Study the creative media industries to develop professional skills and knowledge in film, television and radio
What is cinema and media arts?
Cinema and media arts explores human communication through film, video, audio, digital arts and interactive media. Students in this field learn to act creatively, expressing their ideas through light, motion, color, sound and more. They are also challenged to think critically through the interpretation of media in cultural and historical contexts.
Why study cinema and media arts at UNH Manchester?
The communication arts: cinema and media arts option prepares students for careers in film, television, video, entertainment and audiovisual services through courses in video and audio production, screenwriting, image and sound, digital editing, narrative, film history and more. Students study media practices and forms in-depth, developing the theoretical knowledge, professional skills and creative portfolios that are highly sought by employers and graduate schools. With a focus on real-world learning, students get hands-on learning in our video, audio and editing studios and may choose to enhance their skills through an internship experience.
Potential careers
- Art director
- Camera operator
- Cinematographer
- Digital video editor
- Film/TV marketing coordinator
- Film producer or director
- Graphic designer
- Media writer or author
- Motion graphics/multimedia artist
- Production assistant
- Screenwriter
Curriculum & Requirements
This degree plan is a sample and does not reflect the impact of transfer credit or current course offerings. UNH Manchester undergraduate students will develop individual academic plans with their professional advisor during the first year at UNH.
Sample Course Sequence
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| UMST 401 or UMST 402 | First Year Seminar or Transfer Seminar | 1-2 |
| ENGL 401 | First-Year Writing | 4 |
| CMN 455 | Introduction to Media Studies | 4 |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 17-18 | |
| Spring | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning | 4 | |
| CMN 456 | Propaganda and Persuasion | 4 |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| CMN 457 | Introduction to Language and Social Interaction | 4 |
| Major Elective | 4 | |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| Major Elective | 4 | |
| Major Elective | 4 | |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Major Elective | 4 | |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Major Elective | 4 | |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Major Elective | 4 | |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Major Elective | 4 | |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Total Credits | 129-130 | |
Degree Requirements
All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.
Major Requirements
Communication Arts (CA) majors must complete 10 courses (40 credits) and maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 2.0 in the major. Transfer students must complete at least 20 credits in the Communication Arts major at UNH. Communication Arts majors may use up to two CMN and/or CA courses toward both the Communication Arts major and UNH Discovery Program requirements.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| I. Required Core Courses 1 | ||
| CMN 455 | Introduction to Media Studies | 4 |
| CMN 456 | Propaganda and Persuasion | 4 |
| CMN 457 | Introduction to Language and Social Interaction | 4 |
| II. Selected Coursework 2 | ||
| Select three courses from area A, two from area B, two from area C below. | 28 | |
| Total Credits | 40 | |
- 1
Students must earn a "C" or better in each course to satisfy CA degree requirements.
- 2
Students must earn a "C-" or better in each course to satisfy CA degree requirements.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A. Communication Practices | ||
| Select three courses from the following: | 12 | |
CA 450 | Introduction to Public Speaking | |
CA 500 | Media Writing | |
CA 501 | Internship/Communication in the Urban Community | |
CA 502 | Image and Sound | |
CA 507 | Relational Violence | |
CA 508 | Conflict in Relational Communication | |
CA 512 | Screenwriting | |
CA 514 | Fundamentals of Video Production | |
CA 515 | Advanced Video Production | |
CA 517 | Fundamentals of Audio Prod | |
CA 520 | Special Topics in Applied Communication | |
CA 522 | Graphic Design I | |
CA 523 | Graphic Design II | |
PSYC 762 | Counseling | |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| B. Communication Practices: Organization, History, and Policy | ||
| Select two courses from the following: | 8 | |
CA 527 | History of Film | |
CA 531 | History and Organization of Advertising | |
CA 532 | Typography I | |
CA 536 | LGBT Images and Perspectives | |
CA 538 | Gender | |
CA 539 | Communicating in Families | |
CA 540 | Public Relations | |
CA 542 | Social Media for Organizations and Business | |
CA 550 | Special Topics in Communication Organization, History, and Policy | |
COMP 560 | Ethics and the Law in the Digital Age | |
ENGL 534 | 21st Century Journalism: How the News Works | |
PHIL 565 | Philosophy Through Film | |
| Total Credits | 8 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| C. Communication Practices: Theory and Research | ||
| Select two courses from the following: | 8 | |
CA 610 | Communication Technologies and Culture | |
CA 612 | Narrative | |
CA 615 | Film History/Theory and Method | |
CA 618 | Documentary | |
CA 720 | Seminar | |
CA 795 | Independent Study | |
| Total Credits | 8 | |
Cinema and Media Arts Option Requirements
The option in Cinema and Media Arts consists of 24 credits as distributed below. Courses may be used toward the Communication Arts Degree requirements as well as the Cinema and Media Arts option. Courses applied to the option must be completed with a minimum grade of C- and overall GPA of 2.0. Transfer students must complete a minimum of 12 credits at UNH Manchester.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Cinema and Media Arts Option | ||
| Requirements | ||
| Select three courses from the following: | 12 | |
CA 500 | Media Writing | |
CA 512 | Screenwriting | |
CA 514 | Fundamentals of Video Production | |
CA 515 | Advanced Video Production | |
CA 517 | Fundamentals of Audio Prod | |
CA 520 | Special Topics in Applied Communication 1 | |
| Select two courses from the following: | 8 | |
CA 501 | Internship/Communication in the Urban Community 1 | |
CA 502 | Image and Sound | |
CA 527 | History of Film | |
CA 550 | Special Topics in Communication Organization, History, and Policy 1 | |
PHIL 565 | Philosophy Through Film | |
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | |
CA 612 | Narrative | |
CA 615 | Film History/Theory and Method | |
CA 618 | Documentary | |
CA 795 | Independent Study 1 | |
| Total Credits | 24 | |
- 1
Capstone Requirement
The capstone requirement will be satisfied in a student's senior year by completion of a specific four-credit capstone course at the 600 or 700 levels. Students may not enroll in a capstone course until they have completed all three CA program core courses (CMN 455 Introduction to Media Studies, CMN 456 Propaganda and Persuasion, and CMN 457 Introduction to Language and Social Interaction) and at least one Area A course and one Area B course. Students must also have completed the prerequisites for the particular capstone course they seek to take. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by the student’s academic advisor and CA program coordinator. The capstone course can also fulfill an Area C course requirement.
