The Electronic Arts program at Missouri State is a highly selective, interdisciplinary major designed to prepare students for professional careers in a variety of electronic arts industries, including computer animation, audio and video production, multimedia design and music recording. The curriculum enables majors to build a professional portfolio that demonstrates their expertise in at least one area of the curriculum (computer animation, multimedia, audio or video studies); to develop the communication skills required to work successfully within a creative production team; and to acquire the technical, aesthetic and problem-solving skills necessary to pursue a successful career in the electronic arts. The success of our graduates is illustrated by the over 100 international, national and regional awards that electronic arts students have won since 2004. 

The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Electronic Arts is a non-comprehensive 37 hour major requiring a minor in a related field. The program consists of a 19 hour core taken by all majors, with an additional 18 hours in either Audio, Video, Computer Animation or Multimedia Studies.

Although students may declare as Electronic Arts majors when they enter the University, they will not be formally admitted to the program until they complete three of the four pre-admission core classes and pass an initial portfolio review. Once admitted, all majors must successfully pass a junior and senior portfolio review and complete a year-long senior thesis project. The 19 hour electronic arts core is designed to introduce all majors to the essential technological, aesthetic, design and communication issues deemed critical to the successful creation of a professional electronic arts project. Armed with this common vocabulary, students then pursue a specialization in audio, video, computer animation or multimedia design. During their final year, electronic arts majors will form production teams to design and produce an original professional-quality project.

The Electronic Arts career field is experiencing a rapid expansion at present. Students graduating with a degree in electronic arts will be in a unique position to take advantage of the many career opportunities opening up due to an increasing reliance on electronic communication in business, education and the arts. Students will be well prepared to pursue traditional career paths in television, radio, advertising, recording studios and graphic arts. Graduates also will be able to work effectively in many areas of new technology, including interactive multimedia design, World Wide Web construction, video gaming, computer animation, and audio or video digital post-production. The program’s interdisciplinary emphasis on basic visual and aural aesthetics, advanced technologies and small-group communication skills, as well as the students’ demonstrated ability to function efficiently within large-scale production teams on long-term projects makes Electronic Arts graduates particularly attractive to potential employers.

Courses in the Electronic Arts program are taught by faculty from three departments: Art and Design, Music and Media, Journalism and Film. These faculty members specialize in computer animation, audio and video production, interactive multimedia design and electronic music. In addition to teaching in their area of specialization within the program, the faculty continue to produce award-winning work as professional artists, composers, directors and web designers.

Electronic Arts majors have an opportunity to pursue their degree in a variety of state-of-the-art production facilities located across the Missouri State campus. Audio and video production students work in ProTOOLS and AVID nonlinear editing labs and have access to a live music recording studio and a digitally-equipped TV studio. Music composition and recording students do additional work in facilities located in the Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts. Computer animation and multimedia production students work in two labs (Mac and PC) with a variety of software including Lightwave, Photoshop, After Effects, Maya, Director, Dream Weaver and Flash. Student productions are broadcast on Missouri State’s Cable Access channel and on the "The Growl", a student run Web-Radio station located in Strong Hall.

It is recommended that students enroll in three of the four pre-admission core classes (ART 100/110, MUS 216, MED 290 and MED 365) as soon as possible since application to the major cannot occur until three of these classes have been successfully completed with a "B" average or better. Ideally, students should complete this core requirement by the end of the first semester and no later than the second semester of their sophomore year. Once accepted into the major, students should complete ART 300: Fundamentals of Collaboration in Electronic Arts as soon as possible. Please note that ART 300 is open only to accepted majors and must be completed (along with the Junior Portfolio Review) before majors can enroll in the year-long senior thesis project (ART/MED 498). As they work to complete the core, all majors should simultaneously pursue their minor and complete 18 hours in either Audio, Video, Computer Animation or Multimedia Studies. This means that students should plan to take a minimum of 6 hours in the Electronic Arts curriculum and 3-6 hours in their minor each semester following acceptance into the program. Prospective and accepted majors are strongly encouraged to meet with their electronic arts advisor to review their requirements and to work out a sample course schedule by semester once accepted into the program. Please consult the Missouri State Catalog for undergraduate degree requirements.)

Electronic Arts Pre-Admission Core (12 hrs)

(Candidates must complete 3 of these courses before applying to the program.)

• ART 100/110: Two Dimensional Design (3) (required for animation studies)
• MUS 216: Introduction to Audio Techniques (3) (required for audio studies)
• MED 290: Introduction to Multimedia Design (3) (required for multimedia studies)
• MED 365: Media Design and Production (3) (required for video studies)

Electronic Arts Core (7 hrs)

(Required of all admitted majors)

• ART 300: Fundamentals of Collaboration in Electronic Arts (3)
• MED/ART 498: Senior Thesis Project (2) (Repeat for two consecutive semesters for a total of 4 hours.) 

NOTE:

1. The pre-admission core must be completed with a "B" (3.0) average, or better.
2. Prospective majors must complete the pre-admission core course in the program area to which they are applying.
3. All four of these core classes must eventually be completed by all EA majors.
4. Majors must pass the Junior Portfolio Review in ART 300 before taking MED/ART 498.

Audio Studies (18 hrs)

Required:

• MED 461: Sound Editing & Mixing (3)
• MED 561: Audio for Media (3)
• MUS 316: Advanced Audio Recording (3)
• MUS 529: Intro to Commercial Music (3)

Select six hours (6) with advisor approval:

• MUS 103: Music Theory I (3)
• MUS 137: Piano Class (1)
• MED 382: Radio Production (3)
• MED 495: Media Internship (up to 6 hours) (1-3)
• MUS 512: Electronic Music (3)
• THE 558: Sound Design for the Stage (3) 

Video Studies (18 hrs)

Required:

• ART 230: Computer Animation I (3)
• MED 465: Cinematography and Editing (3)

Select twelve hours (12) with advisor approval:

• MED 390: WWW Site Design and Construction (3)
• MED 462: Producing for Television & Film
• MED 492: Independent Study in Electronic Media (2-3)
• MED 495: Media Internship (1-3)
• MED 562: Electronic Field Production (3)
• MED 565: Scriptwriting (3)
• MED 583: Producing and Directing for Television (3)

Computer Animation Studies (18 hrs)

Required:

• ART 230: Computer Animation I (3)
• MED 465: Cinematography and Editing (3)

Select twelve hours (12) with advisor approval:

• ART 330: Computer Animation II (3)
• ART 430: Computer Animation III (3-9)
• ART 431: Professional Practices in Computer Animation (3)
• ART 399: Individual Instruction (3-6)

Multimedia Studies (18 hrs)

Required:

• MED 390: Web Design & Construction (3)
• MED 490: Multimedia Interactivity Design (3)
• ART 210: Intro to Digital Imaging (3)
• DES 202: Graphic Design Systems (3)

Select six hours (6) with advisor approval:

• ART 230: Computer Animation I (3)
• MED 465: Cinematography and Editing (3)
• MED 492: Independent Study in Electronic Media(2-3)
• MED 495: Media Internship (1-3)

Minor in Related Field (15-24 hrs)

Examples: Art and Design (21 hrs), Mass Media (18 hrs.), Film Studies (15 hrs), Computer Science (22-23 hrs), Music (20 hrs), Physics (18 hrs), Theater (18 hrs), English-Creative Writing (18 hrs).