Bachelor of Arts: Media, Art and Design
University Requirements
General Education
UMKC Essentials is the university-wide curriculum that all undergraduate students will complete. The 30-credit hour program includes a First Year Experience course; three critical thinking courses in the areas of Arts & Humanities, Natural & Physical Sciences, and Social & Behavioral Sciences; a Culture and Diversity course; a Civic & Urban Engagement course; two courses in Written Composition and one course in Oral Communication; and a Math Pathway course. Transfer students entering UMKC will elect from the UMKC Essentials General Education Program or the Missouri Core 42 General Education Curriculum. Academic advisors will meet with incoming transfer students to determine which option best serves the student’s educational needs. More information about General Education may be found here: https://catalog.umkc.edu/undergraduate-academic-regulations-information/general-education-requirements/
Constitution Course
Every undergraduate student must take a course covering the United States Constitution and the Missouri State Constitution before graduation. Course options are included in the program requirements section below.
Exit Examinations
Information on exit examinations is available in the Undergraduate Academic Regulations and Information section of the catalog.
Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination
In accordance with Missouri Senate Bill 807 (section 170.013.1), 'any student entering a public institution of higher education for the first time after July 2019 who is pursuing an associate's or bachelor's degree from such institution shall successfully pass an examination on the provisions and principles of American civics with a score of seventy percent or greater as a condition of graduation from such institution'. To satisfy this requirement at UMKC, students access the exam through the Canvas site. This requirement will be listed in the degree audit system as, 'Take State Mandated Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination', and listed on the transcript as 'Missouri Civics Examination'.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from this program will:
- Analyze the interconnections between what we see, how we see, and what we think.
- Interpret visual culture using an interdisciplinary lens.
- Use visual tools to communicate a concept or message.
- Apply design thinking to creative work and problem solving.
University Requirements
General Education
UMKC Essentials is the university-wide curriculum that all undergraduate students will complete. The 30-credit hour program includes a First Year Experience course; three critical thinking courses in the areas of Arts & Humanities, Natural & Physical Sciences, and Social & Behavioral Sciences; a Culture and Diversity course; a Civic & Urban Engagement course; two courses in Written Composition and one course in Oral Communication; and a Math Pathway course. Transfer students entering UMKC will elect from the UMKC Essentials General Education Program or the Missouri Core 42 General Education Curriculum. Academic advisors will meet with incoming transfer students to determine which option best serves the student’s educational needs. More information about General Education may be found here: https://catalog.umkc.edu/undergraduate-academic-regulations-information/general-education-requirements/
Constitution Course
Every undergraduate student must take a course covering the United States Constitution and the Missouri State Constitution before graduation. Course options are included in the program requirements section below.
Exit Examinations
Information on exit examinations is available in the Undergraduate Academic Regulations and Information section of the catalog.
Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination
In accordance with Missouri Senate Bill 807 (section 170.013.1), 'any student entering a public institution of higher education for the first time after July 2019 who is pursuing an associate's or bachelor's degree from such institution shall successfully pass an examination on the provisions and principles of American civics with a score of seventy percent or greater as a condition of graduation from such institution'. To satisfy this requirement at UMKC, students access the exam through the Canvas site. This requirement will be listed in the degree audit system as, 'Take State Mandated Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination', and listed on the transcript as 'Missouri Civics Examination'.
