Digital Culture, MA
Digital Culture, Digital Media, Embodied Media, Experimental Media, Interactive Performance, interactive media
ASU is not currently accepting applications for this program.
Are you interested in the computational arts and the intersection of multiple artistic and experiential disciplines? Join us to craft a unique learning experience based on your background and interests, led by globally recognized artists, designers and engineers.
The Master of Arts program in digital culture is geared toward practitioners of design and the arts who have an interest in engaging in scholarly knowledge creation at the intersection of computational arts and sciences and seek to enhance their practice through expanded engagement with interactive and embodied media theory and design. The degree program allows artists and designers to explore new avenues for real-time media creation that seek to go beyond current paradigms.
The School of Arts, Media and Engineering educates the next generation of learners and empowers them with technofluency --- its development, application and implications --- and prepares students to be socially aware, critically thinking global citizens who strive to bring about positive change in a society that will be increasingly shaped by new technologies. Its mission is to improve and facilitate learning, creativity and communication; it does this through the integration of human physical experience and computational and digital media practice-based methods.
Students admitted to the MA program in digital culture can explore:
- critical media theory --- philosophical technologies, speculative design
- engineering --- social and embedded design, system engineering
- experiential media --- interaction design, responsive environments
- machine learning --- artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality
- science --- mediated rehabilitation, public participation in science
- sensory --- food design and sensory science, somatic and movement studies
- sound design --- digital composition and performance, acoustic ecology
- sustainability --- sustainability and critical climate studies, urban climate infrastructure
- College/school:
Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
- Location: Tempe
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
33 credit hours including the required applied project course (AME 593)
Required Core (12 credit hours)
AME 520 Movement and Computing (3)
AME 530 Philosophy of Media Technology (3)
AME 531 Experimental Media Philosophy (3)
AME 532 Creating Interactive Media (3)
Electives or Research (18 credit hours)
Culminating Experience (3 credit hours)
AME 593 Applied Project (3)
Additional Curriculum Information
Students should check with the academic unit regarding appropriate electives coursework.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants | International applicants | English proficiency
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in one of the following areas from a regionally accredited institution: arts, humanities, design, media studies, computer science, engineering or a closely related field.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- letters of recommendation
- portfolio
- statement of purpose
- writing sample
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
A portfolio is required; however, submissions will vary depending on the background of each prospective student because of the transdisciplinary nature of the program. Applicants from a wide variety of disciplines are expected to be interested in the master's degree. Key works are requested from applicants to illustrate the types of skills they wish to develop in the program. Examples include games they have designed and programmed, interactive installations and performances (submitted as video), websites they have created or programmed, music they have composed digitally or films they have made.
The statement should explain, in a concise and persuasive manner, how the student's educational, professional and personal experiences inform their research and creative interests, and it should elaborate on any aspect of their background that supports their candidacy for admission to the School of Arts, Media and Engineering.
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 03/07 | Final |
Graduates of the MA program in digital culture go on to careers in areas such as:
- acoustics research
- communications
- graphic design
- marketing
- mobile development
- sound design
- 3D modeling
Arts, Media and Engineering Sch T
|
STAUF-B 217
ameed@asu.edu
480-965-9438
Admission deadlines
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
