ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Candidates for a Bachelor of Science in Digital Media Studies are required to complete DM Core Courses (minimum 61 credits), Polytechnic Institute's general education requirements in the Humanities and Sciences (42 credits), and electives (25 credits), for a total of 130 credits over four years.

The electives may be taken towards a minor (14 credits or more in a subject outside the major) in any subject at NYU-Poly, subject to course prerequisites and the approval of the host department.

Students are encouraged to make the most of Polytechnic Institute's full range of disciplines in their course of study in order to develop the best combination of knowledge and skills for their chosen career and to help them choose that career with a real experience-based awareness of their own abilities and interests. It is therefore important to choose foundation courses and electives with care to be sure to have the right prerequisites for specific upper-level courses, especially in related areas of science and technology. For detailed current information about available options and requirements, please contact a program advisor, who will consult with faculty in the host departments as necessary.

All DM courses are offered as Production Studios. This means that students will be expected to produce finished projects of professional quality under the guidance of active digital media practitioners. While top-quality equipment and facilities are provided, students will be expected to obtain and maintain their own suitable laptop computer (consult the department for current specifications), as well as basic peripherals and consumables. In general, digital media production calls for teamwork and a willingness to go the extra mile to make work that is innovative AND of high quality. "Excellent" and "Acceptable" are the same to us.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Digital Media Core Requirements (61 credits)

DM 1114 Sound Studio 1
DM 1124 Moving Image Studio 1
40 credits other Digital Media Practice Courses, as approved by adviser, of which 24 must be at the 3XXX and 4XXX levels
DM 2164 Media Studies 1
DM 3163 Media Studies 2
DM 4163 Media Studies 3
DM 4003 Senior Project

Humanities/Social Science requirements (26 credits)

EN 1014 or EN 1034 Writing in the Humanities I (4 credits)
EN 1204 Writing in the Humanities II (4 credits)
PL 2014 Symbolic Logic (4 credits)
HI 2104 Modern World History (4 credits)
2000-level HuSS elective (4 credits)
3000-level HuSS elective (3 credits)
3000-level HuSS elective (3 credits)

Math and Science Requirements (16 credits)

MA 1054 Pre-calculus and Calculus
CS 1214 Intro. to Oject-Oriented Programming (Java)
PH 1214 Physics of Motion and Sound
PH 2214 Physics of Electricity and Light

Electives (27 credits)

Restricted Electives (must be chosen from Humanities/Social Science/Mathematics/Natural Science) (12 credits)
Free Electives (15 credits)

 

TOTAL: 130 credits

COURSES

DM 1114 Sound Studio 1 3:1:0:4
(required for freshman DM majors)
This course is a technical and theoretical foundation studio. It combines an orientation to sound and listening with the fundamentals of digital audio production: project planning, recording, and mixing. The course will emphasize high-quality field recording and mobile (laptop) post-production.

DM 1124 Moving Image Studio 1 3:1:0:4
(required for freshman DM majors)
This is an introduction to the fundamentals of visual communication design: color, composition, motion, and interaction. The primary creation tool will be [[http://processing.org|Processing]], a Java-based graphics development tool for non-programmers. Once the general compositional principles have been worked through with Processing, video will be introduced as a means of //capturing// color, form, and motion.

DM 2114 Sound Studio 2 3:1:0:4
(required for DM Majors) prerequisite: DM 1114
This course will follow up on the general principles treated in DM 1114 with a series of more advanced projects, organized to reflect the practical realities of professional work: the elements of pre-production, production, and post-production for different genres. Students will be expected to demonstrate not only an understanding of the principles and tools, but also true commitment to quality. Projects may be narrative/dramatic or music, according to the skills and goals of each student.

DM 2124 Moving Image Studio 2 3:1:0:4
(required for DM Majors) Prerequisite: DM 1124
In this course, students will complete a coordinated sequence of short projects designed to add up to a finished live-motion video project. There will therefore be considerable emphasis on the relevance of particular tools and techniques to the specific work at hand. Concepts will be introduced through screening of historical examples, from 1895 to the present. The format of the course is modelled on professional standards and workflow for pre-production, production, and post-production.

DM 2134 3D Graphics Studio 1 3:1:0:4
Prerequisite: DM 1124 Students will learn and apply fundamental principles and technical requirements for 3D model construction and surfacing for a broad range of applications, from animation and game development to rapid prototyping and simulation.

DM 2144 Interaction Design Studio 1 3:1:0:4
Prerequisite: CS 1214 Introduction to Programming and Problem-solving in Java
In order to design interfaces, we must first understand how humans interpret visual, tactile, and auditory phenomena, and how these perceptions inform their actions in the physical world. This course will familiarize students with the relevant principles of cognition, and address basic interaction design issues through two solo projects and one group project.

