As stated by Culkin in an article published in 1977, "From the paintings on the cave walls of Altamira to the flickering shadows on the walls of our living rooms--that is the sweep of art, symbol and communication which defines us today. If the distinctive thing about the human species is that we are symbol-making animals, then the distinctive thing about education should be its response to that reality." The M.A. in Media Studies program continues to respond to this reality today. 

Although it took me a couple of semesters, I finally “found my groove” concerning the types of classes that I found both enjoyable and informative. In addition to Archives, Libraries, and Databases--a class I didn’t initially imagine in a Media Studies program--I also found myself captivated by a class entitled Mediation/AntiMediation, in which the class read a number of philosophical texts through the lens of skepticism, pessimism, and nihilism. I always considered philosophy an intimidating subject, however I felt oddly at home in the class. 

These courses are just two examples of how flexible and simultaneously critical the Media Studies program here at the New School can be. Just as media ranges, so too should the classes that engage with it.