Visual & Media Arts :: Undergraduate: B.A. in Visual & Media Arts

B.A. in Visual & Media Arts

(A) Production Track

The following degree requirements pertain to the Production Track of the Bachelor of Arts degree. Forty-four credits are required for the B.A. degree. Students are also encouraged to combine elements of study from diverse areas offered by the department in order to broaden their knowledge and adaptability. Students can construct a program that serves their artistic and intellectual interests as well as their career goals. Students should remain in contact with the department and their academic advisor for information pertaining to requirements and course offerings.

I. Visual and Media Arts Foundations (12 Credits)

The Visual and Media Arts Foundations offers the student a broad theoretical, historical and practical introduction to the visual and media arts.

Required Courses

Course Code	Course Information
VM100	History of Media Arts I 4.00 Credits The first of a two-semester course exploring the historical development of the media arts. This course will focus on the development of the film, broadcasting, and sound recording industries until 1950, including the organization, operation, and management of media organizations. The course will investigate the relationship between economics, industrial history, and social and political systems, and the styles and techniques of specific films and broadcast programs. Special attention is given to the diversity of styles of presentation in the media.
VM101	History of Media Arts II 4.00 Credits The second of a two-semester course exploring the historical development of the media arts. This course will focus on the continuing development of the film, broadcasting, and sound recording industries after 1950, as well as the development of video and digital technologies, including the organization, operation, and management of media organizations. The course will investigate the relationship between economics, industrial history, and social and political systems, and the styles and techniques of specific films and videos, broadcast programs, and new media.
VM120	Foundations in Visual and Media Arts Production 4.00 Credits This course combines lectures with hands-on workshops. It examines the relationships among photography, graphics, audio, film, video, and new media within the context of cross-media concepts, theories, and applications. The course traces the creative process from initial conception and writing through production and post-production. Students will proceed through a series of exercises that will lead to completion of a final project, which establishes a foundation for advanced production course work.

II. Introduction to Disciplines(16 Credits Minimum)

At the Introduction to Disciplines level, students explore one or more of the department’s main discipline areas.

Course Code	Course Information
VM200	Media Criticism and Theory 4.00 Credits This course explores theoretical and critical approaches to the study of photography, film, video, audio, and digital culture. Theories and methods in this course will examine issues relating to production and authorship in the media arts, audience reception and effects, political ideology, ethics, aesthetics, cultural diversity, and schools of thought within the liberal arts. Extensive critical writing and reading in media criticism and theory. Prerequisite: VM 101 and VM 120.

Course Code

Course Information

VM200

Media Criticism and Theory

*At least one of the following:

VM202	Critical Listening 4.00 Credits This course provides a study of the psychoacoustic perception and analysis of classical and contemporary use of sound in the media. Students will identify and define acoustic variables, comparing past and present recordings in all media.
VM220	Writing the Short Subject 4.00 Credits Participants will study the short subject within the genres of fiction, non-fiction, and experimental concepts and scripts (animation is included in any of these forms). Scripts will range from 3-15 minutes in length and should be suitable for shooting within the budget and time constraints of an Emerson College production class. Students will be expected to complete comprehensive revisions of their work. Prerequisites: VM 101 and VM 120.
VM221	Writing the Feature Film 4.00 Credits Combining lecture, workshop, and screenings, this course examines the fundamentals of writing for narrative feature-length film. The course will examine structure, character, scene writing and dialogue and will take students from ideation through to the development of a detailed outline. Prerequisites: VM 101 and VM 120.
VM222	Writing for Television 4.00 Credits This course will examine how to write for television in a variety of formats, including news magazine, reality TV, and children's television, but with a predominant emphasis on situational comedies, dramas, and movies of the week. Through a series of lectures, screenings, and readings, the elements of each genre will be analyzed. Each student will be challenged and encouraged to find his or her own unique "voice" and to find new and innovative ways to write stories within the confines of each established format. Each student will leave with a professional first draft of either a sitcom or drama, or the first 30 pages of a made-for-TV movie script. Prerequisite: VM 101 and VM 120.

*At least two of the following:

VM230	Introduction to Film Production (I) 4.00 Credits An introductory level course in the basics of non-synchronous 16mm filmmaking, including basic camera operation, principles of cinematography and lighting, black-and-white film stock information, introduction to non-sync sound recording and transfers, and picture and sound editing.
VM231	Intermediate Film Production 4.00 Credits An intermediate level 16mm film production class designed to introduce students to the technical, conceptual, and procedural skills necessary to successfully complete a short double system sync-sound film. Students will be introduced to pre-production, production, and post-production procedures and techniques, and will receive detailed hands-on instruction in the operation of sync-sound motion picture production and post-production equipment.
VM240	Introduction to Video Field Production 4.00 Credits An introduction to single-camera video production. Through lectures and hands-on projects, students learn the equipment and techniques used in single-camera field production and post-production. Students write and produce a variety of projects, which are edited in digital non-linear mode and then downloaded for review in class.
VM241	Introduction to Studio Television Production 4.00 Credits An introduction to studio television practice. Through lectures and hands-on laboratories, students learn the principles of pre-production, production, and post-production for the studio as well as control room procedures. Students prepare their own productions, from concept to completion. Each project is shot multi-camera, live-on-tape, in the studio.
VM250	Introduction to Sound Principles & Audio Production 4.00 Credits An introduction to audio physics, sound principles, and the theory and practice of audio recording and mixing. The emphasis is on concept development for sound production; signal routing and the mixer console; analog and digital audio recording and editing techniques. Prerequisite: VM 101 and VM 120.
VM251	Audio Field Recording 4.00 Credits An intensive study in the theory and practice of field/location and studio audio recording for film, video, television and documentary formats. The course covers techniques in the use of field/studio recorders and mixers, wireless microphones, shotgun microphones, boom poles & shot blocking. Also covered are tape based, and hard disk digital recorders, and time-code synchronization management. Prerequisite: VM 250.
VM260	Introduction to Digital Media Production 4.00 Credits An introduction to the theory and practice of digital media production. This course will stress the conceptual, aesthetic, and technical concerns of digital media, emphasizing creativity and familiarity with the material. Areas include introductions to Web design and development, animation, interactivity, graphics and imaging, as well as project management, interface design, and user experience. Students will produce creative works based on instruction in the technical aspects of the material. Prerequisite: VM 101 and VM 120.

