Bachelor in Media Studies

Overview of our BA in Media Studies

The Academy makes this accelerated three-year schedule possible by creating an extended academic year, allowing students to complete three full-length semesters in each calendar year. Students may also choose to complete the program in a traditional four-year time frame.





The NYFA Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies is an eight-semester program designed to focus on the study of current and emerging media arts and the theoretical underpinnings necessary for understanding media's impact in today's society. The goal of the program is not only to prepare students for the rapidly changing landscape of the entertainment industry, but also to turn out thoughtful consumers, critics, and producers of media.

Students in the media studies BA program will build the critical, creative, and analytical skills needed to examine and understand current and future trends in media, as well as reach a deep understanding of the history and development of various forms of media in society. An exploration of media theory, history, criticism, media arts, pop culture, communication, and business are enhanced by NYFA’s hands-on approach to practical filmmaking and multi-platform content development.

The media studies BA program’s curriculum is structured to ensure that students are continually challenged both creatively and academically, and is integrated with NYFA’s liberal arts and sciences curriculum to offer a well-rounded education within a challenging field of study.

The BA in Media Studies combines three areas of content focus: critical studies, communication and marketing, and interactive narrative.

Critical studies allow students to research and analyze the historical development of the media and entertainment industry as well as learning the fundamentals of critical theory. Communication and marketing courses show how to design, create, and implement tools and techniques used in various aspects of media. These techniques include aspects of design, psychology, and mass communication to engage audiences and consumers in all aspects of media. Interactive narrative covers traditional forms of storytelling and production methods as well emerging methods, such as game design and transmedia story building, which allows students to create their own unique intellectual properties as part of the curriculum.

The media studies bachelor’s degree program combines seminars, lectures, and intense hands-on content creation, instilling students with the skills, understanding, and inspiration necessary to continue their scholarly and creative work well into the 21st century.

MEDIA STUDIES BA: LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The strength of the NYFA Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies Degree is in its combination of media theory and media practice. Students will develop and present essays and academic studies on media, as well as creating professional-caliber emerging media pitch presentations, business plans, scripts, budgets, and ultimately completed content. The program is further enhanced through internships and NYFA’s collaboration with industry-leading emerging media companies. Students will learn the skills associated with traditional and emerging media.

• Students will display a working knowledge of historical and contemporary media innovators and technologies — and their impact on current trends in global media.
• Students will demonstrate a working knowledge of international storytelling practices through the development, collaboration and completion of scripts and content across multiple platforms.
• Students will exhibit an understanding and application of the psychology, financing, and marketing strategies and practices used in both traditional and emerging models of media.
• Students will be able to evaluate both communication technologies as an agent of social change and the ethical and legal considerations in working with digital media.
• Students will be able to communicate the impact of media and different distribution platforms on society.

MEDIA STUDIES BA: SEMESTER ONE OBJECTIVES

In the first semester, BA media studies students will be introduced to the complex world of new and emerging media and technologies. Students will examine and implement the basic, fundamental elements of storytelling and structure applicable to all platforms, while covering basic liberal arts courses of college-level English, physical and mental wellness, and an introduction to the history and aesthetics of film.

LEARNING GOALS:
Throughout their time pursuing a media studies bachelor’s degree students will:

• Understand, through analysis and application, essential cinematic storytelling techniques such as visual storytelling, dialogue, scene beats, theme, and three-act story structure.
• Understand, through analysis and application, how characters and their arcs generate and propel story forward.
• Examine the history of media and explore the future of content creation and storytelling.
• Understand, through example and practice, how to generate original concepts, loglines, and outlines appropriate for visual storytelling.
• Understand various acting techniques and schools of thought.
• Develop and begin to cultivate healthy and productive writing habits.
• Develop and cultivate professional-level oral and written communication skills.
• Develop methods for working with personal and school- or work-related stressors and pressures in a positive, productive way.

