Welcome from the Chair

Welcome to the Department of Visual and Media Arts.

We live in an environment where media of every kind are intimately woven into the fabric of our daily lives.  The need for creative and responsible media makers is vital to maintain an enlightened and engaged public.

The Department of Visual and Media Arts provides students with a challenging intellectual and artistic environment complemented by state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, offered up in an exciting cosmopolitan environment.

At the heart of our department is a dedicated faculty of accomplished artists and scholars who represent a variety of approaches to the media arts.  They introduce a wide range of aesthetic, social, political, and cultural perspectives that can enhance the development of a student’s individual interests in the media.

Our curriculum allows students to acquire a broad knowledge of integrated media practice, as well as expertise in selected areas.  Students leave the program with a breadth of understanding that allows them to work across the media and in a variety of genres.  Most importantly, every student’s education is rooted in a firm foundation in the liberal arts.  Whether you are interested in studio television production, film directing, screenwriting, animation, post-production, interactive media, or media studies, the Department of Visual and Media Arts provides you the opportunity to explore your artistic and intellectual identity in an vibrant atmosphere of collaboration among students and faculty.

Our Master of Fine Arts in Media Art degree program begins in the 2009-2010 academic year.  It represents an exciting new chapter in graduate education in the department and will enhance learning opportunities for all our students at every level.

We encourage you to peruse our website.  Please let us know about any questions you might have, or contact the Office of Admissions to arrange a tour.

Eric Schaefer, Ph.D.
Interim Chair