Master of Science in Digital Media
About the Program
Master of Science: 63.0 quarter credits
Digital Media, also known as New Media, is an exciting, and rapidly expanding hybrid field of research, study and practice. Over the past decade, it has grown from a highly specialized activity to an approachable subject that sparks global attention in areas of entertainment, business, engineering and health care.
The MS in digital media is a hybrid course of study created to offer students research and career opportunities in 21st century media applications. This two-year program offers comprehensive studies in advanced digital design including 3D modeling, animation, interactivity, gaming and digital media history, theory and methods.
The curriculum for the Master of Science in Digital Media offers a mix of academic course work and project-related activities. Projects consist of funded grant research opportunities, industry-sponsored projects and independent, student-generated and faculty-approved projects.
Professional Opportunities
Opportunities abound for individuals who master the artistic and the interactive aspects of digital media design. Three-dimensional, fully interactive and immersive environments have become the norm in research and practical applications. As the field expands, the need for qualified artists, researchers and New Media entrepreneurs grows.
For more information, visit Drexel's Graduate Studies in Digital Media web page.
Admission Requirements
The MS in Digital Media is an advance course of study. A successful applicant for admission will have a baccalaureate degree, a minimum 3.2 undergraduate G.P.A. and assumed production skills in 3-D modeling, animation and interactivity.
Proof of basic competencies is demonstrated by undergraduate transcript and/or portfolio review. For qualified candidates lacking production skills, we offer a series of pre-graduate classes. Satisfactory completion of the classes qualifies one to apply for graduate admission. Pre-graduate classes may include some or all for the following:
| CS 171 | Computer Programming I | 3.0 |
| CS 172 | Computer Programming II | 3.0 |
| DIGM 100 | Digital Design Tools | 3.0 |
| DIGM 505 | Design and Interactivity | 3.0 |
| DIGM 506 | Animation and Game Design | 3.0 |
For additional information on requirements and how to apply, visit Drexel University's Graduate Admissions website.
Degree Requirements
Students are required to take a Digital Media History, Theory and Methods course and an advanced seminar for a total of six credits, as well as a minimum of nine courses in advanced modeling animation and interactivity.
During the first year, students also take three New Media Project courses (9 credits); these courses provide opportunities to work on funded and unfunded research and industry projects under the guidance of a graduate faculty member. With faculty approval, students may also work on personally designed projects relevant to problem solving in a student's specific area of interest.
In addition, students are required to take 12 credits (a minimum of four courses) of directed studies in support of developing knowledge in an area—outside of media and design—to which digital media skills may be applied. The set of directed studies will be determined by the students and their graduate advisors. Possible areas for this focus include, but are not limited to, computer science, information science, bio-medical technology, social science, humanities and education.
Thesis Project
During the second year of study, each student develops and produces a Master's thesis project. By the third week of the fall term students submit a proposal to the Digital Media Graduate Committee. Upon approval of the proposal, the student works toward thesis completion, including:
- an oral presentation to the college
- a written statement to the committee
- a copy of the completed media work for the graduate program archive
The thesis project must demonstrate domain knowledge of the agreed upon classes. The media component of the project must demonstrate expertise in 3D modeling/animation and/or interactivity.
| Summer Prerequisite Courses | ||
| Design and Interactivity | ||
| Animation and Game Design | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| DIGM 501 | New Media: History, Theory and Methods | 3.0 |
| DIGM 502 | Advanced New Media Topics | 3.0 |
| DIGM 520 | Advanced Interactivity I | 3.0 |
| DIGM 525 | Advanced Animation I | 3.0 |
| DIGM 526 | Advanced Animation II | 3.0 |
| DIGM 530 | Advanced Game Design I | 3.0 |
| DIGM 531 | Advanced Game Design II | 3.0 |
| DIGM 580 | Thesis Preparation | 3.0 |
| DIGM 540 | New Media Project (3.0 credits, taken 3 terms) | 9.0 |
| DIGM 620 | Digital Media Workshop | 3.0 |
| DIGM 630 | Digital Media Group Workshop | 3.0 |
| DIGM 650 | Public Venue Seminar | 3.0 |
| DIGM 651 | Publication and Presentation | 3.0 |
| Thesis | 9.0 | |
| Directed Studies | 9.0 | |
| Total Credits | 63.0 | |
Sample Plan of Study
Students must complete two prerequisite courses in the summer, prior to beginning the graduate program: DIGM 505 Design and Interactivity and DIGM 506 Animation and Game Design.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| DIGM 501 | New Media: History, Theory and Methods | 3.0 |
| DIGM 520 | Advanced Interactivity I | 3.0 |
| DIGM 525 | Advanced Animation I | 3.0 |
| Term Credits | 9.0 | |
| Winter | ||
| DIGM 526 | Advanced Animation II | 3.0 |
| DIGM 530 | Advanced Game Design I | 3.0 |
| DIGM 540 | New Media Project | 3.0 |
| Term Credits | 9.0 | |
| Spring | ||
| DIGM 502 | Advanced New Media Topics | 3.0 |
| DIGM 531 | Advanced Game Design II | 3.0 |
| DIGM 540 | New Media Project | 3.0 |
| Term Credits | 9.0 | |