UMKC Essentials
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Semester Experience Course (GEFSE) | 3 | |
| Written Communication: | ||
| ENGLISH 110 | Introduction to Academic Prose | 3 |
| ENGLISH 225 | English II: Intermediate Academic Prose | 3 |
| Oral Communication (choose one of the following): | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Effective Speaking and Listening | ||
| Introduction to Communication | ||
| Argumentation And Debate (offered via dual credit only) | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Math Pathway (choose one of the following): | 3 | |
| Mathematics For Liberal Arts | ||
| Statistical Reasoning | ||
| Precalculus Algebra | ||
| Precalculus (5 credit hours) | ||
Any 200-level MATH or STAT course | ||
ACT Math Subscore of 28 or higher; or SAT Math Subscore of 660 or higher | ||
| Critical Thinking in Arts & Humanities (GECRT-AH) | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking in Natural & Physical Sciences (GECRT-SC) | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking in Social & Behavioral Sciences (GECRT-SS) | 3 | |
| Culture & Diversity Course (GECDV) | 3 | |
| Civic & Urban Engagement Course (GECUE) | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Constitution Course Requirement
Section 170.011.1 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, 2015, states that all candidates for a degree issued by a college or university in the state of Missouri must have “satisfactorily passed an examination on the provisions and principles of the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Missouri, and in American history and American institutions.”
Courses at UMKC that satisfy this state requirement are:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Supreme Court And The Criminal Process | ||
| U.S. History to 1877 | ||
| U.S. History Since 1877 | ||
| Honors American Government | ||
| American Government | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
There are a few other ways this requirement can be satisfied for students transferring to UMKC:
- Take an equivalent course from the list above at a regionally accredited institution.
- Earn credit for one of the above courses through AP, IB, or CLEP.
- Take a course that directly satisfies the Missouri Constitution Requirement at another Missouri institution.
- Have a previous bachelors degree (or higher) from a regionally accredited institution.
- Have an Associate of Arts degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- Complete the 42 Hour Core at a Missouri institution and have it listed on the official transcript.
School of Humanities and Social Sciences Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Writing Intensive Course (300-level or above; satisfied in major requirements below): | 0 | |
| Total Credits | 0 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 15 credit hours need to be at the 300-level or above. | ||
| ART 114 | Foundation Digital Design | 3 |
| In the Design Thinking course, students will create a learning contract that addresses their goals for the degree. With the help of their advisor, they will create a plan that fits their specific career and artistic goals. | ||
| ART 266 | Design Thinking | 3 |
| ART-HIST 320WI | Ways of Seeing | 3 |
| Take 3 courses (9 credit hours) selected from the following: | 9 | |
| Foundation Drawing | ||
| Foundation 2D Design | ||
| Introduction to Photography | ||
or ART 206 | Photography I | |
| Introduction to the History of Art: Pyramids to Picasso | ||
| Introduction to Film Studies | ||
| Introduction to Film and Video Production | ||
| Take one of the following upper-level courses: | 3 | |
| Interdisciplinary Studio Projects | ||
| Student Design Lab | ||
| Creative Project Development | ||
| World Currents of Contemporary Art | ||
| Arts Of African and New World Cultures | ||
| Introduction to Film Theory | ||
| Advanced Media Production | ||
| Elective Coursework 1 | 15 | |
| Any courses listed above taken beyond 9 hours can be used to fulfill this requirement. | ||
Up to 3 credit hours may include a foreign language course. | ||
| Photography I | ||
| Intermediate Drawing | ||
| Painting I | ||
| Print Media I | ||
| Digital Video and Motion Design | ||
| Figure Drawing I | ||
| Interactive Media Design | ||
| Graphic Design and Typography I | ||
| Graphic Design and Typography II | ||
| 3D Modeling and Animation | ||
| Interdisciplinary Studio Projects | ||
| Creative Project Development | ||
| Special Topics in Studio Art | ||
| Professional Practices | ||
| From Cave Paintings to Cathedrals | ||
| From Michelangelo to Modernism | ||
| Asian Art | ||
| Made in the USA: Latinx Art and Experience | ||
| Whose America: Modern Art and Philosophy in the Americas | ||
| Northern European Art: 15th and 16th Centuries | ||
| 15th Century Italian Art and Architecture | ||
| Greek Art and Architecture | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| Participatory Forms of Spectatorship in Contemporary Art | ||