DM 2154 Game Development Studio 1 3:1:0:4
Prerequisite: CS 1214
This class will introduce the principles of 2D and 3D computer game design. Students will learn about the range of game types and understand their conceptual building blocks. Students will complete a structured sequence of assignments towards the completion of a design for a new game.

DM 2164 Media Studies 1 4:0:0:4
(required for DM majors) Prerequisites: EN 1014/1034, EN 1204
This is a historical orientation to media, from oral culture to the internet. The course is designed as a foundation for both the analysis of historical and contemporary media practices, and to provide vital critical tools for creative professionals in a dynamic culture (which must have come from somewhere, and be headed somewhere else).

DM 2184 Digital Photography Studio 1 3:1:0:4
This is a general introduction to digital photography in its two most fundamental aspects: as a technology, and as an art form. DM 2184 is intended to serve as the first half of a two-course sequence in digital photography. Taken consecutively, DM 2184 and DM 3183 will provide a good elective sequence for interested students in other degree programs. It will also provide an opportunity for DM majors to further develop their composition and shooting skills in the context of their other work with graphics and/or video.

DM 3113 Sound Studio 3 2:1:0:3
Prerequisites: DM 1114 and 2114
Having completed the prerequisites DM 1114 and DM 2114, students will be expected to have strong production skills coming into this production-oriented studio course. The goal will be to complete a project which reflects experiment and innovation, as well as professional quality. There will be more freedom for each student to define the scope of their project, and emphasis will be placed on self-direction in its execution.

DM 3123 Moving Image Studio 3 2:1:0:3
Prerequisites: DM 1124, DM 2124 Students in DM 3123 will use the skills they have developed in the prerequisite DM 2124 to explore and make the most of digital video technology. Thematically, the course material will center on documentary and pseudo-documentary forms. Class time will be divided between hands-on technical demonstrations, group work, and case studies of particularly relevant historical work in film and video, to inform the high-quality and cutting-edge results we expect from DM students. The emphasis on experiment and group work is designed to reflect the realities of professional production. A range of approaches to video will be demonstrated and encouraged, as appropriate.

DM 3133 3D Graphics Studio 2:1:0:3
Prerequisite: DM 2134 Students will apply their 3D modeling skills and understanding of the Studio Tools environment to the fourth dimension: Time. Using Maya, one of the leading industry-standard animation packages, students will produce a short animation over the duration of one term. The project will be a sequence of three phases to balance the need for structure with the fundamental reality of high-quality animation work~ it takes time. Students must be prepared to devote considerable time outside of class hours if they want good results. Through case studies and group discussion, students will be encouraged to develop their creative and critical skills, as well as their proficiency. In other words, this course should be thought of as a combination of "art" and "technical".

DM 3143 Interaction Design Studio 2 2:1:0:3
Prerequisites: CS 1214, DM 2144
On-screen interfaces are very well-established. Anyone who has used a computer in the past 20 years knows how to navigate WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointer). This course lays out the foundations of WIMP. Building upon this well-developed model, the course will focus on usability, user-testing, and user-centered design. It will end up exploring interfaces that move beyond established metaphors to provide new ways of interacting with the computer screen. This course will start with small assignments to illustrate the concepts. The last half of the semester will be spent developing a group project.

DM 3153 Game Development Studio 2 2:1:0:3
Prerequisites: CS 1214, DM 2154
This class continues from DM 2154, delving into advanced technological implementations of 2D games. Taking designs from DM 2154 and working together in teams, students will implement a complete game during the course of the semester. Based on students' current abilities and individual goals, production areas ranging from sprite creation, mapping and level design, to engine coding, and interaction scripting will be assigned to individual students. It will be their responsibility to complete their assignments, as if they were members of a professional game development team.

DM 3163 Media Studies 2 3:0:0:3
(required for DM majors) Prerequisite: DM 2164 Where DM 2164 was primarily a historical orientation to media communications, this course is its complement: a critical orientation. Drawing on the combination of their strengthening research, discursive, and creative skills, students in DM 3163 will be encouraged and expected to consider contemporary media communications practices as integral parts of an ongoing global cultural process, with all the variety of potential that implies.

DM 3173 Visualization and Simulation Studio 2:1:0:3
Prerequisites: DM2134, DM2144
This course is a design and production studio, geared to the completion of a professional-quality project. Students will be expected to have the necessary design/scripting/programming skills necessary, and to be prepared to make the most of them. Production of a project relevant to research and teaching initiatives underway in other programs at Poly is strongly encouraged, subject to the permission and counsel of faculty in the host departments.