| Summer | ||
| DIGM 540 | New Media Project | 3.0 |
| DIGM 580 | Thesis Preparation | 3.0 |
| Directed studies | 3.0 | |
| Term Credits | 9.0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| DIGM 620 | Digital Media Workshop | 3.0 |
| DIGM 680 | Thesis Development | 3.0 |
| Directed studies | 3.0 | |
| Term Credits | 9.0 | |
| Winter | ||
| DIGM 630 | Digital Media Group Workshop | 3.0 |
| DIGM 680 | Thesis Development | 3.0 |
| Directed studies | 3.0 | |
| Term Credits | 9.0 | |
| Spring | ||
| DIGM 650 | Public Venue Seminar | 3.0 |
| DIGM 651 | Publication and Presentation | 3.0 |
| DIGM 680 | Thesis Development | 3.0 |
| Term Credits | 9.0 | |
| Total Credit: 63.0 | ||
Facilities
The Digital Media Program operates six lab/classrooms equipped with powerful Dell and Boxx Technologies Workstations running Windows and Unix operating systems and Mac computers running OS X. Software includes a host of Adobe products and Autodesk 3ds Max and Combustion; Alias Maya; Softimage XSI and Behavior, Pixar RenderMan Pro Server along with RenderMan Artist Tools for Maya and RenderMan for Maya; Pixologic Z-Brush; Apple Shake; MotionBuilder; GarageGames; NextLimit RealFlow, and SideEffect's Houdini.
Courses
DIGM 501 New Media: History, Theory and Methods 3.0 Credits
New Media: History, Theory and Methods. This advanced seminar class examines parallel developments in modern art and computer technology beginning in World War II to the present. It will survey writings and works of major contributors to the field.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
DIGM 502 Advanced New Media Topics 3.0 Credits
Advanced Seminar in New Media Topics. This Seminar is dedicated to topical readings and in-depth discussions in Digital Media ranging from virtual reality to digital art and the socio-cultural impact of the Internet.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DIGM 501 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 505 Design and Interactivity 3.0 Credits
This course focuses on the understanding and comprehension of the basic tools and strategies for design within a two-dimensional environment. In addition to design, web development and interactivity will be covered, including a discussion of various display platforms, including mobile development.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM and program is MS.
DIGM 506 Animation and Game Design 3.0 Credits
This course focuses on the understanding and comprehension of the basic tools and strategies for animation and game production. This course will focus on the production of digital assets using standard modeling and animation software, along with their integration into a game engine.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM and program is MS.
DIGM 512 Shader Writing and Programming 3.0 Credits
Shader Writing and Programming. Development of custom output shaders allows for the use and manipulation of materials for use in production render engines. This course focuses on the basic components of shaders including reflective, translucency, and illumination models.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DIGM 501 [Min Grade: C] (Can be taken Concurrently)
DIGM 515 Digital Matte Painting 3.0 Credits
Digital Matte Painting. Digital matte painting and set extension are methods of integrating live action footage into lush and believable CG environments. By using physical construction as a basis for a digital environment, greater integration between live and CG plates can be achieved.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DIGM 512 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 518 Particle Systems and Artificial Intelligence for Visual Effects 3.0 Credits
Particle Systems/Artificial Intelligence for Visual Effects. Particle systems can be used to stimulate natural phenomena as well as create ethereal effects through the use of scripting and mathematical expressions. In the same way, digital crowds can be created to populate a scene with autonomous characters. This hybrid course addresses software applications and trigonometric functions for advanced animation by digital media designers.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DIGM 515 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 520 Advanced Interactivity I 3.0 Credits
This course focuses on the development of interactive media across a variety of platforms. Human-Computer interaction and layout are discussed along with implementations on mobile and PC based platforms. Dynamically created web content and integration with databases, as a server-side component, will also be covered.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM.
DIGM 525 Advanced Animation I 3.0 Credits
This course delves into advanced topics in animation, including procedural modeling and dynamics. Emphasis will be placed on the development of natural phenomena in a simulated environment and physically accurate movement of characters.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM.
DIGM 526 Advanced Animation II 3.0 Credits
This course delves into advanced topics in animation, including light transport and crowd simulation. Also discussed will be integration of acquired data, specifically from motion capture sources. Multi-layer rendering output and shaders for production will be discussed.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM.
Prerequisites: DIGM 525 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 530 Advanced Game Design I 3.0 Credits
This course sequence covers advanced gaming topics, including mobile games, motion capture, artificial intelligence, real-time effects and shaders, and advanced user interfaces.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM.
