and Production

3

AAD 55001Digital Photography III

3

AAD 55100Typography I

3

AAD 55400Graduate Web Design I

3

AAD 56001Digital Photography IV

3

AAD 56400Graduate Web Design II

3

AAD 57000Graduate Projects in Studio Art

3

AAD 57440Graduate Web Design III

3

AAD 57700Graphic Design Portfolio

3

AAD 57800Graphic Design Studio

3

AAD 58600-58699Special Topics

3

AAD 58901Independent Study

1-6

AAD 58902Independent Study

1-6

AAD 58903Independent Study

1-6

AAD 59000-59999Special Topics

1-3

CAH 53000Arts Entrepreneurship

3

CAH 55555Internship

1-6

CINE 50000Cinema Workshop

3

CINE 51500MicroCinema

3

CINE 52700Advanced Cinematography

3

CINE 52800Directing for Film & Television

3

CINE 53500History of Animation

3

CINE 53700Cinema and Gender

3

CINE 54200The Films of the Coen Brothers

3

CINE 54300The Films of Alfred Hitchcock

3

CINE 54400Horror Cinema

3

CINE 54700Cult Cinema

3

CINE 55000Screenwriting

3

CINE 55200Advanced Screenwriting

3

CINE 55500Feature Film Screenwriting

3

CINE 56000Producing for Film and Video

3

CINE 56300Production Management

3

CINE 58500Advanced Post Production

3

CINE 58700Visual Effects

3

COM 50100Mass Communications Law

3

COM 50200Seminar in Professional Practice and Ethics

3

COM 50310Contemporary Digital Rights

3

COM 50320Critical Analysis of Media

3

COM 50330Media and Politics

3

COM 50340Audience Analysis in an Interactive Age

3

COM 50400Broadcast Newswriting

3

COM 52500Photojournalism

3

COM 54300Television News Production

3

COM 55000Media Literacy

3

COM 57100Advanced Audio Production

3

COM 57300-57399Topics in Producing

3

COM 57600-57699Topics in Production

3

COM 57700-57799Topics in Post-Production

3

COM 57800-57899Topics in Scriptwriting

3

COM 57900Television Production

3

COM 58000Television News Reporting

3

DCS 50000Digital Content and Demographics

3

DCS 51000Media Literacy Theory

3

DCS 52000History of Contemporary Media Industries

3

DCS 52200Emerging Platforms and Analytics

3

DCS 55000Personal Branding

3

DCS 56000Information Literacy

3

DCS 57000Contemporary Audience Analysis

3

DCS 58900Digital Content Strategy Capstone

3

GAM 50001Team Studio I

3

GAM 50120Level Design

3

GAM 56500Game Design Internship

3

GAM 570003D Animation

3

Note: Not all courses listed here are available in all instructional modalities: for example, some are available exclusively in the online modality, and some are available exclusively in the seated modality. Please consult with the relevant departments for further detail.