DM 3183 Digital Photography Studio 2 2:1:0:3
Prerequisite: DM 2184
This is the second of a general two-course studio sequence in digital photography, considered in both its technical and creative dimensions. Taken together, the courses offer a good introduction to digital photographic practice for non-DM majors, or an opportunity for DM majors to gain more experience in image capture and composition, to apply in their graphics and video work.

DM 4003 Senior Research Project 0:0:3:3
(Required course for DM seniors) This is a research/production project to be completed under the guidance of a faculty member in the final term. Topic, approach, and schedule is determined by prior agreement with the instructor and program director. This studio/seminar is designed to be the capstone for DM students, and is a thesis-quality design and production project conducted under the supervision of a faculty member active in the particular field and area in which the project is undertaken. Where appropriate, the student may receive supplementary guidance from faculty in another department, by special agreement.

DM 4113 Sound Studio 4 2:1:0:3
Prerequisites: DM 3113
This is a production course geared to the preparation of students committed to the advancement of the field. Seminars will be led by an active practitioner in the field, and culminate in the production of a presentation to the public. This course is intended to complement the senior project class, by providing an opportunity to work and exchange ideas with an active practitioner in the industry, with a view to establishing professional contacts in advance of graduation, and to inform student work with up-to-date awareness of opportunities and issues in New York's very broad and dynamic media sector.

DM 4123 Moving Image Studio 4 2:1:0:3
Prerequisites: DM 3123
Students will make the most of their experience in the introductory and intermediate studios to produce a short video piece of professional quality. As much as possible, the project is to be self-directed, as project management skills are an important part of proficiency at this level. Where appropriate, group work will be encouraged, bearing in mind that each student must take individual responsibility for specific aspects of the project. The emphasis in class will be on formal structure and post-production (editing and compositing).

DM 4133 3D Graphics Studio 3 2:1:0:3
Prerequisite: DM 3133
In this course, students will be required to produce a complete animation sequence of professional quality, showcasing the skills they have developed in the prerequisites. The project mayh be geared to scientific, enigineering, or entertainment applications, according to each student's skills and professional aspirations. This will be the venue for students wishing to pursue the development of specific projects in 3D graphics/animation. Such projects may be part of large initiatives or collaborations with other departments.

DM 4143 Interaction Design Studio 3 2:1:0:3
Prerequisites: CS 1214, DM 3143
When talking about human computer interaction, we almost always think of sitting in front of a monitor, mouse, and keyboard, and manipulating visual elements on the screen. This is an unnatural asymmetric interaction, with the human communicating using physical input, and the computer communicating visually. This interaction model greatly restricts the possibilities. Over the semester, students will develop a project based on other modes and means of human-computer interaction, either individually or within a small group, and will regularly present to the class for discussion and criticism.

DM 4153 Game Development Studio 3 2:1:0:3
Prerequisite: DM 3153 and/or DM 4133 and/or DM 4143
This class continues from DM 3153, delving into advanced technological implementations of 3D games, specifically focusing on the Torque Game Engine, but with concepts applicable to game production in general. Working together in teams, students will implement a complete game during the course of the semester. Based on students' current abilities and individual goals, production areas ranging from modeling, texturing, and level design, to engine coding, and interaction scripting will be assigned to individual students. It will be their responsibility to complete their assignments, as if they were members of a professional game development team.

DM 4163 Media Studies 3 3:0:0:3
(required for DM Majors) Prerequisite: DM 3163
This seminar is a synthesis of the historical and critical approaches developed in the prerequisites, DM 2164 and DM 3163. In this seminar, students will participate actively, to consider a set of key aspects of media in depth. This senior seminar is intended for students seriously committed to the subject, and to the devleopment of their own skills as media theoretists, within a well-developed critical framework. Students are expected to participate actively through seminar presentations on specific subjects, and through vigorous class discussion and debate. The standards of research, writing, and presentation will be consistent with the expectation that post-graduate study is a real possibility.

CS 1214 Introduction to Programming with Java 4:0:0:4
(Required for DM majors) no prerequisite
This is an introductory course in computer programming and problem solving for students in the Digital Media program. The course is taught in the Java programming language due to its interactive multimedia capabilities. Students will learn the main components and features of Java, understand the elements of Object Oriented Programming and how they relate to Java, and write applications and applets which can be incorporated into HTML documents for the World Wide Web. The student will also learn programming methodology, which involves thinking about the best way to plan out the design using object-oriented design and appropriate features of Java, and methodical and efficient development of the implementation using step-wise refinement, incremental testing and debugging.

 DM 4023 Media Studies Internship 0:0:0:3
The scope and topic of the internship are to be agreed in advance between the student, host firm, and a supervising faculty member. A final grade will be determined by the supervising faculty member on the basis of consultation with the internship supervisor at the host firm, and a 2000-word report submitted by the student by the last day of  the semester (last day of regular exams).