MEDIA ARTS

Course Descriptions

Participating Programs:Media Arts is an interdisciplinary degree program delivered by faculty from the following programs:

• Art
• Computer Science and Multimedia
• English/Writing
• Music
• Theater
• Business

Program Objectives :

Eastern Oregon University offers an interdisciplinary Media Arts program with three distinct concentrations leading to a Bachelor of Sciences or a Bachelor of Arts degree:

Concentration Options

A. Digital Media (B.A. or B.S.)
B. Journalism (B.A. or B.S.)
C. Film Studies (B.A. or B.S.)

A Major in Media Arts gives students foundational preparation for understanding and analyzing the aesthetic, theoretical, and digital paradigms that inform a wide range of media.   The Media Arts program emphasizes the intersection of aural, technological, textual, and visual literacies within the interdisciplinary liberal arts programs involved.   Students are prepared for entry into media-oriented fields such as journalism, broadcast writing, scriptwriting, film and multimedia production, audio production, web-authoring, and advertising, or for entry into more specialized graduate programs in film, communication, or multimedia.

The three concentration areas share a common core of courses designed to give students a firm foundation in film and music aesthetics, visual composition, the production and layout of image and text, and multimedia applications.   All concentrations are anchored by the "common core," which emphasizes acquisition of multiple literacies involved in media construction.   The shared core also requires Senior-level students to seek practicum or internship credits in various media enterprises (student and city newspapers, school and city radio stations, campus and local teleproductions, and area multimedia businesses).   Practica and internships will enable students to gain experience in their areas of concentration prior to graduation.

Learning Outcomes :

Learning outcomes for each concentration are distinct but related.  

Each concentration emphasizes the cognitive syntheses between aural, oral, visual, and textual literacies as follows:

A.   Digital Media :  

Upon completion of the degree, students should be able to:

B.   Journalism :  

Upon completion of the degree, students should be able to:

C.   Film Studies :  

Upon completion of the degree, students should be able to:

Means of Assessment

Student learning will be assessed using any combination of methods appropriate to the concentration area, including but not limited to:

• Critical essays
• Learning essays
• Feature stories
• Editorials
• Tests
• Multimedia projects
• Multigenre projects
• Art-Multimedia projects
• Visual literacy essays
• Sequenced skill-building assignments in image, sound, and text
• Audience analysis
• Image analysis
• Bringing a project together:   cognitive synthesis essays
• Storyboards
• Scripts for film and other media
• Video:   narrative, documentary, experimental

Requirements for the Major in Media Arts

1. Admission to the Media Arts program may be achieved by meeting the following requirements:
   a.   complete at least 45 credits of college work with a GPA of 2.00 or better;
   b.   complete two courses in the Common Core, and MM 225 with a grade of "C-" or better;
   c.   attempt the Writing Proficiency Examination.
   
2. Complete EOU graduation requirements.
3. Complete a 100 level Mathematics requirement for the B.S. or the language requirement for the B.A.
4. Although a C- is acceptable for individual courses, accumalative 2.0 GPA is required for Media Arts Program Requirements overall.
5. Complete the 200 and 300 level Common Core* courses by the end of the Sophomore year, if possible.

Common Core*

MUS  204     Popular Music in America   (2)

MA 260         Foundations of Mass Media  (4) New prefix, new course

MM 225         Introduction to Multimedia Development (3)

ART 261       Beginning Photography (3)

WR 330        Electronic Word (3)

MA 409         Practicum (4) New prefix, new course

MA 403        Capstone (3)New prefix, new course

22 credits

Concentration Areas

A.   Digital Media

Required:

MM           315                   Multimedia Design (3)

CS              161                   Foundations of Computer Science I (4)

MUS 340 Electronic Music II

(Choose a minimum of 31 credits from the following, with at least 12 credits from Art and 19 credits from CS/MM; with MM or Art faculty advisor consent, students may substitute 310 and 410 courses that have significant art and multimedia content; a minimum of 15 credits must be from upper division)

CS              162                   Foundations of Computer Science II   (4)

ART           207 or 307      Seminar   (1-4)

ART         227                   Graphics (3)

ART          220                   Design II (3)

ART        290 or 291         Beginning Sculpture  (3)

WR            243                   Screenwriting Fundamentals (3)

MM           252                   Introduction to Web Authoring   (3)

MM           310                   Digital Audio Production  (3)

ART          317                   Life Drawing (3)

