Filmmakers, artists, designers, animators, writers, and composers come together to invent, tell stories, and make cool things.
Bethany’s location in southern Minnesota gives us a unique perspective marked by grit, resourcefulness, and versatility. Bethany students benefit by running national broadcast events, collaborating on high-impact film projects, and designing for real industry needs. Our graduates are finding work and fulfillment in a variety of media-related fields across the nation and the world.
Student Stories

Stephanie Heidorn ’13
Stephanie is currently a graduate student in the College of Design at the University of Minnesota. She is working towards

Hayes Schneider (’18)
Digital Graphic Design Specialist, Minnesota Wild Hockey Club, Saint Paul, Minnesota What You Do: On normal work days, I create

Caitlyn French (’14)
Caitlyn French – News Reporter, MLive Media Group, Bay City, Michigan What you do: I’m currently a news reporter for

Matt Meilner (’12)
Matt works as a creative apprentice at Digital Kitchen in Los Angeles, California. WHAT YOU DO • • • I
Contact for more information
Media Arts Major Academic Requirements
Mission
The media arts major is a synthesis of the communication, studio art, and liberal arts curricula that gives rise to an intellectually creative skill set that moves far beyond the merely technical. Media arts seeks to provide students with the conceptual and technical tools necessary to succeed in a variety of creative media industries. Graduates will be enabled to participate in and thereby influence the shaping of American culture. Students are challenged to discover ways in which they might bring a Christian sensibility to all that they undertake.
Program Learning Outcomes
The media arts major seeks to produce graduates who demonstrate:
- Proficiency with a variety of media and technologies.
- Familiarity with the theoretical and historical underpinnings of their chosen field of study.
- The ability to approach visual communication challenges with creativity and insight, producing work that is consistently original and meaningful.
- Effective and professional written, verbal, and visual communication skills.
- The ability to collaborate effectively with others.
Acceptance into the Major
Each student formally applies for admittance into the media arts major. The application is typically done during the spring semester of sophomore year. All prospective media arts majors partner with an advisor from the Media Arts Department.
A Media Arts Application Form may be obtained from any media arts faculty or downloaded from the website. In order to gain admittance to, and to graduate with, the media arts major, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in all pre-major and major coursework (see below).
Junior Review
At the end of the junior year, the transcript of each student will be examined by their advisor to ensure adequate progress is being made toward degree completion. At this point, admittance to the major may be rescinded.
Pre-Major Requirements
Studio Foundations (choose one):
- ARTS102 2D Foundations
- ARTS110 Drawing
- ARTS113 Photography I and Lab
- ARTS114 Painting I: Watercolor and Ink
- ARTS202 3D Foundations
Production Foundations (choose one):
Additional required courses:
- ARTS230 Graphic Design I:Tools, Methodology, and Vocabulary
- ARTS290 Professional Practices Seminar
- COMM240 Introduction to Mass Media
- ENGL312 Reading as Writers Across Media
Historical Perspective (choose two):
- ARTS107 Art History III Modernism
- ARTS344 American Art History
- ARTS452 Contemporary Issues in Art
- COMM365 Images on Film
Theoretical and Critical Analysis (9 credits)
- COMM385 Law and Ethics in Media
- Plus two of:
Capstone/Senior Project (two courses):
Area of Emphasis
Choose between Motion Graphics and Animation or Video Arts and Broadcasting
Motion Graphics and Animation
Both of:
Three of:
- ARTS312 Digital Illustration/Concept Art I
- ARTS332 Graphic Design IV: Design forMultimedia
- ARTS336 Graphic Design III: Introduction to Web Design
- ARTS432 Digital Painting/Concept Art
- COMM360 Visual Communication
- MART290 Introduction to Animation
- MART330 Motion Graphics Design
- MART435 Digital 3D Design and Animation
Video Arts and Broadcasting
One course:
Four of:
- ARTS330 Graphic Design II: Graphic Design Studio
- COMM333 Screenwriting
- COMM360 Visual Communication
- MART290 Introduction to Animation
- MART330 Motion Graphics Design
- MART465 Editing for Film and Video
Optional Internship
Optional Coursework
Additional curricular suggestions and electives for the media arts student:
Media Arts Faculty
These faculty members teach many of the courses that comprise the Media Arts major. See also the Media Art Department.

Professor
YFAC 207
507-344-7398
- Introduction to Art
- Drawing
- Life Drawing I
- Graphic Design I: Tools and Vocabulary
- Professional Practices Seminar
- Digital Illustration/Concept Art I
- Graphic Design II: Graphic Design Studio
- Graphic Design III: Introductionto Web Design
- Digital Illustration/Concept Art II
- Portfolio/Senior Project
- Senior Exhibition
- Art Internship
- Art Independent Study
- Graphic Design I:Tools, Methodology, and Vocabulary
- Graphic Design II: Graphic DesignStudio
- Graphic Design III: Introductionto Web and UX Design
- Graphic Design Internship
- Advanced Audio/Video Production
- Media Arts Internship

Assistant Professor
HH 229
507-344-7385
- 2D Foundations
- Art History III Impressionism to Contemporary
- Graphic Design I:Tools, Methodology, and Vocabulary
- Professional Practices Seminar
- Graphic Design IV: Design forMultimedia
- Contemporary Issues in Art
- Graphic Design I:Tools, Methodology, and Vocabulary
- Graphic Design Senior Project/Capstone - Part One
- Graphic Design Senior Exhibition
- Introduction to Animation
- Motion Graphics Design
- Digital 3D Design and Animation
- Media Arts Capstone I
- Media Arts Capstone II - Exhibition
- Media Arts Internship
- Media Arts Independent Study
Next Steps
Love art in media? We’d love to hear from you! Schedule your personal visit today, or learn more about becoming a Bethany student.