IMPORTANT NOTE
The requirements below apply to those students with a year. Students are required by to follow the major (and minor) requirements found in the catalog in effect at the time they declared their first major. To find your catalog year, please visit your Grades and Academic Records found in and access the that matches your catalog year.
Placement Information
No placement exams are specifically required for the Media Arts & Culture major.
Curricular Note
At least one gateway course and one other 4-unit MAC course must be completed prior to the end of the sophomore year.
Sample 4-Year Plans
Below are two sample schedules--one for the Critical Media focus, and the other for the Media Production focus. Given the broad range of specialized media forms and historical/critical questions about media the department addresses, students must review the major requirements closely and be discerning in selecting and sequencing their “MAC 200-level or above” and “MAC Elective” courses, in order to be eligible to produce senior comprehensives work in their chosen form. Be sure to meet with a MAC faculty member early on to discuss your particular interests, map out a specialized plan of study that includes all requisite required coursework, and learn about high impact opportunities within and beyond the curriculum (internships, study abroad, summer research, travel grants, etc.).Critical Media Focus
Media Production Focus
Media Arts and Culture Transfer Student Advice
Transfer Course Limit for Transfer Students: 12 units
Expected preparation for transfer students wanting to major in MAC:
- Transfer students entering as rising juniors are not able to pursue the MAC major but are welcome to consult with MAC faculty in developing a five-course MAC minor. These students may count one approved course in transfer toward a MAC minor.
- Transfer students starting as rising sophomores or mid way through their sophomore year should have completed their Core requirements, or only have 1-2 requirements remaining by the end of their sophomore year so that they can focus on advanced-level study and other high impact opportunities like internships as juniors and seniors.
- Rising sophomore transfer students who start in the fall can complete the major without prior coursework.
General advice for transfer students wanting to major in MAC:
- The following particular required courses in the major must be completed at Occidental: One gateway class (MAC 143, MAC 145, MAC 146); Required Production Focus Courses: MAC 240, MAC 392; Junior Seminar: MAC 390; and Senior Seminars: MAC 490, MAC 491, MAC 493, MAC 494.
- Transfer students entering as rising sophomores or mid way through their sophomore year may count a maximum of 12 chair-approved transfer credit units towards the MAC major.
- Transfer students are advised to start Occidental in the fall not the spring due to course sequencing challenges. For transfer students starting Occidental in the spring advanced planning with the chair to determine sequencing of classes is essential to being able to complete the major in the expected number of semesters/the number of semesters for which financial aid is offered.
- MAC senior comps is a year-long sequenced process starting in the fall and continuing in the spring. Students are not able to complete the senior comps at the end of a fall semester, and they must plan their course work accordingly. For some students this may mean finishing comps with one semester still to complete at Occidental.
- Students must earn a 2.0 overall in at least 8 units of MAC, one of which must be a gateway course, by the end of their sophomore year in order to declare the major.
What courses should a transfer student take during their first semester at Occidental?
- A student transferring to Occidental midway through their sophomore year must have taken two MAC courses in the major by the end of their first semester in order to be able to declare by the end of their sophomore year. One of these must be a gateway course taken at Occidental (MAC 143, MAC 145, or MAC 146) the other course may be taken at Occidental or be a prior MAC-approved transfer course.
- Rising sophomore transfer students should enroll in a gateway course in their first semester at Occidental (MAC 143, MAC 145, MAC 146) in order to be on track for the full range of options as a major. Doing so will make it possible to sequence courses for all focuses offered and for the possibility of study abroad in the fall of the junior year.