Media Arts and Cultures

Learn about media by making media

When you choose this program, you will think critically about media and its relationship to our wider culture. You will not only consider, critique, and engage intellectually with media, you will the learn tools and techniques used today to create media content. You will not only learn to see the water, you will dive deep and explore its depths.

You will examine the development of modern art, the changing nature of TV, contemporary practices in graphic design, the meaning of digital culture, how images communicate meaning, why social media is important, and much more.

We offer courses in the history and language of film, but also in film production.

You can explore the growing field of game studies, from early analysis of play and games in Western Culture to contemporary video game analysis and design.

In our classes, you will not only learn from reading textbooks but also from:

• screening a film or watching a video
• exploring a website
• playing a game

You will write well-researched papers and give in-class presentations, but your assignments also include:

• videos and films
• photo essays
• media remixes
• animations
• blogs
• original video games
• apps for mobile devices
  
  

We place a high value on developing university-level critical reading and writing skills. You will also use a variety of other media to learn and to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding.

Marshall McLuhan, the great Canadian media scholar, once said, “We don’t know who discovered water but we know it wasn’t a fish.” In other words, those who are most immersed in something often aren’t aware of what is all around them. People rarely give much thought to the incredible media ecosystem that envelops and involves them. Instead many are happy to be carried along wherever the tides and trends may lead.

We’ll teach you to be both a critical consumer and a creative producer, both a scholar of media and an author of media.

Program structure

Students interested in Media Arts and Cultures have a variety of options when choosing one of our programs. The most common program is the major, which requires 12 ch of introductory and intermediate level courses plus 30 ch of upper level courses (including certain required courses). Students can also choose the Film Production option within the major, or a double major with another discipline.

Media Arts and Cultures has an honours program (as well as joint honours). Students interested in the Film Production option can also complete that within the honours program.

For those majoring in other areas, there is minor in Media Arts and Cultures available that requires only 24 ch of MAAC courses.

Advising checklists

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

Where studying MAAC can lead you

• graduate school
• media production (including film, television and games production)
• journalism (film, games and arts criticism)
• social media & outreach
• film & media programming
• public relations