Aiming to meet the growing demands of the fourth largest industry in Los Angeles County, Woodbury University will be launching three new majors in entertainment industry related fields with the help of a $3.2 million federal grant. The funds from the U.S. Department of Education’s Hispanic-Serving Institutions program will help establish new bachelor’s degree programs in digital film making, media technology, and game design. These majors will move Woodbury’s School of Media, Culture & Design beyond its traditional, fine arts-based programs in animation and graphic arts and into entertainment driven by and dependent on technology. The programs aim to better prepare graduates with technical skills now considered essential to employers in the media and entertainment industry, which complement artistic ability. “For most of us, entertainment means fun, but in Los Angeles, it represents economic opportunity. This grant will help Woodbury serve a greater number of Hispanic students who know that a college education is the key to transforming their lives,” said Woodbury President Kenneth R. Nielsen. Woodbury University, where 31 percent of students are Hispanic, was designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic Serving Institution. The Burbank school will launch the new digital film making program later this year, with current Woodbury students and community college transfer students who are ready for their third year of study; the game design and media technology degree programs will follow in 2012. Incoming freshmen will be able to enroll in the digital film making program in 2011-2012 and game design or media technology programs in 2013-2014.
Woodbury Launches New Entertainment Programs
