Media, Art and Design
Put Your Creativity to Work
Realize your creative passion, receive a top-notch liberal arts education and develop research and professional experience alongside working artists, filmmakers and art historians.
Explore Our Programs
Our programs provide you with tools to develop creative and critical thinking skills, visual and verbal communication abilities, and versatility in professional and personal situations.
Why Study Media, Art and Design at UMKC?
Our students explore diverse interests through classroom work, research, internships and individual practice. They collaborate with faculty on research, and develop their resumes and portfolios through opportunities at a variety of local institutions.
Accomplished Faculty
Our faculty includes accomplished and nationally exhibiting artists and filmmakers as well as dedicated and actively publishing art historians. Adjunct faculty are local artists, practicing filmmakers, art educators, curators and other professionals.
Unique Experiences
The department’s own UMKC Gallery of Art, visiting artists, scholars, and gallery exhibitions supplement coursework and provide unique learning opportunities outside of the classroom.
Individual Attention and Support
Benefit from small class sizes, interactive learning experiences and one-on-one support.
Ideal Place to Study
We have professional connections with and are situated in close proximity to Kansas City museums, studios and other organizations that offer students additional opportunities for internships, access to visiting artists and enrichment programs to enhance their education.
Popular Student Resources
Alumni Insights
Most everyone that I’ve interacted with has been really helpful and out to make sure that you really succeed. Also giving me introductions and access to the right people. Because where I’m at in my life right now I definitely would not be if I hadn’t come to UMKC and taken the right classes and shaken hands with the right people.
Cara Nordengren, (B.A. '19)
I was pursuing studio art as a career and had my first show at the American Jazz Museum. The curator, Sonié Ruffin, saw my potential and took me under her wing. I am currently working as an Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Fellow in the photography department at The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. Between these two organizations, I have worked with amazing scholars and learned basic museum operations, performed research and cataloguing and worked on exhibitions.
Myles Cheadle (B.A. '16)
UMKC has opened my eyes to our diverse world, and I am learning about new people, their cultures and how to appreciate them. Because of everything I’m learning at UMKC, my friends and I were able to start our own independent film company, so I can step up and fill any of the roles needed.
Jada Davis (B.A. '19)