Course Descriptions
Summer Course
COM 6200A. Digital Media Workshop (3)
Provides concepts and applied skills related to visual communication, photo editing, audio processing, video capture and editing, and Web publishing. Students develop the ability to organize elements for a variety of visual effects and gain an understanding of how to use technology to create meaningful digital communication. (Required of all M.A. students)
Fall Courses
IME 6300A. Theory and Audience Analysis (3)
Introduces students to the intellectual logistics of graduate study in general, to the historical and contemporary body of research literature in the scholarly subject area of interactive communications, and to career opportunities. Students write research papers capped by a bibliographical essay that covers books, professional journal articles, or studies focused on interactive communications.
IME 6400A. Interactive Writing and Design (3)
This course aims to provide the student the fundamentals of web programming by establishing a strong foundation in the syntax and structure of coding languages. The course will enable students to identify appropriate technologies and employ applicable problem-solving techniques to solve errors. Projects include interactive content galleries, mobile design techniques, and online portfolio creation.
IME 6500A. Producing Interactive Media (3)
Covers the fundamental practices associated with interactive media production, including interface design, applied multimedia and usability refinement. In the effort to provide users with optimized opportunities for choice and control, students will apply design guidelines such as Shneiderman’s Eight Golden Rules and production/ design trends emerging in various industries. Students will author interactive experiences and explore historical origins, as well as today’s best practices.
IME 6600A. Interactive Media Strategies (3)
This course examines how cognitive, social, and affective issues apply to interaction design from both theoretical and practical approaches. It provides an overview on how interactive technologies affect users on visceral, cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral levels. It discusses the process of user-centered design, the issues of usability, and the methods for evaluating various interactive interfaces.
IME 6650A. Visual Aesthetics (3)
This course will explore the core design components that make up the majority of interactive visual media. Through an even balance of theory (through reading and discussion), criticism (regular in-class critiques of work–both student generated and professional examples), and practice (through student project assignments) students will thoroughly explore the design of visual media, especially as it pertains to the creation of interactive products and experiences.
IME 6710A. Pro-Seminar
Winter Course
IME 6700. Interactive Project for the Public Good (3)
Students work in a team environment to create an interactive media project for the public good. In teams, they travel for approximately a week to a site to gather content through interviews, photos, audio and video needed for the project. They then return to campus to organize this content into a project that will become accessible to the public at large. Students develop, design and deploy original interactive projects in a deadline-driven setting. Learn more about the projects here.
Spring Courses
IME 6950. Interactive Media Capstone (6)
Students complete an individual capstone interactive media project accompanied by an explanatory paper. The master’s capstone project requires students to create an original, fully functional interactive media presentation for news, entertainment, informational services or strategic communications.
Electives
Electives for the Interactive Media program are a part of the spring course load. Students will pick three electives from those offered.
IME 6620. Multimedia Storytelling (3)
Analysis of the effective use of online tools to tell stories in journalism, documentary, corporate and marketing applications that is then applied through interactive creations such as websites. More importantly, students experiment with diverse ways of using text, graphics, photos, sound and video to effectively transmit information and to interact with users.
IME 6670. Application Design and Development (3)
The creation of apps for tablet computers and other popular mobile devices typically requires an in-depth knowledge of advanced programming languages. Building on previous experience using HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript, students in this course will create content for tablet and mobile devices, and re-design existing websites for optimal mobile/tablet viewing and interaction, without additional programming languages. Local device storage, GPS and device detection will also be covered.
IME 6680. Special Topics in Interactivity (3)
Because of the fast-changing world of interactivity, special topics may arise periodically that the School of Communications believe warrant a special course for iMedia students. Special topics classes will be added to the curriculum in such cases as electives.
IME 6690. Professional Apprenticeship (3)
An independent work experience under a professional mentor provides an opportunity to acquire insights and skills in a professional environment. Students are required to work at least 240 hours in a supervised environment. Apprenticeships must be approved by the graduate program director and will be permitted only under exceptional circumstances.
IME 6720. Analytics and Search Engine Optimization (3)
This course develops the ability to use content types, content quality and presentation strategically to engage audiences in online and mobile media. A combination of hands-on assignments, lectures and experiments are used to develop skills with current tools and prepare to learn emerging tools throughout the career.
IME 6730. Data Mining and Visualization (3)
This course introduces design principles, tools and techniques for visualizing static and interactive data. Content includes the fundamentals of data collection and analysis, visual perception, interaction principles for web-based interactive visualizations. This course is meant for students who will use data for communicating to the general public.
IME 6740. Digital Brand Communications (3)
Examines new media communication tools and how to communicate about brands successfully in the digital realm. The course covers such topics as sponsored search, search engine optimization, advertising on blogs, advertising networks for websites, Twitter/Pinterest as branding tools, advertising and branding in the mobile space, social media and web analytics. Students will gain an understanding of the new media landscape and develop some basic skills in digital brand communications.
IME 6750. Game Design and Development (3)
This course introduces students to the process of designing, prototyping, and developing games. Students will understand how games are designed through explorations of game theory and best practices, learn how to prototype games using both low-fidelity and high-fidelity methods, and program games using industry standards for various output devices including mobile, desktop, and console environments.