Three new programs of study at Penn emphasize honing analytical and practical skills that are key to understanding and shaping the modern world.
Slated to begin this term are the master's degree program in Computer Graphics and Game Technology, offered through the School of Engineering and Applied Science, as well as the Cinema Studies major in the College of Arts and Sciences.
English professor Timothy Corrigan heads the new Cinema Studies major.
"My initial impression was that students were waiting eagerly for this to happen," Corrigan said.
Cinema Studies had previously only been a minor at Penn.
Corrigan said that the program has approximately a dozen students currently, but that he hopes for 30-40 participants by the end of the first year.
The major requires 13 credits and allows students to choose 10 electives. It also aims to draw program participants into Philadelphia's colorful film festival arena, as well as to educate them not only on the history of film, but also on its future direction.
According to Corrigan, "When you're concentrating on issues that have to do with the media, you're arguably right at the heart of what is going on in the world today. This is the language that people speak."
Another program geared toward addressing current issues is the Graduate School of Engineering's CGGT program.
CGGT focuses on computer-generated imagery as used in entertainment venues such as video games and cinema. It also seeks to teach creative and entrepreneurial skills associated with working in the industry.
The one-year program was developed out of a practical need for industry professionals who could "hit the ground running" once hired, according the CGGT Web site. Applicants must have at least some engineering or computer science background to be eligible for the degree.
Another new type of graduate program is still currently in development.
Next fall, the School of Social Work, in collaboration with the Wharton School and the School of Arts and Sciences, anticipates the debut of a one-year master's degree program in Non-Profit Leadership.
Details are still in the works, and the program awaits final approval, but Mary Mazzola, the director of admissions and recruitment for the School of Social Work, is optimistic about its unique purpose.
"This program is made for people who are now working in the nonprofit arena, who expect to pursue a management career in advocacy, charitable organizations and other types of social service," Mazzola said.
The strength of the program, she added, lies in its emphasis on collaboration among Penn's graduate schools.
"You really have the expertise of different types of leaders in the various schools," Mazzola said.
"If you're working in nonprofit, you will be working with all kinds of professionals. Here, we're doing it already."
