Bachelor’s Program

4

Years

50/50

Studio / theory balance

4

Areas of focus

BA

Bachelor of Arts

What you will study

Filmmaking Cinematography Sound design Editing VR / AR Graphic design Interactive media Motion graphics Media theory Film theory Semiotics Political economy Media archaeology AI & ethics Adaptation studies

Program Overview

COMD’s Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Design trains students to produce, interpret, and critically engage with the communication media shaping our world. The program integrates hands-on production, video, photography, sound design, and digital media, with rigorous coursework in cultural theory, media ethics, and communication studies. Graduates are not simply skilled practitioners; they are reflective professionals who understand why media works the way it does, and what it means when it does not. The result is a graduate who can make with precision and think with depth.

Curriculum Overview

The BA curriculum builds progressively, moving from foundational principles in the first two years to specialized, independent practice by graduation. All four years pair two seminar sequences: one on the history, aesthetics, and theory of the moving image, the other on the social, technological, and cultural dimensions of media, with intensive studio and production courses, so critical thinking and creative practice develop together. The final year culminates in a Capstone Project: either a substantial research paper or a major media production with a written critical statement. Interdepartmental coursework, including Creative Writing, enriches the program throughout.

Areas of Focus

COMD’s elective courses are organized into four thematic areas. Students are free to combine courses across areas, building a profile that reflects their interests and ambitions:

01

Moving Image & Film Production

Narrative and experimental filmmaking, Cinematography, Editing, Documentary, Video storytelling

Students work with industry-standard production and post-production infrastructure, and their work is regularly shown at national and international film festivals.

02

Sound Design & Immersive Audio

Spatial audio, Sound design for picture, Immersive mixing for film, games, and extended reality

COMD operates one of the few Dolby Atmos-certified academic facilities in the region, giving students hands-on experience in an environment that matches professional industry standards.

03

Visual Communication & Media Design

Graphic design, Motion graphics, Interactive media, UX/UI design, Immersive video, Animation

This area covers the design half of Communication and Design, training students for roles where visual systems carry meaning at scale.

04

Media Studies, Adaptation, Digital Archaeologies & Critical Practice

Media theory, Political communication, Adaptation studies, Digital preservation, Media archaeology

COMD maintains one of a small number of dedicated Media Archaeology Labs globally, and this area connects students directly to that research infrastructure and to the department’s active research clusters.

Minor Program

The Department of Communication and Design is a response to the growing need of our increasingly globalized and networked world, in which mass communications and visual technologies of various kinds play a fundamental role. By offering a wide range of courses in media studies, theory, and practice, the Department aims to educate media professionals with a special emphasis on visual communication and visual technologies, especially in advertising, journalism, visual design, video and TV production, and new media.

The Minor Program in Communication and Design aims to introduce the dynamics of media theory and practice to Bilkent students from different backgrounds. As a complement to their major area of study, the minor gives students a deep insight into the fields of communication, media, and design, and prepares them for careers that call for an understanding of the impact of communication in our day.

Students enrolled in any Bilkent faculty are eligible to apply, provided that they meet the application criteria set by the university.

The minor consists of six courses in total: three mandatory and three electives. The mandatory courses are:

COMD 203 Introduction to Communication Studies I

COMD 204 Introduction to Communication Studies II

COMD 321 Analysis of Moving Image

Students then choose three 300- or 400-level Communication and Design courses from the department’s elective offerings, according to their own interests.

Prerequisite Courses: None

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the BA program are able to:

  • Articulate and critically apply major theoretical frameworks in media and communication studies.
  • Analyze complex media phenomena across platforms and historical periods.
  • Demonstrate nuanced understanding of the social, cultural, political, and ethical dimensions of media.
  • Conduct independent, rigorous, and ethically grounded research.
  • Communicate complex ideas and research findings effectively in both written and oral forms.
  • Engage critically with contemporary debates in communication, media ethics, and political communication.
  • Produce professional-quality media work across moving image, audio, and design.