CMAC Discovery Year

The Discovery Year

A first-year program in the College of Media and Communication, the Discovery Year provides students with an excellent opportunity to explore media and communication before deciding on a major in Communication, Multimedia, or Writing for Film & Television.  During the year, they are introduced to the principles and skills that media makers must know through courses taken in video production, visual communication, interface design, writing, and storytelling. 

In addition to these courses, students also take Liberal Arts courses each semester as required by the University core and have the option of taking at least one elective course.

Designed to provide its students with an introduction to the concepts and skills of media used in all of the programs offered by the college, the CMAC Discovery Year is ideally suited for students interested in a broad overview of media and communication who have yet to decide on a major focus.  Students, who already have decided on their focus, should apply for admission to one of the college’s majors – Communication, Multimedia, or Writing for Film & Television – since that will provide them the chance to take more electives and start minors earlier in their course of study. 

Declaring a Major

The college provides each student with an advisor who helps the student decide upon the major that is best for him or her.  Each semester, in advance of the University’s registration period, the college also holds special advising sessions to explain the majors in detail, supplemented by departmental meetings intended to give students in the Discovery Year the opportunity to talk to students already in the majors.   During the year, students meet with their advisors on a regular basis, to discuss their work and their career goals and interests.   In addition, through course crits and reviews, students have a chance over the year to talk to faculty about their work and to assess their potential for success in the various majors.   

To declare a major, students must complete a “Declaration of Major” form, which must be signed by the student and the director of the proposed major.   Students can declare a major as early as November of their first year but must declare their major before registering for the fall semester of their second year.  Failure to do so may extend their stay at the University.   

CMAC Opportunities and Facilities

The college sponsors a number of clubs and publications – most of which are student run and all of which are open to first-year students.  They allow students to explore and create outside the classroom in a number of different media – Webzines, Web-based radio, Web television, and several print publications.

The College of Media and Communication is housed in a state-of-the-art media environment, which includes a multifunctional production studio; a sound studio; digital labs for audio and video editing; multimedia  studios that provide Mac, PC, and Unix-based operating systems and industry-standard software; a MIDI studio; and a black-box production space, as well as a wireless environment that supports collaboration and independent work.

The College’s Equipment Room offers CMAC students the opportunity to borrow the most current portable video, audio, and photographic equipment.   The College’s galleries, interactive kiosks, and virtual window provide students ample opportunities to display their work.