MM           319                   Multimedia Programming (3)

MM           327                   Introduction to Computer Graphics Applications   (3)

ART          342                   Lithography (3)

MM           350                   Multimedia Theory (3)

MM           360                   3-D Graphics and Animation (3)

ART          361                   Advanced Photography (3)

MM           364                   Digital Video Production (3)

MM           366                   Video Post-Production (3)

ART          365                   Ceramic Sculpture (3)

CS              370                   User Interface Design (3)

MM           407                   Seminar (1-4)

MM           420                   Multimedia Simulation (3)

MM           426                   Individual Projects (1-4)

ART          426                   Individual Studies in Art (1-4)

MM           452                   Advanced Web Authoring (3)

40 credits (minimum)

B.    Journalism

Required:

MA 360 Media Theory (4) New prefix, new course

(Choose a minimum of 36 credits from the following, with at least 15 credits from upper division; with WR faculty advisor consent, students may substitute 310 and 410 credits that carry significant media and MM content; students are encouraged to take the intact course in FM Broadcasting, SCI 2001)

WR   225        Argumentation(3)

WR   230        Newswriting and Reporting (4)

MM   315        Multimedia Design    (3)

WR   331        Advanced Newswriting   (4)

WR   351        Professional Editing and Publishing  (3)

ART  361        Advanced Photography  (3)

MM   364        Digital Video Production   (3)

MM   366        Video Post-Production (3)

BA   312        Principles of Marketing (5)

WR   460        Public Broadcast Writing (4) New course

BA   464        Promotional Strategy (5)

40        credits (minimum)

C. Film Studies

Required:

ENGL 207 Applied Film Criticism (3)

ART 206 Art History III (3)

(Choose a minimum of 16-21 credits from the following Film Studies offerings; with consent of an ENGL faculty advisor, students may substitute 310 and 410 credits from prefixes across the Arts and Sciences curriculum in which a significant engagement with film texts exists; at least 15 credits must be from upper division)

WR  243         Screenwriting Fundamentals (4)

ENGL  395     Gender in Literature/Film (4)

ENGL  322        Historical Literature/Film (4)

ENGL  339        Literary/Cinematic Genres (3)

ENG  390         Multicultural Literature/Film (4)

ENGL  422        Contemporary Literature/Film (4)

ENGL  436        Literary/Cinematic Themes (3)

ENG  446        Critical Theory (4)

ENGL  448        Major Authors/Auteurs (3)

(Choose a minimum of 9-12 credits from theater and 9-12 credits from MM, for a total of 18-21 credits)

THEA      250        Acting I (3)

THEA      325        Adv. Scene Design (3)

THEA      334  Light Design (3)

THEA      344        Costume Design (3)

THEA      352        Acting 6 (3)

MM         315        Multimedia Design (3)

MM         327        Introduction to Computer Graphics Applications (3)

MM         366        Video Post-Production (3)

MM         364        Digital Video Production (3)

MM         420        3-D Graphics and Animation (3)

40 credits (minimum)

Requirements for the Minor in Media Arts

Common Core:

(Select 3 of 4 based on concentration area)

MUS        204        Popular Music in America (2)

MA         260        Foundations of Mass Media (4)

MM         225        Intro. to Multimedia Development (3)

ART        261        Beginning Photography (3)

8 credits (minimum)

Concentration Areas

A.   Digital Media

Required:

ART        227        Graphics(3)

MM         315        Multimedia Design (3)

CS         161        Foundations of Computer Science I (4)

MM         327        Introduction to Computer Graphics Applications (3)

(Choose an additional 9 credits from the ART and MM electives in the Digital Media Concentration for the Major, all of which must be from upper division) 22 credits (minimum)

B.    Journalism

Required:

WR          230           Newswriting and Reporting (4)

WR          330           Electronic Word (3)

(Choose an additional 15 credits from the Journalism Concentration for the Major, 11 of which must be from upper division)

  22 credits (minimum)

C.   Film Studies

Required:

ENGL       207           Applied Film Criticism (3)

ART        206           Art History III (3)

( Choose an additional 16 credits from the Film Studies Concentration for the Major, all of which must be from upper division)

22 credits (minimum)

Typical Four Year Curriculum:   Digital Media Concentration

Digital Media students are expected to take 12 credits from Art and 19 credits from CS/MM; with MM or Art faculty advisor consent, students may substitute 310 and 410 courses that have significant art and multimedia content; a minimum of 15 credits must be from upper division.

