WHO WE ARE > FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What do I major in if I want to be in the Media Sandbox?
You can major in: Journalism, Advertising & Public Relations, or Telecommunication, Information Studies & Media (TISM).

Who are the faculty in the Media Sandbox?
Award winning professionals who love teaching. They are filmmakers, documentarians, artists, graphic designers, game designers, information artists, web designers, and television producers.

What kinds of projects do students do in the Media Sandbox?
Everything from film to games, graphics to photography, web to animation, posters to ads. Visit our student gallery for examples of the great work done by our students. You can visit individual faculty pages for examples of their work.

Do I have to be good at drawing to be in Media Sandbox?
Nope…….you just have to be creative, interested in media, and willing to work hard and have fun.

I’m not sure what classes to take for Media Sandbox. Who do I talk to?
See your advisor early and often. They want to help you, and they are the best on campus. Our faculty are also available to speak with.

What kinds of jobs would Media Sandbox prepare me for?
Anything and everything in media, from animation to directing to game design Today’s media world is all about convergence. It’s no longer enough to master just one thing. For instance, a news photographer these days must also be able to shoot and edit video and get it online. A filmmaker must be able to do it all: the usual things like scripting, lighting, sound and editing but also marketing through social media.

Do I need a special computer to be in Media Sandbox?
Yes – all students who are interested in entering the integrated media arts program (Media Sandbox) as an advertising, media and information (through TISM), or journalism major, you are requiredto have a laptop computer with the following minimum requirements to adequately participate in your CAS coursework and upper-level major courses:

  • Apple Mac laptop capable of running Mac OS X 10.6 or newer OR Windows*** laptop capable of running Windows 7 or newer
  • 4 GB of RAM or better
  • 256 GB of storage or better (SSD or hard drive – 7200 rpm recommended)

It is required to have the following software:

  • Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium (currently version 6)
  • Microsoft Office, Apple iWork, Open Office, Google Docs or equivalent office suite (word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software)
  • Apple iMovie or equivalent entry-level video editing software

While you are free to buy or lease a computer from any source you choose, the MSU Computer Store (http://cstore.msu.edu) offers educationally discounted prices. The Computer Store also has greatly reduced academic pricing (up to 75% off) on software from Adobe, Apple, and Microsoft.

If you purchase an entry-level computer, you may find that you will need to upgrade your laptop before you complete your four year program of study.

*** Note all the Media Sandbox courses and instruction use the Apple Macintosh platform. If you purchase a Windows laptop, it is your responsibility to figure out how to get your work done. You need may need to go to the CAS Mac labs during available open hours to complete some of your required assignments.