“These two departments have synergies that overlap, particularly in animation. By merging the two, students would be exposed to traditional and new media,” said Jack Lew, the director of collaborations for the Center for Emerging Media and interim director for the School of Visual Arts and Design.
The school combines traditional studio arts, design and art history with emerging media concepts that are the foundation of animation, game and interactive design. The new school will feature tracks that unite curricula from each school, such as emerging media and game design.
In addition to the previously existing and overlapping tracks, the school will feature two new degrees: a visual arts and emerging media management degree, and an architecture degree.
The visual arts and emerging media management program gives students a basic insight into the creation of art and media, but the focus will be more on preparing students for a work environment centered around emerging media and visual art, Lew said.
The architecture program will be a “two-plus-two-plus-two” program, in which students will complete an NAAB accredited architectural program. They will complete two years at Valencia Community College, earning their associate’s degree, then two years at UCF to earn their bachelor’s degrees. The program is offered at UCF at the Valencia West campus, located off of Kirkman Road in Orlando.
If architecture students choose to continue their education, they will complete another two years with the University of Florida, earning their master’s degree at the Center for Emerging Media location in Downtown Orlando.
“What we’re doing with this interactive education is reflective of what’s happening in the industry, where different disciplines within the arts as well as related fields of the arts work together,” Lew said.
For more information, visit the School of Visual Arts and Design website, svad.ucf.edu.
Source: Central Florida Future, New art degree programs start in fall, by Anthony Syros, contributing writer. Published: Sunday, June 6, 2010, updated: Sunday, June 6, 2010.