Effective immediately (for students in the class of 2027 and beyond), the requirements to declare a major in Media Studies are as follows.
For current 1st and 2nd year students (classes of 2027 and 2028) and beyond:
To qualify for admission to the Major in Media Studies, students must
- complete
- MDST 2000: Introduction to Media Studies and
- one additional MDST 2000- or 3000-level elective.
- earn
- a C+ (2.4) or above in all Media Studies classes taken as well as in other courses that count toward the major; and
- an overall UVA GPA of 2.0 or higher.
The following core courses will not count as the second course required for admission because they are to be taken after admission to the major:
- MDST 3050: History of Media
- MDST 3510: Media Research
- MDST 4510: Capstone Topics
The deadline for students to declare a major in Media Studies is the August 15 prior to the start of a student's 3rd year (5th semester) in college.
If you have met the above requirements, please download and follow the INSTRUCTIONS FOR DECLARING A MAJOR IN MEDIA STUDIES. Declarations are processed on a rolling basis, and it normally takes one to two weeks to be assigned an advisor and approved in SIS.
A note to current 2nd year students (Class of 2027):
We recognize that current 2nd years may have trouble meeting the prerequisites given the timing of this change. For students in the Class of 2027 only, we will allow the second prerequisite to be any class that is either in the Media Studies Department or that counts toward the major. Please see a list of outside courses on our Practice of Media and Diversity and Inclusion web pages.
If you see seats available in a Media Studies class but are unable to enroll because you are not yet a Media Studies major, please contact Julie Gronlund at jlg2r@virginia.edu.
For 3rd year transfer students in their first semester at UVA:
Students who transfer to UVA in their 3rd year must take MDST 2000: Introduction to Media Studies and another elective in Media Studies in their first semester at UVA. With successful completion of these courses and maintenance of their overall GPA, students may declare the major in December following their first semester of study at UVA.
Third-year transfer students who plan to double major should declare their first major as soon as possible.
Third-year transfer students who plan to declare only a major in Media Studies must complete a Deferral of Major form and submit it to the College no later than October 1 of their first semester at UVA.
FAQs
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Q1. I am interested in declaring a major in Media Studies. When can I do it?
Students may declare a major in Media Studies once they have met the requirements outlined above.
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Q2. Are there any requirements that I have to fulfill before declaring?
Yes. To declare a major in Media Studies, students must take MDST 2000: Introduction to Media Studies and another Media Studies class at the 2000 level or above. Students must also have an overall GPA of 2.0 and earn a C+ or above in all courses that count toward the major.
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Q3. Besides MDST 2000, what courses count as prerequisites to declare the major?
Most classes in the Media Studies Department at the 2000-level or above count as prerequisites to declaring the major. The following core courses will not count as the second course required for admission because they are to be taken after admission to the major:
- MDST 3050: History of Media
- MDST 3510: Media Research
- MDST 4510: Capstone Topics
NOTE: While 2000-level classes can be used as prerequisites to declare the major, not all count toward the major. See our Major Requirements page for more details.
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Q4. Is there a minimum GPA to declare a major in Media Studies?
Yes. You must have an overall GPA of 2.000 or higher as well as a GPA of 2.4 or higher in all classes that count toward the major.
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Q5. I am a third year student who did not transfer, when do I declare?
Students who have started their third year are not eligible to declare a major in Media Studies. Students must declare by August 15 prior to the start of their fifth semester at UVA.
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Q6.1. I am a third year transfer student, when do I declare?
Third year transfer students may defer declaration to the major. They should reach out to the department to enroll in MDST 2000: Introduction to Media Studies and another Media Studies class in their first semester. Once they have successfully completed their first semester at UVA, 3rd year transfer students can declare the major.
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Q7. I am a fourth year student. Can I declare a major in Media Studies?
No. Fourth year students cannot declare a major in Media Studies.
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Q8. Do courses from other departments at UVA count toward the major?
Students must take all required courses (MDST 2000, MDST 3050, MDST 3504, MDST 3510, and MDST 4510) in the department at UVA. The Practice of Media class and up to two electives at the 3000 level and above may be taken in another department or at another university and count toward the major. This includes study abroad courses. Courses will be evaluated by the Director of Undergraduate programs prior to acceptance toward major requirements.
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Q9. How many transfer credits can I apply toward the major?
We will accept up to two courses from another university toward the major. These courses must be electives. Courses will be evaluated by the Director of Undergraduate programs prior to acceptance toward major requirements. These will count as your non-departmental courses.