MEDIA STUDIES BA: SEMESTER TWO OBJECTIVES

In the second semester, students build upon what they have learned in semester one. Courses introduce students to the concepts of how we communicate and how communication technology has evolved over the last 100 years. Students will explore basic principles of marketing as well as media’s role in society, both for good and ill. General education continues to round out the students’ knowledge base and analytical skills through Public Speaking, Basic Computing, and Critical Film Studies I.

LEARNING GOALS:
Throughout their time pursuing a media studies bachelor’s degree students will:

• Examine and analyze the role of media in society in its various manifestations (news, propaganda, film, internet, TV, etc.).
• Understand how marketing is used influence consumers and audiences.
• Examine how humans communicate and how technology has changed the way we communicate, as well as communication overall.
• Examine successful marketing methods and techniques to implement in their own careers.
• Develop skills for creating and delivering a logical, clear, compelling oral presentation.
• Understand various significant historical movements in cinema.
• Gain a working knowledge of computers and computer programs associated with word processing, visual presentations, the internet, and screenplay formatting.

MEDIA STUDIES BA: SEMESTER THREE OBJECTIVES

Semester three students are introduced to historical and fundamental principles of a free press, and examine how (or if) these principles apply in an age of new and emerging media. Students will consider the etiquette and ethics of documenting real life events and subjects. Courses in Critical Thinking, Mathematics, Critical Film Studies II, and either Comparative or Dramatic Literature will increase students’ tools and knowledge of core information; giving them tools for logical reasoning and argumentation, an in-depth knowledge of film history, and an exposure to the classic literature of various cultures.

LEARNING GOALS:
Throughout their time pursuing a media studies bachelor’s degree students will:

• Examine the history of journalism and it’s connection to the media industry.
• Explore the path of journalism in the 21st century and beyond, implementing their knowledge into researching, reporting, anchoring, shooting, editing, and posting field reports and investigative segments.
• Explore the etiquette and ethics of documenting real life events and people and how these interactions will impact their storytelling.
• Learn how to engage and interact with interview subjects.
• Develop and cultivate professional-level oral and written communication skills.
• Understand the basics of college-level mathematics.
• Understand and explore the connections between classic literature and its impact on the narrative of media.
• Develop skills for critical and analytical thinking in problem solving and textual comprehension/critique.

MEDIA STUDIES BA: SEMESTER FOUR OBJECTIVES

In semester four, students are introduced to the principles and tools of basic web design, app development, and game design. Students will explore how to create a website that will build and control both their original content and their personal and professional brands. General education courses in Anthropology and the Psychology of Performance inform narrative storytelling by enriching depth of character, and providing an understanding of cultures and archetypes. A course in Environmental Biology will give students an understanding of themselves and the world around them.

LEARNING GOALS:
Throughout their time pursuing a media studies bachelor’s degree students will:

• Understand the storytelling techniques specific to transmedia and web development.
• Understand the structure of cross-platform narrative, interactive games, and mobile applications.
• Understand historic and current web, game, and app programming trends.
• Understand, through studies in the natural and social sciences, methods of conducting systematic scientific research in order to use these techniques when broaching new subjects.
• Understand basic concepts in behavioral and social sciences and apply that knowledge to better create human behavior in scripts.
• Gain an understanding of the scientific method for testing hypotheses and confirming results.
• Understand sequential art storytelling techniques.

MEDIA STUDIES BA: SEMESTER FIVE OBJECTIVES

Semester five will afford students the opportunity to learn about the social media landscape, in which content is delivered through ever-evolving channels such as web series, mobisodes, and branded entertainment. Students will continue their general education with the study of design (crucial to the visuals of media), classical genres and how stories are developed, or modern psychological schools of thought. A study of the anthropology of media places the practical application of media studies into a scholarly context.

LEARNING GOALS:
Throughout their time pursuing a media studies bachelor’s degree students will:

• Understand storytelling techniques specific to emerging media.
• Understand historic and current web series and mobile content trends.
• Understand the storytelling techniques specific to web series and mobile content.
• Understand the structure of web series.
• Understand the unique advantages and challenges of adapting original source material for content creation.
• Develop further understanding and appreciation for classic methods of storytelling.
• Expand core areas of knowledge through the study of psychology and the study of media as an anthropological subject area.
• Continue to examine concepts in behavioral and social sciences and apply that knowledge to better create human behavior in scripts.

