New courses in Media Arts 2020-21

ANIM 1090  Image and Video Foundations 

4 credit hours, standard grading

This course focuses on the basics of aesthetics and techniques for shooting, lighting, composing, and editing of digital photography and video as it applies to the production of animation and motion graphics. Students will get hands on experience using DSLR cameras to understand camera anatomy, operations, and handling. Digital editing techniques and image manipulation will be explored in-depth to give specific foundations that apply to the animation field.

ANIM 3000  History of Animation 

3 credit hours, standard grading

Prerequisites: Animation Majors Only or Permission of Instructor

This course covers the historic evolution of animation and the animation industry. Students will learn the origins of cinema and animation, explore the individual artists, the studios and organizations that shaped the animation field today. In this class students will get familiar with the technological developments that allowed the raise of the field. Students in this class will learn about the history of animation following lectures, videos research, readings, quizzes, and written tests. Course is offered in the Fall semester only.

EMC 1010 – Introduction to Media Arts 

1 credit hour, pass/fail grading

Introduces Media Arts majors to its degree programs, degree requirements, descriptions of curriculum, student resources and opportunities, career options, and critical goals for graduating seniors. Meetings may include lectures, guest lecturers, and site visits. Freshmen should enroll in this course no later than their second semester. Transfer students should enroll in this course during their first semester at MTSU. 

EMC 3001 – Success in Media Arts

1 credit hour, pass/fail grading

Prerequisite: Candidacy in Media Arts

Introduces students who have just achieved candidacy in Media Arts to best practices for success in Media Arts. Project management is a key topic. Emphasizes the value and importance of portfolio-quality work samples, experience points for resumes, and extra-curricular experiences. 

EMC 3750 – Producing for Film and Television

3 credit hours, standard grading

Prerequisites: EMC 2410

Without a Producer, there is no film, no television program, no product.  Producers make it happen, and in this course students learn what it takes to create, pitch, finance, and manage a physical production.  This course is hands-on, featuring the latest techniques and processes of today’s industry.

EMC 4001 – Professional Practices in Media Arts

1 credit hour, pass/fail grading

Prerequisites: Candidacy in Media Arts and senior status

Helps graduating seniors prepare themselves for pursuing industry careers. Topics include career research, preparation of self-marketing materials, how to freelance, and how to start and run a small service business. Recommended to be taken in the final semester before graduation. 

EMC 4960 – Capstone Course for Media Management 

3 credit hours, standard grading

Prerequisites:

  • Candidacy in Media Management. 
  • Successful completion of most other courses required for Media Management concentration. 
  • Overall grade point average of B- or better. 
  • Students required to attend a 60-minute meeting the semester before the class is scheduled. The purpose of this meeting is to give students an orientation to this course and to begin to develop ideas for their project so that they are ready when the class begins

This is a required senior course for all Media Management majors.  This is a culminating experience for students to apply what they have learned throughout their major to produce primary projects for portfolios and résumés. Each student is required to find a 3rd party media management position/project for this class.  Students must attend a 60-minute orientation the semester before the class is scheduled.

IAM 3850  Online Strategy and Search Engine Optimization

3 credit hours, standard grading

Prerequisites: IAM 3065 or Permission of Department

An overview of online strategies such as search engine optimization and web analytics.

IAM 4800  Seminar in Media Issues 

3 credit hours, standard grading

Prerequisites: Interactive Media Candidacy or Permission of Department

Examination and critical evaluation of issues relevant to interactive media including their relationships to each other and to government, advertisers, consumers, and other “publics.”

PHOT 4900 – Photography Capstone 

3 credit hours, standard grading

Prerequisites: Senior standing; PHOT 3110, PHOT 3200, PHOT 3810, PHOT 4280, and project proposal approved by instructor prior to registration period.

Students use learned skills and concepts to develop a semester-long photography project of their personal choice. Project can be completed in a variety of photographic medium(s) discussed and approved by instructor prior to registration period. Exhibition is required during the annual MTSU Photography Student Show.  Normally offered Spring only.

VFP 2020 – Scripts for Media 

3 credit hours, standard grading

Prerequisites: Media Arts major status, ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020

This course examines the conventions and practices of effective writing for screen-based media, developing understanding and awareness of and writing ability with various script formats for media production. Alongside the study of other’s produced work, students will practice writing and rewriting their own material, gaining a fundamental capability with conceiving, developing and completing different kinds of scripts to entertain, educate, inform, influence, and/or inspire viewers.

VFP 2020 will not be offered until Fall 2021 due to prerequisites. For the few who may need this before Fall 2021, see your academic advisor to substitute VFP 3020 for this course.

VFP 4990 – Filmmaking Capstone 

3 credit hours, standard grading

Prerequisites: Video and Film Major status, Senior status, Admission to candidacy, and permission of instructor

Students create a filmmaking project of their own choice. Individual projects must be approved by instructor. Goal is to produce a portfolio-quality project demonstrating competence in the student’s career path. Sixty-minute orientation is required the semester before the class.

VFP 4995 – Live Production Capstone

3 credit hours, standard grading

Prerequisites: Video and Film major status, senior status, admission to candidacy, and permission of instructor 

Students create a live television project of their own choice. Individual projects must be approved by instructor. Goal is to produce a portfolio-quality project demonstrating competence in the student’s career path. Sixty-minute orientation is required the semester before the class.