Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Design and Technology - Scene Design

at Kent State University USA

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Geology prepares graduates  for employment in a wide variety of careers where an understanding of the natural sciences is useful or critical for success. Geology can be a strong background for advanced study or career development in areas such as business, city management, regional development, planning, law, journalism and science writing. The curriculum includes courses concerning minerals, rocks, fossils and field mapping, among others. These courses are supplemented by courses such as introductory chemistry, biology and mathematics.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Understand and communicate to others the nature of scientific investigation and evidence.
• Understand and communicate to the others the complex interrelationships of the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and the lithosphere through geologic time.
• Understand Earth materials and interpret geologic and environmental processes.
• Synthesize geologic information to understand and solve geologic and environmental problems.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills and be able to work as a geologist in the field and in the laboratory.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science seeks to prepare students to have successful careers as computing professionals, with a solid understanding of software development and computer systems and the foundation for life-long learning in the field; to have an academic foundation suitable for graduate study in computer science or related areas; to be able to function effectively on software development teams, with oral and written communication skills. and with an understanding of professional ethics and responsibility.

Graduates of the B.S. degree in Computer Science have careers in developing, managing and building software in a variety of industries, including finance, health care, entertainment, telecommunications and manufacturing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the following as top occupation choices for Computer Science majors: computer network architect; software developer; information security analyst; database administrator; computer systems analyst; computer programmer; and network and computer systems administrator.

The Computer Science major includes the following optional concentrations:

• The Data Engineering concentration prepares students to perform the data analysis and modeling needed by organizations and to process structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data using statistical and semantic analysis techniques to meet their employers’ needs.
• The Game Programming concentration provides students with a solid understanding of the algorithms, techniques and software used to construct interactive virtual environments. Students work in teams with content specialists and artists to develop the teamwork skills required in this multidisciplinary field, which includes a range of opportunities, from the game industry to education to training design.
• The Information Security concentration prepares students to meet the security needs of industry and government through coursework that provides a thorough understanding of security, privacy and cryptographic techniques and protocols used in computing and communication.
• The Robotics and Embedded Systems concentration prepares students to work with devices that combine hardware and software. Such devices include robots and most high tech mechanical devices like cars, planes, farm equipment and construction equipment.

The Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Design and Technology is a terminal degree designed for those who are interested in achieving the artistry and skills necessary to qualify as practicing professionals in the entertainment industry and/or professional theatre educators. The program is a three-year course of study with a flexible curriculum for students to explore areas of special interest.

The Theatre Design and Technology major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Costume Design and Technology concentration prepares students for careers in the entertainment industry, professional theatre or theatre education. Students study both design and technology, including related areas such as dye techniques, costume crafts and wigs and makeup. Students also design costumes for main-stage departmental productions. The curriculum includes core classes in theatre history, dramatic theory and historical periods.

Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Acquire creative and technical ability to develop the design of a production from concept to finished product.
• Acquire advanced abilities in the unification of all design elements used in professional production.
• Understand analytical or academically oriented theatre studies in areas related to and supportive of the work in the major field such as history, theory, dramatic literature and performance studies.
• Understand information resources associated with theatrical design and production.
• Produce full working drawings for mounted productions.
• Analyze text, music and dance and the ways that historical, critical and theoretical content inform playwriting, acting, directing and design.
• Communicate ideas clearly and effectively to the theatre community, production teams and the public.
• Know the history of their area of specialization and have the ability to integrate that history into production design.
• Know current technology, tools and methods in their area of specialization and have the ability to integrate technology into production design.
• Know health and safety practices associated with theatre production.
• Communicate and navigate effectively within the field of professional theatrical production design.
• Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethics and practice.

