Westphal College of Media Arts and Design Program Level Outcomes

Upon degree completion, graduates of our programs will be able to...

  • Understand weight, balance and movement as they relate to animation
  • Develop and demonstrate a comprehension of color, composition and balance within a frame.
  • Demonstrate a working knowledge of the entire animation production.
  • Develop and demonstrate strong communication skills for working effectively within a collaborative environment
  • Integrate professional architectural knowledge, ethical reasoning, and technical skills to demonstrate the ability to protect and promote the health, safety and welfare of the public and the environment.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the design, history and theory of world architecture and the ecological, cultural, physical and social contexts that have shaped the built environment
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the design, history and theory of world architecture and urbanism in their broad physical and social contexts
  • Foster convergent and divergent critical thinking through information literacy and the skills to rigorously access and evaluate information to identify critical design issues and appropriate design solutions.
  • "Demonstrate effective visual representation, written, and verbal communication skills to communicate
  • research, analysis and design
  • in collaborative endeavors
  • in professional and public settings."
  • "Embrace experiential education to learn through
  • direct observation and engagement with the city
  • work opportunities in the building professions
  • learning from and collaborating with practicing adjunct professors in the classroom.
  • Identify and classify works of art, architecture and design as expressions of the values, concerns, assumptions, and ideas of the historical cultures that produced them.
  • Demonstrate a broad visual familiarity with a wide variety of art objects
  • Demonstrate a command of grammar, syntax and spelling sufficient to write a 30-page paper on an art historical topic.
  • Find and utilize authoritative sources in the scholarly literature
  • Read art historical literature at a level sufficient to qualify for graduate study
  • Perform library research (including on-line/electronic) efficiently and effectively
  • Distinguish the difference between primary and secondary sources (artifactual and documentary) and use them effectively
  • Apply critical thinking to the investigation of art historical questions and problems
  • Apply the above-mentioned skills to the study of other disciplines and to the problems of life and work
  • Develop and demonstrate skills for critical thinking and the application of these skills in therapy, pedagogy, and performance
  • Demonstrate visual literacy and kinesthetic proficiency, including developing advanced skills in multiple dance techniques and practices 
  • Appreciate each dance form for its aesthetic properties and interactions with time periods and culture
  • Understand the interdisciplinary nature of dance and dance-related fields
  • Understand the value of diversity through a developing awareness of the world and their place in it
  • Demonstrate an understanding of physical and emotional self-care practices
  • Demonstrate a professional work ethic
  • Develop choreographic and improvisational skills
  • Understand and demonstrate a knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy, kinesiology and musicality
  • Describe movement using a range of personal and cultural lenses
  • Demonstrate strong verbal communication, writing and visual presentation skills.
  • Develop, execute, and communicate creative ideas and merchandise strategies for application in the consumer lifestyle industries.
  • Demonstrate the ability to synthesize visual research, quantitative and qualitative market data, and retail trade information for industry decision making and strategic planning.
  • Demonstrate a comprehension of diverse marketplaces and consumers around the world.Demonstrate the ability to pursue leadership roles, delegate tasks and manage team outcomes.
  • Demonstrate competence in retail mathematics, analysis of data and merchandise planning supported by software applications Demonstrate the ability to conduct comprehensive research and apply findings to chosen concentration in design and merchandising .
  • Write clearly and effectively
  • Demonstrate effective oral communication skills
  • Critically analyze works of media, visual or performing arts
  • Understand how to create works of media, visual of performing arts
  • Demonstrate mathematical and computer literacy
  • Work effectively in teams
  • Apply basic business and management concepts, skills and tools to entertainment companies and/or arts organizations
  • Analyze quantitative and qualitative data
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the roles of all personnel and correct terminology in the students’ chosen concentration in media, visual or performing arts
  • Effectively use human relations knowledge and skills
  • Analyze and synthesize research to reflect personal philosophies, integrate technology and generate insightful design solutions
  • Articulate and communicate innovative design concepts to lead in an evolving global industry
  • Embrace virtual design as it pertains to the global fashion industry 
  • Demonstrate a balance for strong visual skills and technical acumen  
  • Demonstrate knowledge of pertinent digital design tools for use in the fashion industry and cross-disciplinary application
  • Demonstrate problem solving skills for application in national and global fashion enterprise and entrepreneurship
  • Develop, express, and communicate creative ideas to create product that is sustainable, ethical and inclusive 
  • Synthesize and edit visual information to create cohesive and inventive presentations 
  • Explore collaborative opportunities in a comprehensive university setting 
  • Develop a functional understanding of textiles 
  • Develop and demonstrate the skills of an effective storyteller
  • Obtain and demonstrate advanced skills in the craft of film and video production
  • Develop a specialized expertise in an area of film and video production such as editing, cinematography, producing, sound, directing, etc.
