These courses help prepare students for careers in a panoply of technology related areas. With respect to humanities, students are steeped in critical thinking as they examine the impact of advertising, popular culture, and print and electronic media, on our society. Media Studies has only one teacher. The full Academy team, however, is made up often teachers, including a person with a Masters Degree in Art History, a former filmmaker for Chevron Corporation and a former attorney. Media Studies is a UC approved English elective.
Students earn five credits each semester.
Companies in the area send speakers and allow visitations. Media Studies is a year-long class, not a specific project. The focus of the class is to introduce students to the various careers related to the media and to develop student consciousness of the media. Students learn the conventions of various forms of media, so that they can both better use and take a critical approach to the media. The various projects done throughout the year provide students with skills in desktop publishing, web publishing, graphic design, journalism and filmmaking.