The Master of Arts degree in Anthropology provides opportunities for students to study in three fields: cultural anthropology, archaeology and biological anthropology. The research-oriented program encourages students to develop their own projects or participate in existing projects by their second semester. More than 80 percent of M.A. graduates continue for the Ph.D. degree or find employment in an area directly related to their training.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate a holistic view of human cultures. They are to appreciate that the global species is a social and cultural as well as a biological organism, with a past that is both historic and prehistoric. A student who wishes to emphasize socio-cultural anthropology will demonstrate a fundamental appreciation of diverse human and institutional behavior.
• Appreciate and demonstrate how anthropologists investigate the past using the methods of the social sciences and the natural sciences, particularly geography and geology. They demonstrate comprehension of anthropology’s special role in making archaeology, particularly the study of prehistoric Ohio, woodland North America, and Mesoamerica, come to life and become relevant for them. In addition, they gain a special appreciation of archaeology’s other mandate—the need to conserve the precious heritage of the archaeological record, not only Ohio’s but that of the Americas and the Old World as well.
• Demonstrate an understanding of biological anthropology as the most relevant evolution science, the one which gives them an appreciation of their own place in nature. They see the two dimensions of human evolution and adaptation: a global one (modern human variation) and a deep temporal one (human origins). Both dimensions require an appreciation of the neo-Darwinian theory of evolution, which includes both the process of natural selection and also the roles which genetics and developmental biology play in adaptation and evolution. They appreciate the urgency of primate and rainforest conservation.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Mechatronics Engineering integrates mechanical, electrical, computer and controls engineering to understand automated machinery, specifically, how to design it and how to make it work. Mechatronics engineering revolves around the design, construction and operation of automated systems, robots and intelligent products, which result from the integration of software and hardware.

Using automated systems is becoming more popular for operating equipment or machinery on manufacturing lines, boilers and aircraft to reduce labor costs, increase precision and accuracy and provide quality and safety for workers. Mechatronic devices can be found in agriculture, hospitals, buildings, homes, automobiles, manufacturing plants, the toy and entertainment industry and in aids for the elderly and disabled.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering
• Design a system, component or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints, such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturing and sustainability
• Use the techniques, skills and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

The Bachelor of Radiologic and Imaging Sciences Technology degree is designed for students pursuing studies related to medical imaging.

Job opportunities for CT and MRI technologists, sonographers and therapists exist in hospitals, surgical centers, clinics, physician offices and other healthcare facilities. .

The Radiologic and Imaging Sciences major comprising the following concentrations:

• The Computed Tomography concentration uses specialized x-ray equipment to create sectional images of the human body. Each cross-sectional image reveals complex information about body structures that are used for a variety of reasons (i.e., diagnostic, treatment planning, interventional or screening).
  • Computed Tomography concentration for students who completed an A.A.S. degree in Radiologic Technology, Nuclear Medicine or Radiation Therapy
  • Computed Tomography concentration for students who completed a hospital-based certificate or A.T.S. degree in Radiologic Technology and American Registry of Radiologic Technologist certification examination
• The Diagnostic Medical Sonography concentration uses medical ultrasound (high frequency sound waves that produce images of internal structures) to diagnose a variety of conditions and diseases, as well as monitor fetal development.
  • Diagnostic Medical Sonography concentration for new students (freshmen) and students who completed an associate degree
  • Diagnostic Medical Sonography concentration for students who completed an A.A.S. degree in Radiologic Technology
  • Diagnostic Medical Sonography concentration for students who completed a hospital-based certificate program or A.T.S. degree in Radiologic Technology and American Registry of Radiologic Technologist certification examination
• The Magnetic Resonance Imaging concentration uses a powerful magnet, radio waves, and computers to create sectional images of the human body. The images reveal complex information about body structures and the chemical changes that occur as a result of the onset of disease.
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging concentration for students who completed an A.A.S. degree in Radiologic Technology, Nuclear Medicine or Radiation Therapy
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging concentration for students who completed a hospital-based certificate or A.T.S. degree in Radiologic Technology and American Registry of Radiologic Technologist certification examination
• The Radiation Therapy concentration uses specialized high energy treatment units to administer therapeutic doses of radiation to cancer patients.
  • Radiation Therapy concentration for new students (freshmen) and students who completed an associate degree
  • Radiation Therapy concentration for students who completed an A.A.S. degree in Radiologic Technology
  • Radiation Therapy concentration for students who completed a hospital-based certificate program or A.T.S. degree in Radiologic Technology and American Registry of Radiologic Technologist certification examination

The Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Design and Technology is a terminal degree designed for those who are interested in achieving the artistry and skills necessary to qualify as practicing professionals in the entertainment industry and/or professional theatre educators. The program is a three-year course of study with a flexible curriculum for students to explore areas of special interest.