(*Students intending to specialize in Radio or Sound Design and Audio Post-Production should take VM 202. Students intending to specialize in Writing for Film and Television must take two courses from VM 220, VM 221, and VM 222, and only one of the courses numbered from VM 230 to VM 260.)

III. Specializations (16 Credits Minimum)

Following the development of basic production skills in Level 2, students are encouraged to develop a specialized course of study based on their interest and goals. The Specializations permit students to concentrate in a particular production medium, in a set of production skills, or in a specific genre. Advising guidelines for each specialization are available in the department and from the Advising Center.

Required Courses

Course Code	Course Information
VM402	Seminar in Media Arts Topics 4.00 Credits This course will examine various topics in media arts. Students will be expected to study a variety of issues in seminar fashion. Topics vary from section to section. Course may be repeated for credit if topics vary. Prerequisite: VM 200 and Senior standing (Junior standing with permission of Chair).

One 400 or 500 level Media Studies course (VM 400-419; VM 500-519) (4 Credits)

One 400 or 500 level Media Studies course (VM 400-419; VM 500-519) (4 Credits)

A Production Specialization is a sequence of classes specifically designed to develop expertise in one of the areas listed below. Students must take at least two Specialization courses. Students must complete 200-level writing and production requirements and have junior standing to take 300-level specialization courses.

Animation and Motion Media	Producing
Cinematography/Videography	Radio
Film	Experimental Media Production
Documentary Production	Sound Design/Audio Post-Production
Post-production	Studio TV Production
Interactive Media	Writing for Film and Television
Directing Narrative Fiction

B.A. Production Workshop
During a student’s final semesters, the option of working on advanced production projects is available, by application, to students through VM491 BA Production Workshop. The Workshop provides the opportunity for students to realize a one-semester production project, reel, or portfolio in their senior year. The Workshop is optional for the B.A. degree. Registration for VM491 requires faculty committee approval. Students seeking to pursue a year-long course of work on a thesis-level project and a more rigorous course of study may apply to the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Program. More information about the BFA degree program is provided in the following section.

(B) Media Studies Track

The Media Studies Track is designed for students whose focus is the scholarly study of the media arts, especially those students desiring preparation for careers in media criticism, publishing, and industry research, or for advanced studies in the media arts or the law.

I. Visual and Media Arts Foundations (12 Credits)

The Visual and Media Arts Foundations offers the student a broad theoretical, historical and practical introduction to the visual and media arts.

Required Courses

Course Code	Course Information
VM100	History of Media Arts I 4.00 Credits The first of a two-semester course exploring the historical development of the media arts. This course will focus on the development of the film, broadcasting, and sound recording industries until 1950, including the organization, operation, and management of media organizations. The course will investigate the relationship between economics, industrial history, and social and political systems, and the styles and techniques of specific films and broadcast programs. Special attention is given to the diversity of styles of presentation in the media.
VM101	History of Media Arts II 4.00 Credits The second of a two-semester course exploring the historical development of the media arts. This course will focus on the continuing development of the film, broadcasting, and sound recording industries after 1950, as well as the development of video and digital technologies, including the organization, operation, and management of media organizations. The course will investigate the relationship between economics, industrial history, and social and political systems, and the styles and techniques of specific films and videos, broadcast programs, and new media.
VM120	Foundations in Visual and Media Arts Production 4.00 Credits This course combines lectures with hands-on workshops. It examines the relationships among photography, graphics, audio, film, video, and new media within the context of cross-media concepts, theories, and applications. The course traces the creative process from initial conception and writing through production and post-production. Students will proceed through a series of exercises that will lead to completion of a final project, which establishes a foundation for advanced production course work.

II. Visual and Media Arts Theory and Practice ( 8 Credits)

Required Courses

Course Code	Course Information
VM200	Media Criticism and Theory 4.00 Credits This course explores theoretical and critical approaches to the study of photography, film, video, audio, and digital culture. Theories and methods in this course will examine issues relating to production and authorship in the media arts, audience reception and effects, political ideology, ethics, aesthetics, cultural diversity, and schools of thought within the liberal arts. Extensive critical writing and reading in media criticism and theory. Prerequisite: VM 101 and VM 120.

Course Code

Course Information

VM200

Media Criticism and Theory

One 200-level production or writing course (4 Credits)

One 200-level production or writing course (4 Credits)

III. Visual and Media Studies (16 Credits Minimum)

Required Courses

Course Code	Course Information
VM402	Seminar in Media Arts Topics 4.00 Credits This course will examine various topics in media arts. Students will be expected to study a variety of issues in seminar fashion. Topics vary from section to section. Course may be repeated for credit if topics vary. Prerequisite: VM 200 and Senior standing (Junior standing with permission of Chair).

In addition to VM 402, students are required to complete at least three additional advanced visual and media studies courses at the 400- or 500- level.

IV. Visual and Media Arts Electives (8 Credits)

Required Courses

Two Visual and Media Arts elective courses.

Two Visual and Media Arts elective courses.