Major
The Media Arts and Culture Major requires a minimum of 48 units.
One Gateway Course
Students are required to take one of the three 100-level gateway courses listed below by the end of sophomore year and before declaring the major. Please also note the Overview information above regarding the need to also complete an additional 4-unit MAC class of your choosing by the end of sophomore year in order to declare the major.
| MAC 143 | Introduction to Visual and Critical Studies | 4 units |
| MAC 145 | Introduction to Digital Media and Culture | 4 units |
| MAC 146 | Aesthetics of the Cinema | 4 units |
Four 4-unit MAC courses at the 200-level or above
Students are required to take at least four 4-unit MAC courses at the 200-level or above. (These are in addition to the MAC 390 Junior Seminar and 400-level Senior Comprehensives courses, which are separate requirements.)
Note the concentration specific requirements below when selecting these classes:
Critical Media Concentration
Students must complete at least two critical or historical media studies courses at the 200-level or above by the end of junior year. These can be chosen from MAC 241, MAC 244, MAC 246, MAC 248, MAC 250, MAC 252, MAC 260, MAC 295 or a pre-approved study-abroad course. Critical Media students are also required to take one 200-level course with a media production component before graduating. This can be fulfilled by MAC 240, MAC 242, MAC 245, MAC 250, MAC 270, or a pre-approved study-abroad course.
Media Production Concentration
Students must complete MAC 240 and MAC 355 by the end of junior year. Students intending to produce fictional comps work must also complete MAC 220 by the end of junior year. Media Production students are required to take at least one critical or historical media studies course at the 200-level or above before graduating. This can be fulfilled by MAC 241, MAC 244, MAC 246, MAC 248, MAC 250, MAC 252, MAC 260, MAC 295 or a pre-approved study-abroad course.
Junior Seminar
The college's Second-Stage Writing Requirement is fulfilled by completing the MAC 390 Junior Seminar in the spring semester of junior year. See the Second-Stage Writing Requirement section below for full details.
| MAC 390 | Junior Seminar in Media Theory and Criticism | 4 units |
Senior Seminar
Students will satisfy this requirement by selecting the appropriate Senior Seminar sequence:
- Critical Media Concentration: The MAC 490 Senior Seminar in Critical Media is a year-long pro-seminar with 4 units conferred in the fall and 2 additional units in the spring.
- Media Production Concentration: The MAC 491 Senior Seminar in Media Production is a 4-unit fall course. Students must also then enroll in the 2-unit MAC 492 Advanced Editing course in the spring of senior year to scaffold post-production on their comprehensives project.
Elective Units
Students may choose from the following elective options to bring their total units in the major to 48:
- Take additional MAC classes.
- Take pre-approved courses from other Occidental departments. These include any Art History, Studio Art, Theater, Music (MUSC, not MUSA), or Computer Science classes and the following additional courses: CSLC 225, CSLC 226, CTSJ 212, CTSJ 361, DWA 281, ENGL 178, ENGL 280, ENGL 281, ENGL 380, JAPN 271, WRD 285, WRD 286, WRD 301. A maximum of 10 units from other Oxy departments can be counted as MAC elective units.
- Take pre-approved courses while studying abroad. Eligible students may apply to study abroad in the fall semester of junior year; students must be back in spring of junior year for the MAC 390 Junior Seminar and Advanced-Level coursework.
- Enroll in 2-unit INT 200 media internships through the Hameetman Career Center. A maximum of 4 internship units can be counted as MAC elective units.
- Take pre-approved Art Center College of Design Exchange or other transfer credit courses. A maximum of 8 Art Center or other transfer units can be counted as MAC elective units.
Honors in the Major
A student with an overall GPA of at least 3.5 overall and 3.6 in the major who has demonstrated excellence in departmental courses can submit a proposal for an honors project in the fall of senior year for completion in the spring of senior year. For further information on honors requirements and timelines, refer to the Senior Comps Page of the MAC Department Website and consult your faculty adviser.
Minor
Students wishing to minor in Media Arts & Culture must complete five 4-unit MAC courses selected in consultation with a MAC faculty adviser.
- At least three of these courses must be at the 200-level or above.
- One relevant pre-approved study abroad class can be counted towards completion of the minor, provided that the class transfers back to Occidental as at least 3 units.
- Two 2-unit MAC offerings (from amongst MAC 110, MAC 210, or a relevant INT 200 media internship opportunity advised by a MAC faculty member) may be counted in lieu of one of the five 4-unit classes.
Alternately, Media Arts & Culture is also a contributing department to the Interdisciplinary Writing Minor and the Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies Minor.