Addendum – This story has been updated as of 1/24/2019
Mackenzie Peterson-
The University of Wisconsin-Stout will be undergoing some revisions to the entertainment design major. Dr. Andrew Williams, Associate Professor of Art and Art History said, “These changes have been planned for several years and are part of the regular process of evaluation our programs go through in providing the best educational resources for our students.”
According to Williams, the changes are to the comics and sequential art concentration as well as the digital cinema concentration both under entertainment design. They will no longer accept new students starting Fall 2019.
Instead, a new comics concentration under studio art and a new bachelor of science in video production will be available starting Fall 2019. No changes will be made to the animation concentration at this time.
The new comics concentration in studio art will be different from that of entertainment design.
Instead, there will be six semesters of comics-related courses rather than four. Current comics and sequential art students will need to complete a change of major form beginning in Fall 2019 to switch majors.
Derivan said, “A lot of people, including myself, are really excited about this change because there will be new classes offered in the future as an outcome.”
Even though these changes won’t affect anyone in the major now, it is still a change that will affect the major in the future.
It is encouraged that freshmen and sophomores currently in the comics and sequential art concentration consider changing their major to the new comics concentration in studio art, but this won’t be possible until the Fall 2019 semester starts.
Due to these changes, for a few semesters there will be students in two comics and sequential art concentrations until all those on the old course plan graduate.
Dr. Andrew Williams said, “It is crucial to understand that anyone who is currently in the programs affected by the changes are guaranteed to be able to fulfill their degree requirements.”
If students have questions about whether they should or shouldn’t change, they should speak to the Entertainment Design Program Director, Dr. Andrew Williams.