Media Arts + Practice (MA+P) is an interdisciplinary storytelling program combining the study of contemporary digital media with hands-on production and research. Students learn to create experiences across several different platforms: still images, text, audio, video, interactivity, web-based interfaces, social media, mobile environments and physical computing. The curriculum focuses heavily on the exploration of emerging genres such as virtual reality, stereoscopy, transmedia storytelling and interactive performance. Core critical themes include data visualization, social change, remix, public interactivity, design fiction and worldbuilding. View the Media Arts + Practice website here.
The faculty admissions committee seeks students who share an excitement about the creative potential of emerging technologies, especially with regard to storytelling and narrative design. Applicants do not need extensive digital media experience — instead, their academic records and application materials should demonstrate strong critical thinking and writing skills; a creative and socially aware mindset; and a desire to experiment with new tools and platforms. There are no admission interviews. By limiting the evaluation to the items listed, the committee ensures that all applicants are judged by the same criteria.
*Note: All admitted MA+P transfer students are automatically placed on a 3-year course plan. This means that transfer students will enter the sophomore cohort. Students who wish to graduate in less than 3 years may consult with an advisor and submit a petition during their first semester, but approval by the MA+P faculty committee should not be assumed and is not guaranteed.
Access the Media Arts + Practice B.A. Program - External Transfer SlideRoom Application here.
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Cinematic Arts Personal Statement (Must be uploaded in PDF format only)
Tell us who you are, what you're passionate about, and why you think the Media Arts + Practice program will help you reach your goals. We are looking for a sense of you as a unique individual and how your distinctive experiences, identities, values, and/or views of the world have shaped who you are. (300 words maximum)
- Aspirational Portfolio (Must be uploaded in PDF format only)
Please curate a collection of three media projects (not made by you) that inspire your creative work. You may find these projects by perusing online media archives, digital magazines or journals, news sites, arts and culture publications, streaming platforms, museum catalogues, etc. This collection should represent what you hope your own portfolio will look like in 5-10 years.
For each selection, include the direct link to where you found the project, and a short paragraph (100 words or so) that critically engages with the work and explains why you consider the piece to be inspirational. Then write a summary paragraph (150-200 word maximum) thinking through the connections between the three works that you selected.