Typical First Year Curriculum

Fall

• ART101 Foundations of Visual Literacy (5)
• WR121/131 (4)
• MM225 Intro to Multimedia Development (3)
• General Ed and Electives (3)

Winter

• ART129 or Art 130 or Art 120 (5)
• ART227 Graphics (3)
• General Ed and Electives (7)

Spring

• MM252 Intro to Web Development (3)
• MUS204  Popular Music in America (2)
• General Ed and Electives (10)

Typical Second Year Curriculum

Fall

• CS161 Foundations of Computing I (4)
• ART261 Beginning Photography (3)
• MA260 Foundations of Mass Media (4)
• General Ed and Electives (4)

Winter

• MM327 Digital Graphics Applications (3)
• WR330 Electronic Word (3)
• ART220 Design II (3)
• General Ed and Electives (6)

Spring

• WR243 Screenwriting Fundamentals (3)
• ART 207 Art Seminar (2)
• General Ed and Electives (10)

Typical Third Year Curriculum

Fall

• MM310 Digital Audio Production (3)
• MM315 Multimedia Design (3)
• General Ed and Electives (9)

Winter

• MM319 Multimedia Animation (3)
• MM364 Digital Video Production (3)
• ART361 Advanced Photography (3)
• General Ed and Electives (6)

Spring

• MM350 Multimedia Theory (3)
• MM360 3D Graphics and Animation (3)
• General Ed and Electives (9)

Typical Fourth Year Curriculum

Fall

• ART426 Independent Study (3)
• Major concentration courses (12)

Winter

• MA409 Practicum (4)
• Major concentration courses (11)

Spring

• MA403 Capstone (3)
• Major concentration courses (12)

Typical Four Year Curriculum:  
Journalism Concentration

Journalism students are expected to take 36 credits in addition to 4 credits of MA360 Media Theory. WR 409 Practicum credits involve writing for The Voice, the student newspaper. Work on The Voice should begin as soon as WR 230 Newswriting is completed. Practicum credits (1 or 2 each term) can be substituted for Electives.

Typical First-Year Curriculum

Fall

• ART 101 Foundations of Visual Literacy (5)
• WR 121 or 131 Expository or Exploratory Writing (4)
• General Ed and Electives (6)

Winter

• ENG 104 Introducation to Literature (4)
• WR 230 Newswriting (4) (Or take in the following Fall term)
• General Ed and Electives (7)

Spring

• ART 261 Beginning Photography (3)
• MUS 204 Popular Music in America (2)
• General Ed and Electives (10)

*Sometime during the freshman year, the student should include among electives one of the following art courses to fulfill a prerequisite for the required sophomore-year course in photography (ART 261):   Art 101 Foundations of Visual Literacy (5); Art 120 Design I (5); Art 129 Drawing and Design Fundamentals (5).

Typical Second-Year Curriculum

Fall

• MA 260 Foundations of Mass Media (4)
• General Ed and Electives (11)

Winter

• WR 225 Argumentation (4)
• General Ed and Electives (11)

Spring

• WR 331 Advanced Newswriting (4)
• MM 225 Introduction to Multimedia Development (3)
• General Ed and Electives (8)

Typical Third-Year Curriculum

Fall

• MM 315 Multimedia Design (4)
• ART 361 Advanced Photography (3)
• General Ed and Electives (8)

Winter

• WR 330 Electronic Word (4)
• MA 360 Media Theory (4)
• MM 364 Digital Video Production (3)
• General Ed and Electives (4)

Spring

• BA 312 Principles of Marketing (5)
• MM 366 Video Post Production (3)
• WR 409 Practicum (1-2) (The Voice)
• WR 243 Screenwriting (3)
• General Ed and Electives (2)

Typical Fourth-Year Curriculum

Fall

• BA 464 Promotional Strategy (5)
• MM 364 Digital Video Production (4)
• WR 409 Practicum (1-2) (The Voice)
• General Ed and Electives (4)

Winter

• WR 351 Professional Editing and Publishing (3)
• WR 460 Public Broadcast Writing (4)
• WR 403 Special Topics (Capstone) (3)
• WR 409 Practicum (1-2) (The Voice)
• General Ed and Electives (3)

Spring

• WR 409 Practicum (1-2)
• General Ed and Electives (13)

Typical Four Year Curriculum:   Film Studies Concentration

Students are expected to take a minimum of 16 credits in ENGL courses with significant film content, 9 credits in THEA, and 9 credits in MM.   With ENGL or MM advisor consent, a student may substitute a 310 or 410 course with significant film content.

