Students of CU’s new Technology, Arts and Media program work in ATLAS computer labs. (Photo courtesy of Ira Liss/ATLAS Communications)
CU will begin admitting engineering and applied sciences students to the newly created Technology, Arts and Media (TAM) major this coming fall. The currently available TAM minor and certificate programs offer a technical edge to students in over 55 majors across CU.
In addition to 65 hours within the TAM department, the program will require typical engineering core credit fulfillment. Like the minor and certificate programs, which have been housed in ATLAS since 1999, the major strives to create a place for students to foster the skills needed to thrive in the current digital landscape. According to TAM Program Manager Stephanie Wanek, graduates of the B.S. TAM program will move into a range of technical fields with a mastery of both digital creation and manufacturing.
“We provide students not only with a technical skill set, but an understanding of theory and practice along with critical analysis and the culture or multidisciplinary context for the bigger picture,” Wanek said.
The new TAM program offers numerous opportunities for specialization within the major in order to facilitate the creative edge that serves as the backbone of the program.
“We offer engineering students the ability to add new threads in areas where they can bridge more towards creative,” Wanek said.
Jackson Xia, a sophomore majoring in film studies, commented on his decision to pursue the certificate track.
“I thought this would be the perfect fit in keeping my technical knowledge updated while still making art,” Xia said. “TAM sets me apart from other majors, mainly in that it sparks my curiosity to learn. We learn about the technology that can aid us now or in the future regarding our artwork, and it gets me excited to learn more.”
The creation of the major will affect which classes are taken within the minor and certificate programs, but will still require the same amount of credit hours. For students currently in either of these tracks, course changes are mapped out on the TAM website.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Brianna Dascher at brda8818@colorado.edu.