  • Demonstrate a strong understanding of film history
  • Display a firm grasp on industry protocols and standards
  • Understand the distribution and potential of one’s own work
  • Demonstrate a multi-skilled approach to the industry
  • Create playable digital games, available on current platforms and technology
  • Understand the key concepts of the rules of play, and their implications in a game environment
  • Gain a working knowledge of the entire game design pipeline
  • Interact successfully on multidisciplinary teams
  • Demonstrate the ability to think critically and logically as applied to the design process
  • Demonstrate strong verbal communication, writing, and presentation skills
  • Demonstrate high levels of professionalism in the workplace
  • Demonstrate a mastery of conceptual thinking/problem solving
  • Demonstrate an understanding of environmental concerns
  • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines
  • Demonstrate a mastery of analog skills combined with digital technology to effectively develop, evaluate, refine and complete projects in a wide variety of settings where effective visual communication is required
  • Demonstrate a mastery of self-evaluation techniques
  • Design aesthetically pleasing interactive user interfaces for digitally delivered content.
  • Integrate server-side and consumer-side technologies into an unified experience.
  • Identify and apply emerging technologies for interactive digital platforms.
  • Analyze and define an interactive digital design problem, develop and assess multiple creative ideas, then justify and implement a technologically feasible solution.
  • Evaluate user centered design approaches and their outcomes as applied to the development of interactive digital products.
  • Construct and present effective verbal and written communications.
  • Propose and implement project management plans for interactive digital media development.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of social, cultural, economic and ecological contexts
  • Demonstrate ability to communicate and effectively collaborate with others
  • Understand the principles and processes that define the profession of interior design
  • Apply knowledge of human experience and behavior to designing the built environment
  • Employ all aspects of the design process to solve a design problem
  • Express ideas effectively in visual, oral and written communication
  • Apply knowledge of art and design history and theory when solving design problems
  • Effectively apply elements and principles of design
  • Effectively apply principles and theories of light and color in relation to environmental impact and human wellbeing.
  • Produce complete design solutions that integrate furnishings, products, materials and finishes
  • Understand and apply the principles of indoor environmental control systems
  • Understand interior construction and detailing
  • Apply laws, codes, standards, and guidelines that impact human experience of interior space
  • Display a command of basic musicianship skills
  • Develop knowledge of the history of music, the commercial music industry and music technology
  • Critically analyze music performance and production
  • Understand and be able to use music and audio technology
  • Demonstrate mathematical and computer literacy
  • Demonstrate the ability to work successfully within a major label, independent label, or entrepreneurial music industry environment via the application of basic business, marketing, data analysis and communication skills.
  • Demonstrate the ability to conceive, present, manage, and complete a long-term plan over the life cycle of a project.
  • Work effectively in teams and have a general understanding of how entertainment teams function.
  • Demonstrate the ability to critically analyze current business and legal issues in the global music industry and to conduct in-depth research on relevant topics
  • Demonstrate the ability to harness and utilize technology (including social media) in order to achieve business goals
  • Demonstrate a diverse working knowledge of various photographic processes from historical to digital with a strong emphasis on the most current digital practices
  • Apply the technical skills necessary to thrive in any chosen area of photographic practice including fashion, advertising, photojournalism and fine art
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the contributions of major photographic artists, commentators and movements within the history of photography
  • Effectively adapt techniques learned in the classroom to the professional setting
  • Demonstrate the ability to write and think critically about the craft of photography as well as the student’s own work
  • Produce a high quality, technically relevant, coherent body of work to a professional standard and presents this in a well-conceived portfolio
  • Communicate ideas clearly and confidently using appropriate professional terminology
  • Apply problem solving skills to keep pace with emerging technology and continually evolving standards and practices.
  • Apply, control and manipulate the product design process in the production of novel solutions
  • Visual problem solving methodologies: sketching and physical prototyping to create and communicate ideas
  • Strong presentation and written communication skills
  • Use of the ethnographic and ergonomic research in the production of appropriate solutions
  • Clearly express personal design decisions and design authorship in the production of appropriate design solutions
  • Use advanced computers to aid design programs to develop and communicate design solutions
  • Demonstrate a knowledge and respect for design history as a research tool
  • Express understanding of design theory and its role in design
  • Express understanding and application of design ethics
  • Shows evidence of critical thinking and deductive logic
  • Formulate an expressed and observable design philosophy
  • Investigate evidence of the use and control of manufacturing and advanced modeling technologies
  • Facilitate others in the production of a novel solution
  • Demonstrate empathy for the user and others in a design solution
  • Develop an eye for beauty in appropriate solutions
  • Familiarize with the professional product design experience
  • Develop the skills necessary to conceive and write works for the stage or screen
  • Understand the structural aspects of dramatic writing so that completed work will be accepted as professional in quality
  • Acquire a basic understanding of how the business of the entertainment world works, and how a writer must conduct his or her professional career
  • Comport oneself as a professional among professionals
  • Demonstrate superior written and verbal communication sills.
  • Critically examine current and future media streams to enhance and clarify artistic and professional goals.
  • Manipulate basic cinematic production techniques to foster collaborative communication within production units.
  • Understand the key concepts of VR/AR and immersive media production
  • Evaluate emerging technologies in VR/AR and immersive media
  • Implement VR/AR and immersive media projects based on industry standard production pipelines
  • Apply agile project management techniques
  • Interact in a team based production environment