What is the Technocultural Studies major?
The major program is interdisciplinary in nature, with a curriculum
at the intersection of the arts, humanities, technology and science. Technocultural Studies integrates the latest
research in cultural history and theory with innovative hands-on
production in digital media and “low-tech”. Backed by
a range of conceptual perspectives and production skills, students
enjoy the mobility to explore wherever performance, music, visual
arts, writing, media arts and community media might engage science
and technology.
What are the major requirements?
Preparatory course work will involve a solid introduction to technocultural
studies, along with four one-unit skill courses enabling individuals
to get up to speed on digital imaging, sound, digital video and
web production, among other skills. For upper division, students
in the major choose among the following four emphases and work toward
a final project:
•Screen-based..........•Sonic arts
•Systems/network...•History and theory
Technocultural Studies will be a hub of activity, with visiting
scholars, writers, performers, artists and media makers, film presentations,
live-feeds from around the world, and much more.
To accommodate the needs of the Technocultural
Studies student, the Art Annex, south of the Art Building on campus, has undergone a $1.5 million renovation that includes a wireless
laptop lounge, high-end digital workstations, and a black-box studio
for recordings, performances and other public events.
What can I do with a major
in Technocultural Studies?
The interdisciplinary nature of the major is modeled on three observations,
the first being that many developments in scholarship and creative
production have been occurring across and in between disciplines;
second, that increasingly professionals are required to be both
creative and multiskilled; and third, that students do best when
they are fueled by their own passions and have power in plotting
their own directions. In this way, Technocultural Studies is designed
to prepare our graduates to be highly adaptable, self-motivated
and current with the latest developments. We feel that this is the
best education for living and working in a complex, rapidly changing
world.
Bachelor of Arts in Technocultural Studies
The Goals of the Program in Technocultural Studies are:
1. Students will understand the context of digital and electronic artwork and its relation to contemporary theory.
2. Students will have technical proficiency with a broad array of digital tools allowing them to explore both traditional and non-traditional aspects of the media arts. They will be able to adapt to evolutionary advances in these technologies.
3. Students will be skilled in media analysis, criticism and research.
4. Students will have a broad understanding of the histories that lie at the intersection of culture and technology and be able to conduct and write critical analyses of these histories.
5. Students will be able to constructively critique projects of their own or of others and to explain the criteria behind these evaluations.
Application information and
forms
are available at http://www.ucdavis.edu/admissions.html
Financial Aid information
and applications
are available at http://financialaid.ucdavis.edu/
Undergraduate advisors: Ariel Collatz in Art Building room 103
