New Concentration and Master’s Degrees Created

 M.A., Media Studies

The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences (SLAS) will welcome its first class of graduate students in the Media Studies Master of Arts degree program this fall. The intensive program, which will be led by Jon Beller, professor in the Humanities and Media Studies Department, emphasizes studies of media in its various forms: film, video, television, radio, and writing. “Almost by definition, media studies students will be interested in social change. The program is driven by critical theory as it applies to media,” says Beller. The mix of courses offered will feature theory, criticism, and practice-focused seminars; individual and collaborative projects; internships; and salon-style encounters with visiting scholars and practitioners. Classes will be small and will be taught by faculty who are media studies scholars and media makers themselves. “Enrollment exceeded our expectations for this first year, which speaks to the strength of the program’s faculty and curriculum,” said SLAS Dean Andrew Barnes. There will be 14 students starting with the program in the fall and increase to 18-20 students next year.

M.F.A., Writing

The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences is also recruiting for its new Master of Fine Arts in Writing program, which will launch in fall 2014 and be led by Christian Hawkey, professor in the Humanities and Media Studies Department. The program will focus on collaborative literary projects and will revolve around several core elements: mentored studies in which students will work with several faculty advisors; a weekly student-led symposium—including professors from various disciplines—to share work; a core, teacher-guided seminar on the history, form, and theory of collaborative and engaged writing practices; and a fieldwork residency in which students will spend significant time in an organization or space of their choosing. There will also be a thesis class in which a student completes and defends a final performance, collaborative project, community project, or interdisciplinary project. Enrollment will start around eight students annually and cap at 15 students in a given year.

Sustainability Minor

The Social Science and Cultural Studies Department  (SSCS) is launching a minor in Sustainability, which will be open to all Pratt undergraduates in fall 2013. The minor will include two required classes: Ecology, a pre-existing course in the Math and Science Department; and The Sustainable Core, which will teach sustainability across art and design disciplines with frequent guest lecturers to provide a sense of how particular professions relate to broader issues including fair trade, zero waste practices, and environmental justice. Beyond SSCS, the Math and Science, Interior Design, and Industrial Design departments also contribute elective courses. The minor requires 15 credit hours, a commitment of five or six classes depending on students’ elective choices. 

Text: Ruth Samuelson