This course looks critically at the impact of historical, economic and political legacies of social categories and social order on media production, representation and reception. These legacies have created pervasive stereotypes that DO change (or get remixed) in and through the media, but often do so in ways that continue to uphold the perspective and status of those with power.  The course also works to complicate traditional categories of identity (such as gender, race, class, and sexuality) to reveal ways we also individually and collectively resist, incorporate, and intermingle identities in various media contexts.

Every Spring

Previously: MDST 260

This course focuses on the principles of media aesthetics including light, color, space, time, motion, and sound, and how they are and can be used to optimize media production. Students will work both individually and in groups to apply what they learn about media aesthetics to create a series of projects involving photography, audio and video production, interactive media, and more. At the end of the course, students will construct a digital portfolio to display, promote, and reflect upon their work.

Previously: MDST 230

This course employs a chronological approach to examine the history and evolution of electronic media in the United States. By exploring a variety of mediums, such as radio, television, film, newspapers, magazines, and more, students will learn about media’s roles at different periods of U.S. history and how historical factors have shaped and influenced these roles. A large focus will be on the shift from the broadcast to the narrowcast model and what this means for the media industry today.

Every other Spring, even years

Previously: MDST 220

Since the dawn of the new millennium, there has been a revolution in communication fueled by the spread of personal computers and the digitization of media. The content of this class focuses on the theoretical and practical aspects of this revolution. Through a variety of readings and hands-on digital projects, students will develop critical, sociological, and historical perspectives on new media culture. They will also develop some of the skills they need to be an active participant in this culture and the changing demands and emerging opportunities therein.

Every Fall

Previously: MDST 150