JMU in LA: The Entertainment Industry

Summer 2012: June 1 to July 28 (tentative dates)

Program Location: Los Angeles, CA

Students live and work in the entertainment capital of the world in Oakwood Corporate Housing.Oakwood islocated in Burbank andhouses 5,000 people, largely professionals working at nearby Warner Brothers, Universal, Paramount and Disney studios and major television networks.The Oakwood complex includes two large swimming pools, a convenience store, an exercise facility, tennis courts and classrooms.

Click on the map below to see the film studios and production companies near the Oakwood Apartments where JMU students interned for 8-weeks in summer 2011 program.

Click for Map

LA Internship Locations

Academic Program

JMU-LA provides undergraduates a chanceto learn about, and participate in, one of the most powerful cultural forces in ourworld today: The Entertainment Industry.This 8-credit program, organized by the School of Media Arts and Design, is open to all JMU students who are rising juniors and seniors.

REQUIRED COURSES:

• SMAD 398: Critical Studies in Media Arts & Design(3 credits) Course Title: The Entertainment Industry: An Overview. Instructor: Thomas O’Connor
• SMAD 305 (Special Topics)(3 credits) Course Title: The Creative Producer. Instructor: Seth Kingsley, Senior Producer. E! Entertainment, Los Angeles, CA.
• SMAD 495: Internship In Media Arts & Design(2 credits)Students are responsible to find their own internship, but faculty willoversee the process. In the unlikely event a student does not get an internship, he or she can add SMAD 490 (Directed Study) in its place for 2 credits. Internship Coordinator: Sarah O’Connor, Assoc. Prof, WRTC.

Accommodations

Oakwood Short-Term Housing, Burbank, CA

• Oakwood houses 5,000 people, largely students from various universities and industry people working at nearby Warner Brothers and Universal studios, and NBC.
• Furnished housing (including linen and all utensils) for 8 weeks, courses, textbooks, and some outings.

Program Costs

Tuition, plus a program fee. This covers furnished housing (including linen and all utensils) for 8 weeks, courses, textbooks, and some outings.

For the current projected costs for this program, please click on the following link to the Fees for JMU Study Abroad Programs page.

Program fee plus tuition billed by JMU, plus food and transportation (flight to LA and car rental). Car rental is approximately $545 per month x 2 months = $1,090 (Students under 21, add $5 per day). Best to have own car insurance. Try to share car rental, if internships are in similar locations. Housekeeping for apartments is available for $10/day extra charge, which would be split four ways.

You must have proof of health insurance that will cover you in California. If you need to purchase insurance, you can do that inexpensively through the oiP office.

Application

For more detailed instructions and to download the application, please click on the following link to the Applications and Forms section for JMU Short-Term Programs.

Requirements for applying:

• Must be rising junior or senior
• oIP JMU Short Term application
• Personal statement about why you are interested in this program
• Recommendation from JMU professor
• Interview with program director

For More Information

For additional information about the JMU in LA: The Entertainment Industry program, please contact the program director:

Thomas O’Connor
Professor
School of Media Arts and Design
Tel: 540-568-6215
Email: oconnotp@jmu.edu