MEDIA STUDIES BA: SEMESTER SIX OBJECTIVES

In semester six, students will expand their writing and content creation skills as they analyze and implement the tools of storytelling, also going deeper into emerging media and digital production. In Business of Emerging Media, students will learn what it takes to be a self-sufficient and self-sustaining media entrepreneur in the 21st century. Filmcraft and Producing expands upon the tools, techniques, and foundations of product content, with emphasis on traditional filmmaking skills. Students will be encouraged to participate in industry internships at production companies, agencies, management companies, or studios. Students will broaden their general education studies with courses on the role of the artist in society, interactive storytelling techniques, and an elective course in the natural sciences, such as physics, astronomy or geology.

LEARNING GOALS:
Throughout their time pursuing a media studies bachelor’s degree students will:

• Understand the history and evolution of interactive storytelling and gameplay.
• Gain a greater knowledge of traditional and emerging independent business techniques and principles.
• Learn the differences between traditional and interactive story techniques.
• Study natural science to expand their story worlds.
• Expand and strengthen their stories through the exploration of the role of the artist in society.
• Understand and acquire the tools to identify, research, and interact with brand leaders and brand representatives.
• Explore the legal issues related to traditional and emerging business models.
• Explore both traditional and emerging tools and techniques for budgeting and scheduling content creation.
• Apply the storytelling tools, techniques, and resources of cinematography, lighting, and sound.
• Have the opportunity to participate in internships.

MEDIA STUDIES BA: SEMESTER SEVEN OBJECTIVES

In their penultimate semester, students focus on content production and marketing content in the core classes, designing and developing their own intellectual content and product. Students will be encouraged to continue participating in industry internships at production companies, agencies, management companies, or studios. Upper division general education electives give students exposure to non-Western traditions of storytelling; an overview of the world’s great myths; and an academic study of the role emerging media can play and should play in contemporary society.

LEARNING GOALS:
Throughout their time pursuing a media studies bachelor’s degree students will:

• Be able to define and implement emerging media storytelling tools and techniques.
• Gain a deeper understanding of emerging media storytelling through an exploration of story generation and cross-platform franchise properties through the writing of emerging media projects.
• Master the art of developing concepts, loglines, and outlines for original content.
• Examine traditional and emerging marketing and branding campaigns; how to develop strategies to discover, engage, and increase audience involvement and participation; and how to implement those skills in their own projects.
• Gain a foundation in the tools and techniques of traditional and emerging finance, marketing, and distribution.
• Be able to identify, research, and engage with industry professionals in a proficient manner.
• Further deepen knowledge of mythic structure, world cultures, and non-Western narratives in order to broaden their perspectives as storytellers.
• Develop the skills for building stories around a variety of ideas and inspirations, ranging from art and current events to legends/folklore and social media.
• Have the opportunity to participate in internships.

MEDIA STUDIES BA: SEMESTER EIGHT OBJECTIVES

The eighth and final semester sees BA media studies students complete their thesis projects in the Emerging Media and Digital Production II workshop, where students delve more deeply into the tools and techniques of creating, marketing, and branding. Global Media Studies reviews the way in which other societies use, limit, co-opt, or create media content. Additional arts and humanities and social science courses round out a student’s cultural awareness and resources. The program culminates in capstone project presented to faculty, staff, peers, and industry professionals.

LEARNING GOALS:
Throughout their time pursuing a media studies bachelor’s degree students will:

• Master the art of pitching a project and cultivate the skills of working in a collaborative environment in the professional world.
• Master the skills to navigate pathways into their chosen professions.
• Have the experience to use social media not only to engage audiences but also as a means of controlling their project and personal brand identities.
• Effectively build integrated, cross-platform, multimedia worlds that immerse and engage audiences.
• Have an understanding, through their general education classes, of the global reach and impact of media and the various ways it is used in various cultures.
• Complete and present their thesis projects.
• Have the opportunity to participate in internships.