Media Arts & Cultures

General Information

Media Arts & Cultures is an interdisciplinary program that combines the study of media forms, texts, and contexts with a hands-on approach to creativity and technology. In this program, students learn about media by making media. They not only consider, critique, and engage intellectually with media, but also learn tools and techniques with which media content is created today. In Media Arts & Cultures, we blur the line between critical consumers and creative producers, between scholars of media and authors of media.

Honours, Majors, and Minors

Students interested in Media Arts & Cultures have the following five options:

• Honours in Media Arts & Cultures 
• Honours in Media Arts & Cultures (Film Production)
• Major in Media Arts & Cultures
• Major in Media Arts & Cultures (Film Production) 
• Minor in Media Arts & Cultures

Honours programs are for students who are interested in a concentrated course of study (typically in preparation for further studies). The Film Production options are designed to allow students with an interest in filmmaking to focus their MAAC elective courses in this area. All students electing the Film Production option still complete all of the core courses for the general Media Arts & Cultures program. The Minor consists of 24 ch of MAAC courses for students majoring in other disciplines. Joint Honours and Double Majors with Media Arts & Cultures are also possible.

Honours

Admission to the Honours Program in Media Arts & Cultures is open to qualified students who have completed 45 ch of courses toward the BA degree. Normally students will have completed (or be in process of completing) 12 ch in lower level MAAC courses. Students should apply for admission to the Media Arts & Cultures Honours Program in their fourth term. Students may enter the program during their third year, if they qualify.

To be admitted to Honours, the student must have achieved an average of 3.3 (B+) in their Media Arts & Cultures courses. Also, an average of 3.3 in MAAC courses and of 2.5 in non-MAAC courses must be maintained if the student is to retain Honours standing.

Each student's program of study must be approved by the Media Arts & Cultures Program Advisor.

• 3.3 GPA in MAAC courses and a 2.5 GPA in non-MAAC courses
• 12 ch of 1000-level and 2000-level MAAC courses (including at least MAAC 2021)
• 42 ch of Advanced level MAAC courses. 
  • These must include MAAC 3021 and at least 3 credit hours of 5000 level MAAC courses.
    

Joint Honours Requirements

A student completing Honours in Media Arts & Cultures jointly with another subject follows the same requirements as Single Honours but may reduce the overall number of advanced level ch in MAAC courses to 30.

Honours in Media Arts & Cultures (Film Production)

The Department offers students wishing to concentrate in film production the following Honours option: Media Arts & Cultures (Film Production). The requirements for this program are:

• 3.3 GPA in MAAC courses and a 2.5 GPA in non-MAAC courses 
• CCS/MAAC 2021, MAAC/FILM 2022, MAAC/FILM 2998, and MAAC/FILM 2999.
• An additional 6 ch of 1000-level and 2000-level MAAC courses (chosen from MAAC 1001, MAAC 1002, MAAC 1021, MAAC 2021)
• 42 ch of advanced level MAAC courses
  • These must include MAAC 3021, MAAC 4000, 6 ch from the approved Film Production course list (List A below), 6 ch from the approved Film Studies course list (List B below), and at least 3 credit hours of 5000 level MAAC courses.

Students considering this option should discuss their plans with the Media Arts & Cultures Program Advisor when they apply for admissions to the Honours program. All students following the Film Production option must have their course of study approved by the Media Arts & Cultures Program Advisor.

List A

FILM / ENGL 3183 Creative Writing: Screenwriting for Short Formats (this is a limited enrolment course)
FILM / ENGL 3186 Creative Writing: Feature Screenplay (this is a limited enrolment course)
MAAC/FILM 3075 Framing Reality: Thoery and Practice of Documentary Media
MAAC / FILM 3981 Screen Acting
MAAC / FILM 3998 Film Production
MAAC 4401 Animation Principles

Major in Media Arts & Cultures

A major in Media Arts & Cultures requires the completion of 42 ch of MAAC courses, with a grade of C or better in each. The specific requirements are as follows:

Single Major Requirements

• 12 ch of 1000-level and 1000-level MAAC courses (including MAAC 2021)
  
• 30 ch of upper level MAAC courses (including MAAC 3021).

Double Major Requirements

A student completing a Double Major in Media Arts & Cultures jointly with another subject follows the same requirements as for a Single Major but may reduce the required number of Advanced level ch in MAAC courses to 24.

Optional Majors Program: Media Arts & Cultures (Film Production)

The Department offers students wishing to concentrate in film production the following Major option: Media Arts & Cultures (Film Production). The requirements for this program are:

• CCS/MAAC 2021, MAAC/FILM 2022, MAAC/FILM 2998 and MAAC/FILM 2999
• An additional 6 ch of 1000-level and 2000-level MAAC courses (chosen from MAAC 1001, MAAC 1002, MAAC 1021, or MAAC 2021)
• 30 ch of advanced level MAAC courses
  • These must include MAAC 3021, MAAC 4000, at least 6 ch from the approved Film Production courses list (List A below), and at least 6 ch from the approved Film Studies course list (List B below)

Students considering this option should discuss their plans with the Media Arts & Cultures Program Advisor when they declare their major. All students following the Film Production option must have their course of study approved by the Media Arts & Cultures Program Advisor. 

List A 

Minor in Media & Arts Cultures

The Minor in Media Arts & Cultures consists of at least 24 ch in MAAC completed with a grade of C or better. MAAC 2021 and MAAC 3021 are required. At least 6 ch, and no more than 12 ch, must be from 1000-level and 2000-level courses. Students should note that any courses compulsory for their degree programs cannot be counted toward a Minor. Students transferring credits from another university should note that at least half the credits counted towards a UNB Minor in MAAC must be from courses taken at the University of New Brunswick.