Media Study at UB
Where creative practice meets critical thinking
Media shapes how we experience the world. At the University at Buffalo, Media Study brings together filmmaking, digital production, theory and emerging technologies to help you understand media deeply and create it boldly. Here, you do more than consume culture. You experiment, question and build what comes next.
Studying it means learning how it works and how to build it.
At UB, you will:
- Create films, sound art and digital projects
- Explore interactive and computational media
- Study media history and cultural impact
- Work across artistic and technological boundaries
- Develop both creative and analytical expertise
You do this in one of the country’s pioneering media study departments, housed within New York’s flagship public research university. That means advanced facilities, research depth and close faculty mentorship in a collaborative environment.
What sets Media Study apart
A pioneering foundation
UB helped establish media study as an academic field. That spirit of experimentation continues today.
Integrated learning
Courses combine production and analysis. You might study theory in one project and build media in the next.
Creative risk and growth
Faculty challenge assumptions, support experimentation and help you develop your own voice.
Media Study at UB prepares you not only to navigate a media-saturated world, but to shape it.
Why UB?
UB is a place where you can challenge yourself, find your community and build a future. As New York’s flagship public research university, UB gives you the power of an R1 institution and the support of a campus that feels welcoming from day one.
What you’ll experience at UB
- Affordable excellence: Earn a top-tier education at a cost that supports your goals.
- Collaborative community: Learn from faculty and peers who care about your growth.
- Built-in opportunity: Get experience through research, internships and student clubs.
- A vibrant place to live: Buffalo offers friendly neighborhoods, a lively arts and food scene and easy access to Toronto and New York.
The UB difference
UB students get big-university advantages without losing the personal connections that make college meaningful. You’ll join a campus that encourages curiosity, celebrates different perspectives and gives you room to explore your path.
Media Study combines hands-on production with intellectual depth. From your first courses to advanced projects, you learn by making, analyzing and experimenting.
You will:
- Produce videos, documentaries and interactive media
- Study film history and global cinema
- Explore web design and computational media
- Move from foundational coursework to advanced creative work
- Collaborate across disciplines
Students and faculty explore questions such as:
- How does virtual reality reshape audience experience?
- How does sound influence narrative meaning?
- How do games shape behavior and culture?
Learning extends beyond the classroom through:
- Internships
- Film festivals and public events
- Research collaborations
- Student clubs
- Study abroad
No prior experience is required.
Courses support beginners while challenging advanced students to push their ideas further.
Our faculty are artists, scholars and innovators. They exhibit internationally, publish research and create award-winning work.
Research areas include:
- Experimental film and video
- Sound art and media theory
- Virtual reality and interactive systems
- Game studies and computational media
Faculty mentor students closely in both creative and academic development.
Students have access to:
- A production studio with green screen and lighting grid
- Computer labs with industry-standard software
- Equipment for traditional and emerging media
- A 200-plus seat auditorium with high-definition projection
These facilities support both experimentation and professional preparation.
A Media Study degree prepares you for creative and research-driven careers.
Graduates work in:
- Film and television production
- Digital marketing and content strategy
- Game development and interactive media
- Web design and digital systems
- Arts and cultural organizations
- Higher education
You graduate with:
- A professional portfolio
- Technical production skills
- Strong writing and analytical ability
- Adaptability in rapidly changing industries
These skills translate across industries and reassure families that you are prepared for what comes next.
If you want to create, question and build new forms of media, UB offers the space and mentorship to do it.