Motion Picture Science: Integrating STEM and Art

Technology has advanced in such a way that there is now a need within the motion picture industry, as well as in society in general, for professionals trained with a comprehensive knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) as well as the traditional Arts. In the School of Film and Animation (SOFA) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) a novel undergraduate program has been developed to cultivate students into professionals with the skill sets necessary to fill this niche. This undergraduate program is Motion Picture Science (MPS), a degree developed to give students relevant tools to take into synergistic STEM and Arts careers in the modern motion picture industry. Pioneered in 2007, Motion Picture Science has consistently boasted increasing enrollment and successful graduates who earn meaningful employment in the fields of their choosing. The program has also provided some valuable insight into the social dynamics of an undergraduate regimen where students representing a comprehensive mix of artistic and scientific personalities work together; a multi-disciplinary reality fully consistent with contemporary filmmaking.

MPS: Integrating Art and STEM at RIT
“Motion Picture Science: A Fully Integrated Fine Arts/STEM Degree Program,” Proc. IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference, March 2014

Promoting a STEaM educational model