Bachelor of Media Arts and Design
Investigate emerging technologies, art and design to identify opportunities for design innovation.
Take a look at our Master’s and Doctorate degrees in ATEC.
Take note: Effective Fall 2025, the Bachelor of Arts in Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication (BA in ATEC) degree program has been renamed the Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts and Design (BA in MAD). This new title better reflects the strengths of our Bachelor of Arts program and improves recognition across the University and in industry.
BA in MAD Overview
Undergraduates pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts and Design (MAD) start with foundational courses in UX/UI design, motion graphics, digital fabrication, and media histories. They can then concentrate in Critical Media Studies (CMS) or Emerging Media Arts (EMA), or continue to follow a generalist degree plan to explore all MAD has to offer. The Critical Media Studies concentration focuses on analyzing and critically examining media and their historical evolution, while the Emerging Media Arts concentration focuses on digital arts, including digital fabrication, projection mapping, new media art and performance, sound, time-based media, and video.
Career Paths with a Degree in MAD
Graduates with a Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts and Design can pursue a variety of exciting, creative career paths in fields like advertising, journalism, public relations, media, communication, technology, education, administration, management, marketing, broadcasting, public relations, law, social advocacy, digital content management, and more.
MAD Careers
3D artist, art director, concept artist, content creator, digital fabrication specialist, environment artist, grant writer, graphic designer, illustrator, journalist, media artist, motion graphics designer, project manager, social justice advocate, social media specialist, technical artist, UX designer, VFX artist
Undergraduate MAD Program Options
BA in Media Arts and Design
View MAD in the University Catalog
View Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)
BA in Media Arts and Design with Critical Media Studies Concentration
BA in Media Arts and Design with Emerging Media Arts Concentration
Fact Sheet
Minors
Related Minors
To minor in the Arts, Humanities, and Technology, students must take a minimum of 18 semester credit hours for the minor, 9 of which must be upper-division semester credit hours. Students who take a minor will be expected to meet the normal prerequisites in courses making up the minor, and should maintain a minimum GPA of 2.000 on a 4.00 scale (C average). Core courses offered by the school may count as lower-division semester credit hours toward the minor. Students may choose to minor in any of the following fields of study:
- African American and African Diaspora Studies
- Art History
- Arts Management and Leadership
- Asian Studies
- Audio Production
- Communication Studies
- Creative Writing
- Dance
- Design
- Ethnic Studies
- Film Studies
- History
- Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights
- Latin American Studies
- Literature
- Medicine, Arts, Science, and Humanities (MASH)
- Music
- Performing Arts
- Philosophy
- Religious Studies
- Spanish
- Theatre
- Visual Arts
Undergraduate MAD Courses
The general MAD degree plan is interdisciplinary, offering students the flexibility to explore a variety of elective options. Students can delve into classes in animation and games, critical media studies, design, emerging communication, and emerging media arts.
Many courses in Media Arts and Design are open to all students in the University.
Student Organizations
The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) UTD presents career-development workshops and networking opportunities for those entering the design industry and the UX Club increases awareness and community around user-centered design.
Explore Arts, Humanities, and Technology Student Organizations →
MAD News
Alum Draws on UTD Experience To Create Pop World of Chappell Roan
As creative director for pop music star Chappell Roan, Ramisha Sattar BA’21 uses a distinct and personable scrapbook design style…
Collaboration is Key: Design Student Works With Others to Achieve Goals
Grace Kang, a senior design and arts, technology and emerging communication student, has always been driven by curiosity. She is…
FAA and University of Texas at Dallas VAST VR Lab Collaborate on Pioneering Extended Reality (XR) Research for Aerospace Maintenance
New $5 million partnership aims to enhance safety and efficiency in aviation maintenance using XR technologies Richardson, Texas – [2/11/2025]…