About the Undergraduate Media Studies Major
Everyone consumes media, but not everyone understands the impact it has on our lives. Those who are fascinated by film, streaming content, and the social impact of video games; who love to compare directors and genres; and who want to know how the latest platforms and devices infiltrate our consciousness will find Emerson College’s Media Studies BA program to be a perfect fit.
In this program, housed in the Department of Visual and Media Arts in the School of the Arts, you will experience media as an intellectual challenge. You will take courses in production, media history, theory, and criticism along with liberal arts electives. You will analyze media production and consumption as a scholar, seeking to understand the origins of modern media and the profound implications of mass media on human behavior from a social, cultural, and economic standpoint. You will graduate from the program as a more conscious media consumer and will be uniquely prepared to navigate our media-driven age.
I’m really grateful to meet all the professors in my major. They are very experienced and knowledgeable. Their courses not only help me learn practical media production skills but also give me insights into the impact of media on the society and culture we live in.
Real-World Experience as a Media Studies Scholar
Media Studies majors have ample opportunity to gain real-world learning experience. Here are a few examples:
- Students can gain hands-on experience with media equipment through on-campus employment within Media Technologies and Production, including the Equipment Distribution Center and Emerson Productions.
- On-campus opportunities for producing and viewing television and film work are available through student organizations such as Frames Per Second and Women in Motion and film festivals such as the Emerson Film Festival and It’s All True Documentary Film Festival.
- Off campus, the city of Boston is an inspiring place to learn to analyze and work with mass media, with dozens of theaters, television and radio stations, film festivals, and art museums and galleries.
- Students can study and intern in the hub of the entertainment industry while spending a semester at Emerson Los Angeles.
Careers for Media Studies Majors
Our Media Studies graduates have gone on to work in many different roles in media-related industries. Examples of careers include:
- Entertainment Lawyer
- Media Buyer
- Social Media Specialist
- Video Editor
Notable Visual and Media Arts Alumni
- Erik Messerschmidt, Academy Award–winning cinematographer, Mank, Ant-Man, Fantastic Four
- Zack Sharf, News Editor, IndieWire
- Marcia Smith, President and Co-founder, Firelight Media
- Emma Weeks, Senior Manager, Marketing and Operations, Paramount
