Formerly known as the Digital Design Program, the Bachelor of Science in Interactive Design & Media prepares students to work in the rapidly moving field of Interactive Design. Digital technology has changed the way we visualize, conceptualize and express our ideas. For interactive designers to succeed in today’s workplace, professionals will require a diverse combination of skills, including the understanding of basic design principles, the capacity to plan and develop a great strategy, the ability to harness the latest digital technologies and techniques, and experience in working in a collaborative interdisciplinary environment.

The curriculum in interactive design & media features a foundation based on establishing strong visual thinking and conceptual skills common to most art and design fields. In advanced courses, students develop the ability to visualize and produce work for more rich information environments. They explore complex aspects of time-based, interactive design, web-based media, user experience, user interface, game design, and mobile communications. Additional emphasis can be placed on motion graphics, type motion, and animation techniques, in context with rich media experiences including principles of effective story development and how to structure interactive narratives.

A particular strength of the program lies in its collaborations with other departments and its integration with the University’s courses in business, engineering, and the liberal arts. Students study basic business practices, and how characteristics of the new technologies relate to various aspects of the networked economy. Throughout the student’s 4 years they will have the opportunity to work in multidisciplinary environments where they will work in teams with other majors, understand team dynamics and leadership, and gain real-world experience.

In the first two years of study, interactive design & media students concentrate on developing basic skills necessary for visual literacy in the modern communication landscape. Basic design, expertise in typography, strategic planning, skill in electronic imaging, basic coding and navigation, and the principles of hierarchy in communication are all addressed.

The final four semesters include a combination of required studios designed to develop the ability to complete complex interactive projects, with consideration of social and economic factors as they apply to communication strategies. Elective courses allow study in areas of particular interest or the opportunity to explore specific digital skills or software more extensively.

Students are encouraged to participate in our active internship program and also to experience the richness that comes with one of our many study abroad opportunities. In the final semester, interactive design & media students are required to complete a culmination capstone course where they partner with an outside “client” to plan and produce a major project. Many of these projects have been accepted for use in actual commercial or educational enterprises.

Graduating students are required to demonstrate expertise in software manipulation and code development, an understanding of the social implications of the emerging technologies, and an ability to produce aesthetically pleasing products that can inform and delight while serving the needs of a variety of commercial environments.