Bachelor of Science in Visual Media with an area of emphasis in Interactive Media

Mission Statement

The Bachelor of Science in Visual Media provides a unique environment that interweaves an education in media production and professional craft. Through critical, conceptual, historical, and technical components, the Visual media degree enables students to develop expertise in the understanding and the use of visual media for artistic and professional purposes.
The difference of each individual’s perspective, when expressed through visual media, can create a diverse cultural collective. The goal of the Visual Media degree is to examine the media arts industry, foster appreciation of alternative communication methods, and provide the kind of scholarship that makes technological applications, critical thinking and education in the arts important and beneficial to the immediate community.
A Visual Media professional communicates ideas through creative expression. The process of creation heightens sensibilities, which can potentially help the individual foster a dialog with people of diverse backgrounds, and inspire others to create their own voice. A visual media professional must remain continually innovative, inspired, and inventive.

Learning Outcome

Critical Thinking

• Use critical decision-making to provide visual media for individuals, groups, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and communities.
• Analyze and evaluate technological research findings for application to best visual media practice.

Communication

• Integrate critical, technical, and ethical knowledge to provide communications through visual media.
• Foster a creative dialogical environment which facilitates promotion, maintenance and production of visual media for culturally diversity.
• Collaborate and communicate with other professionals and community resource groups to promote the visual arts, visual communications, and well being of the community and its members

Effective Citizenship

• Develop helping-trusting, professional relationships with clients to facilitate visual communication needs.
• Facilitate change in meeting current and future media industry needs through the use of leadership skills and knowledge of new and emerging technologies.
• Assume professional responsibility and accountability, through reflection on experience, for own visual media practice within legal and ethical standards.

Curriculum

1. Core Curriculum ...32-42
   1. English (3-8 credits) - Refer to the English section of the Core Curriculum.
   2. Study and Technology Skills (0-2 credits) - Refer to the Study and Technology Skills section of the Core Curriculum.
   3. Mathematics (5 credits)
      1. MATH 128 ...3-5
   4. Natural Sciences (7-8 credits) - Refer to the Natural Sciences section of the Core Curriculum.
   5. Social Sciences (3 credits) - Refer to the Social Sciences section of the Core Curriculum.
   6. Fine Arts (3 credits) - Refer to the Fine Arts section of the Core Curriculum.
   7. Humanities (6 credits) - Refer to the Humanities section of the Core Curriculum.
   8. Constitution (3-6 credits) - Refer to the Constitution section of the Core Curriculum.
   9. Community-Based Learning Course (3 credits) - Refer to the Community-Based Learning section of the Core Curriculum.
2. Major Requirements
   1. Visual Media Core...41
      1. ART 100 – Visual Foundations...3
      2. ART 260 - Survey of Western Art I...3
      3. ART 261 - Survey of Western Art II...3
         OR ART 265 - Survey of Contemporary...3
      4. ART 243 – Digital Imaging...3
      5. FIS 110 - Language of Film ...3
      6. VIS 110 – Storyboarding...3
      7. VIS 120 - Introduction to Computer Animation...3
      8. VMT 220 - Intermediate 3D Animation...3
      9. VIS 320 - Advanced Digital Animation...4
      10. VIS 430 - Advanced Digital Imaging....4
      11. VMT 361 - Concepts of Media Arts...3
      12. VMT 490 - Senior Projects...3
      13. VMT 496 - Senior Portfolio...3
   2. Area of emphasis in Interactive Media...25
      1. VIS 250 - Introduction to Game Design & Development...3
      2. VIS 290 - Introduction to Digital Cinema...3
         OR VIS 292 - Introduction to Digital Editing...3
      3. VMT 341 - Sound Design...3
      4. VMT 350 - Intermediate Game Design...3
      5. VIS 350 - Advanced Interactive Media Design...4
      6. VIS 380 - Typography and Publication Design...3
      7. VIS 381 - Corporate/Public Organization Identity & Communications...3
      8. VIS 450 - Game Design, Development, and Production...3

Summary of credit requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Visual Media with an area of emphasis in Interactive Media

College Core Curriculum...32-42
Visual Media Core ...41
Area of emphasis in Interactive Media ...25
Electives (at least 4 credits must be upper division)...16-26
Total...124

All graduates of the program will build a portfolio including five works from courses required for the major and numbered 300 and above. Advisors will assist in the selection of representative works. These works may include such things as course projects, major research papers or projects, multimedia presentations, or web pages and the portfolio should contain a written evaluation of the portfolio by an instructor and a self-evaluation. All studio/lab courses will require a lab fee.