Prerequisites: DIGM 525 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 531 Advanced Game Design II 3.0 Credits
This course sequence covers advanced gaming topics, including mobile games, motion capture, artificial intelligence, real-time effects and shaders, and advanced user interfaces. The group project will follow an Agile software development methodology with weekly Scrum sprints for iterative project development.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM.
Prerequisites: DIGM 530 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 540 New Media Project 3.0 Credits
New Media Project. Students work on funded and unfunded research and industrial projects. With faculty approval, students may work on personally designed projects relevant to problem solving in a student's area of interest. Each student is required to complete it three times. This course may be repeated up to four times for credit.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 4 times for 12 credits
Prerequisites: DIGM 520 [Min Grade: C] (Can be taken Concurrently)
DIGM 547 Organic Modeling 3.0 Credits
This course will be an intensive exploration of organic modeling. Through lectures, demonstrations, class critiques and individual feedback from the instructor, the best approaches to modeling organic forms will be explored.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM.
Prerequisites: DIGM 526 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 560 Advanced Concepts and Applications in Interactive 3D Environments 3.0 Credits
Advanced Concepts/Applications in Interactive 3D Environments. Advanced concepts/applications on adding interactivity to 3D environments via an assortment of software packages including 3D Max, Director and Flash. This course focuses on the optimized integration of 3D objects in environments with interactive authoring tools.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DIGM 501 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 580 Thesis Preparation 3.0 Credits
This course instructs on Thesis proposal writing within a Digital Media context, covering style, performing research, assigning credit and reference, and topic exploration and expansion.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM.
DIGM 605 Advanced Techniques in Computer Generated Imagery 3.0 Credits
Advanced Techniques in Computer Generated Imagery. Students create electronic media assets that effect the stimuli, bearings, and responses of human cognition to phenomena of light and sound. Student works explore integrations of visual and aural illusions to affect alterations in audience-perceived realities.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DIGM 518 [Min Grade: C] (Can be taken Concurrently)
DIGM 616 Immersive World Building 3.0 Credits
Immersive World Building. Students investigate various emerging technologies for immersive content creation. Focus is on the production of 3D animated environments. Special production issues and concerns to dome planetaria and theatrical (IMAX) venues are considered. Interdisciplinary activities are strongly encouraged.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DIGM 605 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 620 Digital Media Workshop 3.0 Credits
This course addresses issues in the field of Digital Media, with emphasis on a single, comprehensive project. Examples of topics include stereoscopic production, mobile game development or training through game development.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM.
Prerequisites: DIGM 531 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 630 Digital Media Group Workshop 3.0 Credits
The course addresses topical issues in the field of Digital Media, with emphasis placed on a single, comprehensive group project. Examples of topics include stereoscopic production, mobile game development or training through game development.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM.
Prerequisites: DIGM 531 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 641 Interactive TV DVD-ROM 3.0 Credits
Interactive TV DVD-ROM. Students work to develop strategies for meaningful retrieval of mass amounts of media (video, still images, sounds, and text) for television DVD-ROM players. This course will cover basic and advance forms of digital information storage and retrieval to and from TV DVD-ROM media.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DIGM 501 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 650 Public Venue Seminar 3.0 Credits
This group project course is focused on creating public venue works, either performance-based, interactive or web-distributed. The distinguishing mark of graduate research is an original contribution to knowledge and this course is intended to design and implement a media piece to be viewed by a large group of people.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM.
Prerequisites: DIGM 531 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 651 Publication and Presentation 3.0 Credits
This course instructs on the submission of portfolio and thesis work including journal publication, conference presentations, contests and competition and public performance venues.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM.
DIGM 670 Gaming I 3.0 Credits
Gaming I. Students learn to solve 3D game design problems working with game programming techniques and leading cross platform software.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DIGM 518 [Min Grade: C] and DIGM 560 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 671 Gaming II 3.0 Credits
Gaming II. Building upon skills developed in Gaming I, students form small teams and work to develop and implement original 3D game designs.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DIGM 670 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 680 Thesis Development 3.0 Credits
Thesis Development results in a project including the production of original media assets, a written paper to the Graduate Committee, an oral presentation and demonstration delivered to the general College, and submission of a copy of the thesis project including all media assets to the Digital Media Graduate Program Archive.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 4 times for 12 credits
Prerequisites: DIGM 670 [Min Grade: C] (Can be taken Concurrently)DIGM 605 [Min Grade: C] and DIGM 641 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 690 Advanced Special Topics in Digital Media 3.0 Credits
Advanced Special Topics in Digital Media. This class is reserved for occasional special topics in Graduate Digital Media Studies. It may include seminars, studio and classes taught by visiting faculty.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: DIGM 502 [Min Grade: C]
DIGM 699 Independent Study 0.5-6.0 Credits
Provides faculty guidance in subject matter not covered in standard courses offered.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 3 times for 6 credits
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is DIGM.
