Media and Technology Studies
Welcome to Media and Technology Studies!
Media and Technology Studies (MTS) is a unit in the Faculty of Arts, comprising undergraduate and graduate programs and an undergraduate certificate. MTS boasts unique strengths in digital humanities, media and communication studies, digital society and culture, science, technology, and society and game studies. Our students are leading media, communication, technology and digitalization experts of the future. They are champions of our fast expanding online world, and carry the skills, knowledge and critical insights needed to navigate and provide leadership in today's algorithmic society. Our programs uniquely equip learners to shape landscapes of information exchange and digital culture in the years to come.
Programs
Media Studies Undergraduate Degree Program
Media Studies (MST) is the study of how to navigate, analyze, critically evaluate and contribute ethically to today's global media landscape. This multidisciplinary major examines the content, history and effects of media on our social, political and cultural systems.
Science, Technology + Society Undergraduate Degree Program
The Science, Technology and Society (STS) program is the place where science and technology are examined with the tools of philosophy, history, sociology, anthropology and cultural studies. It equips students to understand where science and technology come from, how science and technology have changed over time, and how these areas are embedded in and affect society.
Computer Game Development Undergraduate Certificate
The certificate in Computer Game Development is a joint certificate between the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science and is open to any undergraduate student at the University of Alberta. The certificate is intended to complement discipline-specific studies with courses that give opportunities to work in multidisciplinary teams, build complete small and medium-scale games and interact with industry.
Digital Humanities Master of Arts Program
The Digital Humanities program integrates computational methods and theories with research and teaching in the Arts and Humanities. It addresses the demand for Arts graduates to be able to work either in the realm of research and teaching or in the emerging job markets of information management and content delivery over the internet.
Communications + Technology Master of Arts Program
The MA in Communications and Technology (MACT) program offers a theoretical, historical and practical examination of communications in the era of the Internet, social media and the mobile device. The degree is designed for both emerging and established professionals involved with media and communications in their organizational roles.
Media + Technology Studies at a Glance
We live in a media-saturated world and that complex relationship between politics, economics, culture and the media is an important part of our lives. Developing a background in media studies gives students an opportunity to enter a variety of fields where technology and media are involved in one way or another. Watch the video for a brief introduction to our programs and facilities!
fall term 2024 & Winter term 2025
MST 100 - Introduction to Media Studies
This course introduces students to the discipline of Media Studies, its development, its historical objects, its contemporary tools of study, and its contributions to our understanding of culture. We will trace media history from Gutenberg to Zuckerberg. Each week students are introduced to a key medium and its history alongside a key theoretical text. We examine a wide range of historical and contemporary media including oral, print, photographic, audio, cinematic, televisual, and digital forms. Lectures are augmented with screenings and hands-on assignments. Our key quest is to understand how various media have developed to play a fundamental role in our lives.
No prerequisites
winter term 2025
tr 2:00-3:20 PM
MST 399 LEC B1 - Special Topics in Media Studies: Trans and Queer Game Design
This course will explore queer and trans game design and game making. Over the term, students will build a few small prototype games and then develop one for an "arcade" exhibition as a final project. The course will have a strong emphasis on playing, reading, and making.
Enrollment in MST 399 B1 is available by application only using this form. Students in the Certificate in Computer Game Development program will be prioritized.
Prof. PS Berge
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