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Undergraduate | In-Person

Emerging Media, BA/BS

Looking to stay ahead of the ever-evolving digital media landscape? Our Emerging Media degree program will give you skills and knowledge to excel in an ever-changing field.

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Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business

Natalie Peterson
Admissions Coordinator
615.460.6453
Email Natalie

Why Major in Emerging Media? 

Choosing to pursue a degree in Emerging Media is a smart decision for many reasons. Here are just a few of the many benefits you'll experience as a student in our program: 

  1. Career Opportunities: The digital media landscape is growing at an unprecedented rate, and with it, the demand for professionals with the skills and knowledge to navigate it. A degree in Emerging Media will open doors to a wide range of exciting and rewarding career opportunities, from digital content creation and podcasting to web design and motion graphics, and more.

  2. Stay Ahead of the Curve: The digital media industry is constantly evolving, and it's essential to have the skills and knowledge to keep up. Our program is designed to provide you with the latest and most relevant information, so you can stay ahead of the curve and be confident in your abilities.

  3. Tailor Your Education to Your Interests: Our major electives allow you to tailor your education to your specific interests. Whether you're interested in the history of television and digital media, web page design, motion graphics, or media relations and branding, you'll have the opportunity to explore your passion and gain the skills you need to excel in your chosen field.

  4. Real-World Experience: Our program includes a digital media internship, which will provide you with hands-on experience in a real-world setting. This will give you the opportunity to apply the knowledge you've gained in the classroom to a professional setting and gain valuable experience that will set you apart from other job candidates.

  5. Empowerment: We understand that the digital media field can be intimidating, but with our Emerging Media degree, we empower you to become the hero of your own digital media journey. You'll gain the skills and knowledge you need to excel, and the confidence to take on any challenge that comes your way.

By pursuing a degree in Emerging Media, you'll be setting yourself up for a successful and rewarding career in an industry that is constantly growing and evolving. Join us, and become the media professional you've always wanted to be.

What You'll Learn

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  • You will gain a diverse set of skills that are in high demand in the digital media field, such as computer science, digital citizenship, new media writing, digital technology, podcasting, and digital storytelling.
  • You will learn how to stay ahead of the curve in the constantly evolving digital media landscape and be confident in your abilities.
  • You will have the opportunity to tailor your education to your specific interests through major electives, such as the history of television and digital media, web page design, motion graphics, and media relations and branding.
  • You will gain real-world experience through a digital media internship, where you will apply the knowledge you've gained in the classroom to a professional setting.
  • You will gain the confidence and empowerment to take on any challenge that comes your way in the digital media field.
  • You will learn the importance of digital ethics and the ethical considerations of the media industry.
  • You will be able to create and publish digital content, create and publish podcasts, and create digital stories to be shared in different platforms.

Career Possibilities

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  • Digital Content Creator
  • Podcast Producer
  • Motion Graphics Designer
  • Social Media Manager
  • Digital Marketing Coordinator
  • Web Developer
  • Digital Media Project Manager
  • Digital Media Analyst
  • Video Editor
  • Digital Media Sales Representative

Program Details

Curriculum

The emerging media major leads to either a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science. It requires 128 hours of coursework:

  • BELL core requirements: 53 hours
  • Major requirements (including 12 hours of electives): 36 hours

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Courses You'll Take

  • MDS 1700 Digital Citizenship: This course prepares students to embrace their civic duty to contribute to the virtual world in responsible ways. Digital literacy isn’t an option, it is an imperative. Students will learn about digital communication, commerce, security, access, etiquette and law. In addition, they will have a better understanding about the inception and implementation of social media tools from Google to Twitter to whatever has been created at that time.
  • MDS 1130 Writing for New Media: An introduction to the journalistic field focusing on the structure, purpose and function of news from story inception to completion. Students will also be exposed to storytelling for print, the web and broadcast. Ethics and legal limitations and rights of the journalist will also be introduced. Typing skills required.
  • MDS 1450 Survey of Digital Production: This is a foundational course for creative digital media production and communication across multiple media platforms. The course will introduce students to the Mac OS and Adobe Creative cloud for Audio/Video production and post-production. It will help develop essential content creation and communication skills.
  • MDS 2300 Entrepreneurial Media: A study of the business of media, startups, mobile application development and marketing. Students will present revenue models focusing on entrepreneurship and the media and develop mobile applications. Legal and ethical issues in the new media world will be addressed.
  • MDS 4110 Media Ethics: A study of the social ethic for mass communication, establishing a system of checks and balances to measure fair and truthful news and diversified entertainment. Course work involves case study analysis to help understand the roles of the communicator and the audience as individual and group.
  • MDS 2110 Digital Content Creation: An introduction to the fundamentals of digital content creation from the required skills of building and maintaining a website, blog and vlog to the development of a personal brand on multiple social media platforms. Basic SEO techniques are studies to understand how brands succeed.
  • MDS 2120 Podcasting: An introduction to the fundamentals of podcasting. Students will focus on podcast production from research and interview techniques to producing a final product with original content.
  • MDS 2230 Digital Storytelling: This course focuses on audio and video storytelling skills. Utilizing digital tools like mobile devices, students will learn how to produce quality stories using multimedia. The craft and art of storytelling is critical. Students will learn skills necessary to act as a “backpack” journalist.
  • MDS 2150 Data Visualization for Media: This is an introductory study of the concepts and skills of data visualization-graphical representation of data and information. In this course, students will learn how to use data visualization tools including Illustrator, Tableau, Flourish and D3.js to bring data to life and better communicate meaningful information to their target audience.
  • MDS 4100 Communication Law: Examines governmental regulations affecting news media, advertising, radio broadcasting and telecasting, and the direct effects of such regulations upon management and daily operations.

Request Information

Contact Us

Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business

Natalie Peterson
Admissions Coordinator
615.460.6453
Email Natalie