AMERICAN CULTURE AND MEDIA ARTS

Carolyn Kitch, Ph.D., Director
330D Annenberg Hall
215-204-5077
ckitch@temple.edu

The American Culture and Media Arts major combines faculty and courses from the American Studies program (in the College of Liberal Arts), the Film and Media Arts Department, and the Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising Departments (in the School of Communications and Theater). It is one of the first programs to bridge two schools at Temple, making use of the University’s broadest resources. Students may choose this major from either school (CLA or SCAT), with the requirements of the major being the same in either case. The major is a response to the fact that mediated culture – film, television, radio, photography, print journalism – has come to dominate the experience of Americans, while at the same time American values and traditions inform our creation and reception of the media. 

Students will also develop skills in historical and contemporary research. Majors sign up, in their senior year, for a semester or more of Internship at one of any number of media-related industries and museums in the Philadelphia area, designed to give students practical experience. Academic work and fieldwork are coordinated and keyed to the student’s program of study and interests.

Students graduating with the American Culture and Media Arts degree can expect to pursue careers in media-related organizations, e.g., film, video, and radio production; archival and library positions, particularly in media institutions; public relations jobs in media; museum research positions supporting exhibitions and media; and writing about media for publications. Graduates can also pursue advanced training at the graduate level in documentary film production.

Student must meet:
1. University Core Requirements
2. School of Communications and Theater Requirements
3. Major Requirements: A minimum of 36 credits from specific courses is required for the major. (Students may petition for certain “Special Topics” courses to fulfill requirements.)

For full description of the program can be found in Intercollegial Programs.