| Sensing, Feeling, Thinking: Contemporary Art and the Mind | ||
| Art Museums: History and Practice | ||
| Site-Specific Art: Within and Beyond the Museum Walls | ||
| Special Topics in Art History | ||
| Introduction to Journalism | ||
| Introduction To Web Communications | ||
| Broadcast and Digital Media Presenting | ||
| Persuasive Communication | ||
| Journalism and Visual Storytelling in the Age of Data | ||
| Organizational Communication | ||
| The Art of the Interview | ||
| The News Feature Writing | ||
| Writing, Broadcasting & Podcasting for Student Media | ||
| Podcast and Audio Production | ||
| Cross-Cultural Journalism & Mass Media | ||
| Strategic Communication Research | ||
| Media Ethics | ||
| Special Studies | ||
| Applications of Interpersonal Communication Theory | ||
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Principles Of Advertising | ||
| Interactive and Social Media Advertising | ||
| Principles Of Public Relations | ||
| Intermediate Broadcast and Digital TV | ||
| Advanced Broadcast and Digital TV | ||
| Media Law | ||
| Advertising Campaigns | ||
| Ancient World in Cinema | ||
| Rhetorics of New Media | ||
| Composing Digital Environments | ||
| Publication Practicum | ||
| Publication Practicum | ||
| Studies in Digital Humanities | ||
| Nonfiction Workshop | ||
| History of the Designed Environment I | ||
| History of the Designed Environment II | ||
| History of the Designed Environment III | ||
| Ancient World in Cinema | ||
| Story Development | ||
| Editing with Adobe Premiere | ||
| Concepts of the Hero in Ancient Literature and World Cinema | ||
| Film Adaptation | ||
| Introduction to Film Theory | ||
| German Film | ||
| Art of the Short Film | ||
| Introduction to Screenwriting | ||
| Intermediate Media Production | ||
| History Of The Film Industry | ||
| African American Images in Film | ||
| Documentary Production | ||
| Animation | ||
| Topics in World Cinema | ||
| Topics in Sound & Cinema | ||
| Topics in Gender and Cinema | ||
| Advanced Screenwriting | ||
| Client-Based Media Production | ||
| Advanced Media Production | ||
| Directing Actors and Scenes | ||
| Oral History | ||
| Museums, Monuments, and American Life: An Introduction to Public History | ||
| An internship is not required, but highly recommended as part of the elective coursework: | ||
| Student Design Lab | ||
| Special Studies in Art: Internship | ||
| Special Problems in Art Internship | ||
| Internship | ||
| Internship | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
| 1 | Students choose major electives drawn from a variety of department courses specified above. Students are encouraged to choose electives to build their specialization in an area of interest. Common specializations built through elective choices are noted in the degree audit for student consideration. These noted interest areas are suggestions for specialization but are not required. |
General Electives
Students must take elective credit hours to meet the minimum credit hour requirement for their degree, including at least 36 credit hours of coursework at the 300-level or above. The minimum required by the university is 120 credit hours, of which at least 30 credit hours must be taken at UMKC, but some degree programs require more.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Electives | 51 | |
Total Hours: 120
Minimum GPA: 2.0
Tools for Planning and Fulfilling Academic Requirements
UMKC's Major Maps are detailed, semester by semester plans that lead a student to complete all degree requirements within four years. Plans include benchmarks and critical courses by term that assist a student’s evaluation of progress and major “fit”. In order to ensure that the appropriate courses are taken, students are encouraged to consult with the undergraduate advisor for this major. Please see the tab above to view the major map for this program.
UMKC’s Transfer Guides provide detailed guidance on recommended transfer coursework, plans of study, transfer timelines, and transfer contact information. To ensure a seamless transfer experience, students are encouraged to work with both their community college advisor and a UMKC advisor when planning their coursework.
UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Audit’ degree audit system provides an individual evaluation of all degree requirements (General Education, Degree Specific, Major Specific, etc.) for students' officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. This evaluation is used to certify all graduation requirements.
UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Plans’ degree planning tool enables students to develop a personalized semester by semester plan of study towards completion of degree requirements for student’s officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. Update and edit your full plan to degree completion each term and confirm accuracy each semester with your Academic Advisor(s).
