Media Studies, B.A.

 Return to: Academic Degree Programs Offered

The College of Arts and Sciences  B.A. in Media Studies is designed to prepare students to plan, manage, and produce media in a global, multicultural environment and will include instruction in television and trans-media production, studio and independent field production, social media and emerging media cultures, regional media industry including public media, global and non-western media systems, all informed by substantive study in the liberal arts. The Media Studies curriculum is complemented by related course offerings in communication, and by course options in art, history, anthropology, political science, computer science and intercultural studies. Students gain hands-on experience in state-of-the-art studios, work with professional production equipment, emerging technologies, and industry-standard software. On campus student broadcasting opportunities include This Week At GSU, and Sports Broadcasting.

Media Studies is an interdisciplinary field rooted in the study of the mass media and communication, drawing on the traditions, theories, and methods of the humanities and social sciences. Media Studies at GSU presents students with an integrated approach to the study of media histories, forms, technologies, and production to understand the contemporary state of media practices. This is achieved through the critical study of the media; a rigorous examination of media histories, forms, theories and technologies; and an analysis of the influence of creative producers, production practices, local to international systems, information flow, and networked users in a global context. A required internship in the media or related industries ensures that students in the MST program professionalize and gain experience to better meet the competitive demands of their chosen career field.

Degree Requirements

General Education Requirements (37 Hours)

See Bachelor’s Degree Requirements for general education requirements.

Foundation (9 Hours)

• MST - 2100 Introduction to Media Production (3)
• MST - 2101 Introduction to Media Studies (3)
• MST - 3099 Global Media Literacy (3)

Core Courses (26-30 Hours)

• COMM - 3201 Advanced Public Speaking (3)
• COMM - 3202 Communication Research (3)
• COMM - 4201 Communications Ethics (3)
• MST - 2102 Digital Video Writing (3)
• MST - 4800 Internship (2-6)
• MST - 4991 Senior Seminar (3)

And Choose One (Discipline Focused Comparative Studies)

• MST - 2110 Media Forms (3)
• MST - 2120 Media Theory (3)
• MST - 2130 Media Culture and Innovation (3)
• MST - 3750 Media Storytelling (3)

And Choose One (Interdisciplinary Method/Approach)

• ANTH - 3800 Visual Anthropology (3)
• ART - 4565 3D Modeling (3)
• MST - 3104 Playing Games (3)
• MST - 3214 Chicagoland Media (3)
• MST - 3740 Media Production Techniques: Field and Studio (4)

And (Advanced Writing)

• MST - 4130 Writing for Multimedia (3)

Concentrations (15-25 Hours)

a. Media Industry and Production

CHOOSE FIVE Courses (Additional courses from MST, MCOM, ART, CPSC may be chosen with advisor approval.)

• MST - 3213 Future TV (3)
• MST - 3223 Virtual People, Gaming Practices (3)
• MST - 3730 Audio Production 1 (4)
• MST - 3740 Media Production Techniques: Field and Studio (4)
• MST - 4100 Producing Across Platforms (3)
• MST - 4574 Directing for Screen and Stage (3)
• MST - 4740 Advanced Media Production & Post-production (4)
• MST - 4990 Social Laboratory (3)
• COMM - 4420 Women in Media (3)
• MCOM - 4734 Video Production Editing (3)
• MCOM - 4746 Advanced Video Editing (3)
• MCOM - 4750 Advanced Media Production, Post (4)
• ART - 4566 3D Animation (3)
• ART - 4667 3D Rendering (3)
• ANTH - 4600 Anthropology in Film (3)

b. Social Networking and Participatory Culture

CHOOSE FIVE Courses (Additional courses from MST, MCOM, ART, or CPSC may be chosen with advisor approval.)

• ANTH - 4600 Anthropology in Film (3)
• ART - 4566 3D Animation (3)
• ART - 4667 3D Rendering (3)
• MST - 3104 Playing Games (3)
• MST - 3212 Social Media (3)
• MST - 3213 Future TV (3)
• MST - 3221 Social Design and Crowd Sourcing (3)
• MST - 3223 Virtual People, Gaming Practices (3)
• MST - 4050 Media Studies Workshop (1)
• MST - 4070 Topics in Media Studies (3)
• MST - 4220 Global Social Media and Change (3)
• MST - 4700 Independent Study (1-3)
• MST - 4745 Public Media (3)
• MST - 4800 Internship (2-6)
• MST - 4990 Social Laboratory (3)
• COMM - 4420 Women in Media (3)

c. Global Media and Information Flow

• SPAN - 1100 Spanish Language and Culture I (3)

• OR

• JAPN - 3350 Japanese Language and Culture I (3)

•  

• MST - 3412 International Media Flow (3)
• MST - 4420 Western Media Systems (3)
• MST - 4440 Media Globalization (3)
• MST - 4800 Internship (2-6)

And choose one non-western media system:

• MST - 4434 Asian Media Systems (3)
• MST - 4431 Latin America Media Systems (3)
• MST - 4433 Bollywood Media (3)

And choose two:

• HIST - 4340 Modern Chinese History (3)
• HIST - 4650 Modern European History (3)
• MST - 4745 Public Media (3)
• MST - 4220 Global Social Media and Change (3)
• MST - 3213 Future TV (3)
• MST - 4100 Producing Across Platforms (3)

Media Studies Electives (6 hours)

Select six hours of media studies courses with advisor approval.

Electives (19 - 29 Hours)

Total Minimum of 120 Hours