The Theatre Design and Technology major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Scene Design concentration balances focused classroom instruction with practical design and production experience. Students also study related artisan areas such as digital and traditional rendering techniques, 3D CAD, props, fabrication, scene painting and presentation techniques with particular emphasis on integrating contemporary digital techniques into the design process. The curriculum contains courses in construction theory, rigging, costume crafts and projection/media design.

Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Acquire creative and technical ability to develop the design of a production from concept to finished product.
• Acquire advanced abilities in the unification of all design elements used in professional production.
• Understand analytical or academically oriented theatre studies in areas related to and supportive of the work in the major field such as history, theory, dramatic literature and performance studies.
• Understand information resources associated with theatrical design and production.
• Produce full working drawings for mounted productions.
• Analyze text, music and dance and the ways that historical, critical and theoretical content inform playwriting, acting, directing and design.
• Communicate ideas clearly and effectively to the theatre community, production teams and the public.
• Know the history of their area of specialization and have the ability to integrate that history into production design.
• Know current technology, tools and methods in their area of specialization and have the ability to integrate technology into production design.
• Know health and safety practices associated with theatre production.
• Communicate and navigate effectively within the field of professional theatrical production design.
• Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethics and practice.

The Master of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences–Pharmacology provide substantial opportunity to conduct research in molecular targeting, drug design and drug delivery in developing new approaches to treat disease. The multidisciplinary program enrolls a select group of graduate students interested in research-based careers in pharmacology, and provides a balance of classroom and laboratory work involving faculty at Kent State University and Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED). Strong research foci exist in the areas of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neurodegenerative and blood brain barrier pharmacology. Interdisciplinary approaches to research and theoretical problems are strongly emphasized.

The Master of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences–Pharmacology is offered in consortium with Cleveland Clinic and  Northeast Ohio Medical University.

The Master of Urban Design degree expands on traditional architectural, landscape architecture and planning education with an understanding of the processes of urban development, and with the skills required to the physical shaping of urban places. The degree seeks to develop knowledgeable specialists who possess significant ability to identify opportunities in the urban environment an the sensibility to provide for design solutions to the most complex problems encountered.

Faculty work in close collaboration with students through rigorous curricula focused on the application of research in the design of layered and mutually reinforcing systems and public spaces.

Projects range from neighborhood plans to large scale urban and regional initiatives engaging cultural and environmental concerns. Project locations are often in Cleveland and similar regional cities, but they address far-reaching global concerns. Students can engage in applied research in the re-design of “Cities Growing Smaller,” systemic approaches to the development of urban environments, considerations of place and identity and the place-making potential of infrastructure. Further directions include the design of cities and neighborhoods that promote physical and mental health, studies of sustainable infrastructures that support sustainable ecological systems, the adaptation of traditional models of urbanism to changing conditions, and the future of urban economies as it relates to physical place-making.

Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to build abstract relationships and understand the impact of ideas based on research and analysis of multiple theoretical, social, political, economic, cultural and environmental contexts. This includes the wider range of media used to think about urban and regional design, including writing, investigative skills, speaking, drawing and model making.
• Develop an ability to utilize the technical instruments of the urban design field including: legal instruments, urban systems and their organization, the role of these varied elements in the implementation of design and their impact on the environment. This is inclusive of understanding and abilities at a range of scales from local to regional design and the implications of policy and design decision making at these ranges of scale.
• Manage, advocate and act legally, ethically and critically for the good of society and the public. This includes collaborative, professional and leadership skills, especially in the public arena.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography provides the student with a comprehensive program of study, balancing a liberal arts education with studio offerings in digital photography. Grounded in formal, technical and conceptual skills building, the Photography major focuses on the profession of photography as it relates to commerce. The program builds a photography professional through experiential learning opportunities, as well as through required courses in design.

Programs in the College of Communication and Information are, by nature, innovative, interdisciplinary and collaborative, which is critical to both professional and scholarly disciplines. Students are educated to work at the intersections of communication, information and technology. Through a core of diverse theory- and practice-based courses, students learn basic concepts that apply across the range of college programs and develop a sense of professional expectations and build toward interdisciplinary thinking and application.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the ethics (and legal issues) closely associated with fields of visual communication.
• Demonstrate an understanding of traditional hands-on skills relative to craftsmanship. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the basic use of digital technologies as they relate to their areas of study.
• Demonstrate an ability to create visual response to communication problems, including understanding of hierarchy, typography, aesthetics, composition and construction of meaningful images.