The capstone experience offers seniors an opportunity to synthesize and apply knowledge and skills gained throughout their communication arts major coursework. The capstone course requires students to conduct an original research study, a creative media project, an internship, community-based research, or an advanced service learning project in communication arts under the close supervision of a communication arts faculty member. Students are strongly encouraged to share their capstone projects with the larger UNH community through participation in the Undergraduate Research Conference, a presentation in the Brown Bag lunch series, publication in the UNH undergraduate journal Inquiry, or presentation in some other public venue. Students should work closely with their advisors to make sure the capstone requirement has been satisfied.
Courses that satisfy this requirement include, but are not limited to:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Capstone Courses | ||
| CA 612 | Narrative | 4 |
| CA 615 | Film History/Theory and Method | 4 |
| CA 720 | Seminar | 4 |
| CA 795 | Independent Study | 4 |
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Communication Arts program, students will be able to:
- Analyze how creativity, artistry, narrative, identity, persuasion, and ethics shape messages and relationships produced within a variety of social, organizational, and industry contexts.
- Demonstrate knowledge and skills that give them expertise and proficiency in areas such as human relations, social media, digital video, audio production, graphic design, writing, and speaking.
- Know the history of communication practices and understand how media technologies and messages have impacted societies, cultures, organizations, and businesses.
- Effectively research and creatively explore communication practices, experiences, and trends using high quality sources of information, multiple modes of inquiry, and multiple presentation formats.
- Identify professional interests or career paths by working with the Internship and Career Planning Office and by engaging with communication settings outside the classroom through internships, service learning, field trips, and independent studies.
Explore Program Details
As a communication arts major, you’ll have access to state-of-the-art sound recording and video production studios, a high-definition editing lab and a brand-new digital media screening room with surround sound.
From script to screen, bring your work to life in our state-of-the-art video studio and editing lab. Explore the artistry of digital media with high-definition cameras, green screen technology and industry standard editing software.
The audio studio gives you the tools to record, edit and produce your original projects. Equipped with a digital recording booth, editing stations, control room and more, the studio is your haven for both audio and video production.
Our campus is in the heart of the region’s cultural, economic, entertainment and government activity — putting unlimited internship opportunities at your doorstep. We’ve partnered with local businesses to give you the real-world experience that sets you apart. Communication arts majors have interned at many high-profile organizations in the area, including:
- Granite United Way
- NH1 News Network
- New Hampshire Public Radio
- N.H. Department of Environmental Services
- Verizon Wireless Arena
- WMUR-TV
Communication arts majors gain the interpersonal and communication skills that employers in all industries look for. With a highly flexible curriculum and the ability to personalize your studies, your communication arts degree will open doors to unlimited career and graduate education opportunities.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects positive growth in many communications-related professions between 2012 and 2024. Make an impact with career possibilities in any industry, from media to healthcare, education, counseling and beyond.
| Job Title | Job Growth | Average Salary |
| Film/Video Editor or Camera Operator | 11% | $58,900 |
| Graphic Designer | 1% | $46,900 |
| Multimedia Artist or Animator | 6% | $63,970 |
| Producer or Director | 9% | $68,440 |
| Writer or Author | 2% | $60,250 |
Add breadth to your degree with a communication arts minor, giving you the interpersonal and communication skills that will set you apart to employers in any industry.
In partnership with the Community College System of New Hampshire community colleges below, we've developed curriculum guides to show you which courses at your community college will transfer into UNH Manchester's communication arts program.
See the complete list of Pathways
Questions? Contact an admission counselor for help.
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