Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Media Arts
Our students learn versatility and can adapt to a changing media landscape. A major in media arts will teach you how to create aesthetically and conceptually sophisticated works of art, identify and analyze the impact of media art as it relates to global media practices and culture, and prepare you to publicly present your work.
We encourage students to diversify their creative portfolio while they pursue their area of specialization. Whether you want to be a cinematographer, screenwriter, game designer or animator, we prepare you to be an agile, independent artist able to carve your own career path. In media arts classes you master television pilot design, screenwriting for feature-length and short films, manga writing and design, camerawork and lighting design, sound recording and art design, directing actors, ethical representation of documentary subjects, motion capture video game work on our green screen, and the history of global action fight design.
Recent courses in media arts include: TV Writing, Advanced Animation, Comedy, Tarantino, The Art and Business of Manga and Anime, Hong Kong Action Cinema, Documentary Production, and Narrative Production.
2023-2024 B.A. in Media Arts Curriculum and Requirements
Minor in Media Arts
Students enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at USC can easily pursue a minor in media arts. In this minor, students complete 18 credit hours of coursework in media arts. All students pursuing a minor may take more than 18 credit hours.
Students interested in completing a minor should speak to their undergraduate advisor.
Accelerated Master's Track in Media Arts
Earn graduate degree credit while enrolled as an undergraduate
If you have 90 credits and at least a 3.4 GPA, you may be able to take up to 12 credits towards a Master's degree while you’re still an undergraduate student. Participating in the accelerated Master's program is a separate process from applying to graduate school, and it does not guarantee admission to graduate school. However, accelerated Master’s students who apply to graduate school at USC and are accepted are able to start their graduate program in media arts with up to 12 credits already completed. These students complete their graduate coursework earlier, saving time and tuition.
Students who are interested in the accelerated Master’s track in media arts should speak to their undergraduate advisor.
Internships, Careers, and Alumni
Our B.A. seniors complete internships with national leaders in the media industries and our alumni are creative professionals, working in industry, government, freelance media production, and as entrepreneurs. University of South Carolina Media Arts alumni are globally influential media makers at Netflix, Blizzard, Marvel, IBM, iD Software, Kodansha USA, Turner Studios, HBO Films, Nickelodeon, and CBS Television. Our alumni are self-starters, global creatives, film and television industry executives, and local media pioneers.
While many media arts students seek careers as filmmakers, screenwriters, or video game designers, there are also students and faculty in our program working in global media industry studies, virtual reality, mobile media applications, sequential art, installation, and emerging media forms.
Get Connected
Area Coordinator of Media Arts: Laura Kissel, kissel@mailbox.sc.edu
Core Faculty
- Kelsey Cameron, Ph.D.
- Catherine Chi, M.F.A.
- Northrop Davis, M.F.A.
- Chaz Evans, M.F.A.
- Byeongwon Ha, M.F.A., Ph.D.
- Laura Kissel, M.F.A.
- EB Landesberg, M.F.A.
- Carleen Maur, M.F.A.
- Evan Meaney, M.F.A.
- Maureen Ryan, Ph.D.
- Lauren Steimer, Ph.D.
- Ashley Young, Ph.D.