The Curriculum
The iMedia program involves an intensive curriculum designed for students to complete within 10 months because of the rapidly changing world of interactive media. Students take courses beginning in late July or early August. In the fall, students take a broad range of courses in theory and production and are able to narrow their focus in the spring. All students complete a winter term course. Graduation is in May.
Foundation Courses
The iMedia program is open to students with an undergraduate degree in all disciplines. Those who have not completed undergraduate courses in media writing and in media law and ethics are required to successfully complete seminars in these two content areas unless they can prove extensive professional media experience that the School of Communications determines warrants a waiver. The seminars are provided by the School of Communications the week before the program begins and are included in tuition.
Graduation and Degree Requirements
To earn the M.A. in Interactive Media degree, the graduate student must:
- Successfully complete the 36-hour curriculum with no more than 1 "L" grade per semester and no failing grades. Students who have not taken the prerequisite courses in media law and media writing as undergraduates must complete those respective seminars before beginning the program.
- Successfully complete the capstone project with approval by the instructor of record. The project demonstrates the student’s ability to create an interactive product, communicate clearly, and manage and integrate all aspects of the interactive curriculum appropriately.
It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with the preceding requirements for graduation.
iMedia Curriculum
Required Courses (27 hours):
August term
Fall term
Winter term
| IME 6100 | Interactive Project for the Public Good | 3 sh |
Spring term
Elective Courses (Choose three):
(Representative list only; others will be added as needed)
| IME 6210 | Intellectual Property Law | 3 sh |
| IME 6220 | Multimedia Storytelling | 3 sh |
| IME 6230 | Virtual Environments and the Metaverse | 3 sh |
| IME 6240 | Public Opinion through New Media | 3 sh |
| IME 6260 | Application and Interface Design | 3 sh |
| IME 6270 | Game Design and Development | 3 |
| IME 6280 | SEO, Analytics, and Social Media Strategy | 3 sh |
| IME 6290 | Data Mining and Visualization | 3 sh |
| IME 6310 | Digital Brand Communications | 3 sh |
| IME 6320 | Immersive Production | 3 |
| IME 6330 | Contemporary Media Issues | 3 |
| IME 6991 | Special Topics in Interactive Media | 3 |
Class Schedule and Course Load
The School of Communications schedules classes in the iMedia program in the fall, winter and spring terms according to the undergraduate calendar of the University. The iMedia program is an intensive, full-time program. Students take one all-day, three-week course that begins four weeks before the fall term.
In the fall semester, students take five 3-hour courses and will be enrolled in a one-hour pro-seminar (0 credit hours).
In the winter, students take one course that requires them to leave campus. This course has an international component.
The spring semester is comprised of three 3-hour courses and one 6-hour course.
Interactive media courses in the fall and spring semesters may meet once, twice or three times a week.