Minor in Media Arts and Design

A hand holding out a small piece of physical hardware including a piece of plastic and a metal grid inside.

The minor in Media Arts and Design is comprised of six courses. Courses in the minor program may not be (1) double counted with the student's major(s) or with other minors or (2) counted toward general education requirements. Courses in the minor must be taken for quality grades, and more than half of the requirements for the minor must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers.
 

Course Requirements

The minor is comprised of six courses. Of those six courses, students must take at least one course in each of the following core areas:

  • Media Theory
  • Media History
  • Media Practice and Design

Courses that qualify for each distribution requirement are listed below.

Electives

Students will also need two elective courses from offerings in such areas as video game design, electronic sound design, computational imaging, or speculative design. Any MAAD course may count; students may use outside courses with approval of the director.

Senior Colloquium and Portfolio

To complete the minor, students must enroll in MAAD 29400, the Media Arts and Design Capstone Colloquium. As part of the colloquium, each member of this student cohort prepares a portfolio of digital media artworks and/or historical and theoretical writing that they submit by the end of Winter Quarter of their final year.
 

Courses and Distribution

The majority of MAAD courses are cross-listed with other departments, often in Cinema and Media Studies, Visual Arts, Art History, Computer Science, Literature, Music, and Theater and Performance Studies. 

MAAD courses and cross-lists are distributed across Media Theory, Media History, Media Practice and Design, and Electives according to their course number. 

Media Theory (10000-14999)
Media History (15000-19999)

Media Practice & Design (20000- 24999)
Electives (25000 - 28999)

Course descriptions also include a note on which distribution the class fulfills. To view the most updated list of courses being offered, please see this Course page and add the appropriate filters for the year and quarter you're searching for. 
 

A person playing a virtual reality game while wearing a headset and holding two controllers.

Declaring a Minor

Students interested in declaring a minor in Media, Arts, and Design should print and fill out the Consent to Complete a Minor Program form and email it to the Program Director, listed below. This form must then be returned to the student's College adviser by the end of Spring Quarter of the student's third year.