School of Arts and Humanities

Emerging Media and Communication (BA)

Students who complete the Emerging Media and Communication (EMAC) major are challenged to understand the social and cultural implications of communication in an "always on" world. The program reflects a commitment to the concept of applied humanities, as the curriculum balances theoretical understanding drawn from media studies, communication, psychology, and humanities with opportunities for practical application. These diverse perspectives will help a student majoring in EMAC develop the critical skills and technological expertise to become a communicator for the twenty-first century prepared to succeed in the shifting media landscape by using critical, creative, and collaborative skills to

• Develop creative ways to use emerging technology to express ideas and solve problems,
• Analyze communication opportunities to determine appropriate media and rhetorical strategies when creating content for existing and/or emerging media platforms,
• Adapt messages to audiences and technological constraints while retaining (and amplifying) the benefits provided by emerging media, and
• Anticipate the ethical implications of emerging media and their power to shape public opinion.

Unless otherwise noted, courses in Emerging Media and Communication are open to all students in the university.

Bachelor of Arts in Emerging Media and Communication

Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)¹

I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours²

Communication: 6 semester credit hours

COMM 1311 Survey of Oral and Technology-based Communication

RHET 1302 Rhetoric

Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours

One of the following:

MATH 1306 College Algebra for the Non-Scientist

MATH 1314 College Algebra (Recommended)

Select any 3 semester credit hours from Mathematics core courses

Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours

Select any 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences core courses

Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours

One of the following:

HUMA 1301 Exploration of the Humanities (Recommended)

LIT 2331 Masterpieces of World Literature

PHIL 1301 Introduction to Philosophy (Recommended)

PHIL 2316 History of Philosophy I

PHIL 2317 History of Philosophy II

Select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture core courses

Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours

One of the following:

ARTS 1301 Exploration of the Arts

AHST 1303 Survey of Western Art History: Ancient to Medieval

AHST 1304 Survey of Western Art History: Renaissance to Modern

AHST 2331 Understanding Art

DANC 1310 Understanding Dance

DRAM 1310 Understanding Theater

FILM 2332 Understanding Film (Recommended)

MUSI 1306 Understanding Music

American History: 6 semester credit hours

Two of the following:

HIST 1301 U.S. History Survey to Civil War

HIST 1302 U.S. History Survey from Civil War

HIST 2301 History of Texas

HIST 2330 Themes and Ideas in American History

HIST 2332 Civil War and Reconstruction

Government / Political Science: 6 semester credit hours

GOVT 2305 American National Government

GOVT 2306 State and Local Government

Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours

PSY 2301 Introduction to Psychology

Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours

Two of the following:

ARHM 2340 Creativity

ARHM 2341 Global Media

ARHM 2342 Connections in the Arts and Humanities

ARHM 2343 Science and the Humanities

II. Major Requirements, Lower-Division: 18 semester credit hours

ATEC 2382 Computer Imaging

ATEC 2384 Basic Design Principles and Practices

ATEC 2385 Sound Design

ATEC 2321 Writing and Research for Emerging Media

ATEC 2322 Theories of Emerging Media and Communications

PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology

III. Major Requirements, Upper-Division: 27 semester credit hours

Major Core Courses

ATEC 3326 Emerging Media Production

ATEC 3361 Internet Studio I

ATEC 4326 Advanced Emerging Media Production

COMM 3300 Reading Media Critically

COMM 3311 Interpersonal Communication

COMM 4314 Persuasion

EMAC 4325 Digital Writing

EMAC 4380 Capstone Project

PSY 3331 Social Psychology

IV. Elective Requirements: 33 semester credit hours

Prescribed Electives: 18 semester credit hours

Any six of the following:

ARTS 4308 Image/Text

ATEC 3330 Digital Video Production I

ATEC 3363 Basic Interaction Design

ATEC 4330 Digital Video Production II

ATEC 4346 Story-Telling for New Media

ATEC 4347 Advanced Design

ATEC 4361 Internet Studio II

CGS 4352 Human Computer Interactions I

CGS 4353 Human Computer Interactions II

COMM 3301 Business and Professional Communication

COMM 3342 Advanced Topics in Communication³

COMM 3351 History and Theory of Communication

COMM 4340 Small Group Communication

COMM 4350 Intercultural Communication

COMM 4360 Communication Ethics

COMM 4351 U.S. Culture and Communication

CRWT 3308 Creating Nonfictions

EMAC 3328 The Digital Society

EMAC 3343 Social Networks

EMAC 4372 Topics in Emerging Media and Communication

PHIL 4310 Philosophy of Technology

PSY 3351 Mass Communication and Behavior

PSY 3355 Psychology of Creativity

Free Electives: 15 semester credit hours

Both upper-and lower-division courses may be used as electives, but students must complete at least 51 semester credit hours of upper-division courses to qualify for graduation.

1. Incoming freshmen must complete and pass UNIV 1010 Freshman Seminar and the corresponding school-related freshman seminar course. Students, including transfer students, who complete their core curriculum at UT Dallas must take UNIV 2020.

2. Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from institutions of higher education. The courses listed are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.

3. Repeatable for credit up to 6 semester credit hours.