Typical First Year Curriculum

Fall

• THEA 250 Acting I (4)
• ENGL 195 Introduction to Film (4)
• ART 101 Foundations of Visual Literacy (5)
• MUS 204 Popular Music in America (2)

Winter

• WR 241 Introduction to Imaginative Writing (3)
• THEA 214 Intro:   Dramatic Lit (3)
• MM 225 Intro to MultiMedia Dev (3)
• General Ed and Electives (6)

Spring

• THEA 264 Set Construction (3)
• ART 261   Beginning Photography (3)
• General Ed and Electives (9)

Typical Second Year Curriculum

Fall

• MA 260   Foundations of Mass Media (4)
• THEA 324 Scene Design (3)
• General Ed and Electives (8)

Winter

• THEA 325 Advanced Scene Design (3)
• WR 330 Electronic Word (3)
• ART 227 Graphics (3)
• General Ed and Electives (6)

Spring

• ENGL 207 Applied Film Criticism (3)
• WR 243 Screenwriting (3)
• ART 206 Art History III (3)
• General Ed and Electives (6)

Typical Third Year Curriculum

Fall

• MM 315 Multimedia Design (3)
• THEA 265 Technical Theatre Lighting (3)
• General Education and Electives (9)

Winter

• ENGL 390 Multicultural Literature/Film (4)
• MM 364 Digital Video Production (3)
• MM 327 Introduction to Computer Graphics Applications (3)
• THEA 334 Light Design (3)
• General Ed and Electives (2)

Spring

• ENGL 395 Gender in Literature/Film (4)
• ENGL 422 Contemporary Literature/Film (4)
• MM 366 Digital Video Post-Production (3)
• General Ed and Electives (4)

Typical Fourth Year Curriculum

Fall

• MM 310 Digital Audio Production (3)
• General Ed and Electives (12)

Winter

• MA 403 Capstone (3)
• ENGL 436   Themes in Literature/Film (3)
• General Ed and Electives (9)

Spring

• MA 409 Practicum (4)
• MM 420 3-D Graphics and Animation (4)
• General Ed and Electives (7)

Media Arts Course Descriptions

MA 260 Foundations of Mass Media (4) (CO)

This course defines the parameters of the concept of mass media and introduces students to the characteristics and major categories of the discipline: newspaper and other print media, television, radio, Internet, and other emerging forms of digital media.   It introduces students to the technologies that drive (and have driven) these media, to the evolution of those technologies, to the anticipated directions of both traditional and emerging media, and to the possible consequent effects of these developments upon the mass media industry and its consumers.  

Prerequisites:   one college-level writing course (WR 121 or WR 131) and either ART 101 or SPCH 112.

MA 360 Media Theory (4)

This course will provide students with an introduction to the development of mass communication theory.   It will illustrate how communicators, messages, audiences, and effects are all interrelated—an interrelationship that is necessary for communication, thus establishing that media effects and communicator analysis cannot be separated from message content.   Students will be introduced to the application of scientific method to the study and evaluatin of the processes and effects of mass communication.

Prerequisite:   MA 260

WR 460   Public Broadcast Writing (4)

This course will teach students the skills and techniques necessary for the production of copy (news, human interest features, public service announcements, advertisements, promotions, etc.) suitable for radio and television broadcasts.   The course will also address specific journalistic issues, including matters of ethics and communication law.

Prerequisites:   MA 360 and WR 230

MA 403 Capstone (3)

Students will research, design, and/or produce a media project that involves aural, technical, textual, and visual literacies in a seminar situation.  

Prerequisite:   successful completion of 300-level course work, senior-level standing, and consent of instructor.

MA 409 Practicum (1-4)

Supervised experience in media production available in media or media-related areas of journalism, teleproductions, on-or off-campus radio stations, or area media-publications outlets.   Internships should be sought by student.

Prerequisite:   completion of 300-level work or consent of instructor.

Many 200- and 300-level classes are offered several times per year, allowing students to tailor their programs the first and second year to best fit their interests and schedules.

Junior- and Senior-level students should tailor their MA programs with classes in their specific areas of interest (Broadcast media, Multimedia, Internet Development, etc).