Bachelor of Arts in Digital Storytelling

Digital storytelling is the foundation for the world of media. The Bachelor of Arts degree in Digital Storytelling prepares students for a career in a media-focused world and provides them with the tools and techniques needed for creative, entrepreneurial and analytical processes and production. Graduates are prepared for a multitude of career paths — film, television, corporate communications, digital advertising, new media — anything that involves using sound and image to entertain, inform and/or educate. The digital storytelling major has an interdisciplinary focus with courses from Communication Arts and Science, Film Studies, and Journalism.

Educational Objectives of Digital Storytelling

Digital media technology, creative tools and techniques

  • Understand and apply use of media technology to effectively communicate the purpose of media projects in digital storytelling.
  • Demonstrate competence in planning, production and execution processes for a variety of media projects.

Creative and critical thinking in media production

  • Synthesize and analyze information quantitatively and/or qualitatively.
  • Display understanding of relevant historical and artistic methods incorporated in digital storytelling.

Cultural perspective, diversity and inclusion

  • Understand the differential impact of culture, gender, language, economic power, ethnicity, and other issues of diversity and inclusion on the ethical practice of digital storytelling.
  • Collaborate effectively in group settings as both a leader and a follower.

Media industry standards and business environment

  • Understand the business of media production, including topics such as media distribution models, media business structure, career path organization and influence of technology on the related fields.
  • Demonstrate competence in oral, written, presentation and media communication skills appropriate for related fields.

Different Focus Areas in Digital Storytelling

The program of study encompasses a common core with foundational and supplementary courses. Students must choose one of the following 12-credit transcriptable concentrations or a 15-credit minors.

The Animation Concentration focuses on the production and theory of animated works in storytelling. Students completing this concentration will be prepared for understanding and producing stories via animation. Students will gain a background in the theoretical and practical uses of the animated form.

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The Audio Storytelling Concentration is focused on storytelling through the art and science of production through audio. Students gain hands-on experience producing stories through sound for audio-based models such as terrestrial broadcast radio, satellite radio and web-based distribution and podcasts. Students will learn the fundamentals of audio technology, delivery and presentation, sound design and theory, and industry organization and business concepts.

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The Documentary Production Minor will prepare you to be a part of the tradition, history, theory and production of documentary forms and modes of expression. That means film, video, audio, web, photography - any medium with which you can examine the wonder and complexity of the real world.

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The Filmmaking Concentration focuses on filmmaking – both fiction and non-fiction in focus. Students learn pre-production, production, and post-production techniques and design principles involved in documentary and fiction film.

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The Minor in Fiction Filmmaking educates undergraduates at Michigan State University in the history, theory and production of fiction film through several film courses. The minor combines practical skills in production with conceptual training in film studies.

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The Multicam Production Concentration focuses on media production using industry multi-camera approaches. Students will learn hands-on multicam techniques for broadcast television and related fields. This concentration emphasizes theory and execution of live directing and production of multicam broadcasts.

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