Our Program

Program Requirements

5 Required Courses - 15 credits

5 Elective Courses - 15 credits

1 Thesis Project - 3 credits

Total - 33 credits

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Class Locations

43 West 23rd Street, 2nd floor
New York, NY 10010

Mac Lab

43 West 23rd Street, Room 207
New York, NY 10010

MA in Web & Multimedia Design

If you are ready for an advanced degree in web and multimedia design, our Master of Arts in Web and Multimedia Design is a natural fit, giving you the tools to upgrade and fine-tune your current technology skills and send you to the next level in your web, multimedia or digital design career.

We educate specialists, who remain well-rounded through an innovative mix of collaborative learning and challenging project-based problem solving courses. In fact, our specific clusters of course offerings in e-commerce, animation, and interface design will give you an edge over other job-seekers with only an undergraduate degree in Graphics, Web design, Computer Science, or Multimedia.

Required Courses

WMM 600	Media and Culture explores the unique influence the internet and other interactive media exert on contemporary culture and communications. By examining how designers shape visual trends and media tools, students become empowered to make well-informed decisions and engage in productive and valuable work practices.
WMM 601	Multimedia Designteaches digital storytelling: how to express ideas in narrative structures which creatively combine image, text, animation, audio, and video. Students explore traditional and current media design styles, tools, and techniques to find their own voice.
WMM 602	Multimedia Toolshelps students become expert practitioners in the current platforms, tools, and technologies used professionally to design and develop web sites and multimedia environments. Because web technologies evolve rapidly, the course will be taught by faculty active in the industry and so every effort will be made to continuously update the course content to remain relevant.
WMM 603	Designing for E-Commerceexplores the designer's role in designing and programming web sites that facilitate doing business on the Web. Based on research and planning, students collaborate in teams to conceive, produce and evaluate a functional e-commerce site.
WMM 604	Entertainment and Education Design introduces responsive user interfaces, immediate feedback mechanisms, and dynamic scoring systems that aid a range of online storytelling and immersive experiences. Students design memorable products that enable users to accomplish learning objectives and combine achievable rewards with a sense of discovery.
WMM 694	Thesis Project (capstone)In three semesters, Students research, plan, and develop an original media idea, producing a body of work that showcases their specific skills in web and/or multimedia design. The outcome of this class is a body of fully functional professional-level work, developed independently of all other coursework that can be viewed live as a fully functional production.

Elective Courses

WMM 605	Web Programming I introduces students to the fundamentals of computer programming. Students will learn the standard concepts of input/output, variables, control structures, and functions as well as practical skills such as testing and debugging methodology. These concepts will be applied in designing dynamic web pages which implement problem-solving techniques.
WMM 605.6	Web Programming I LabStudents will apply the skills they are learning in class to hands-on programming projects in a fully interactive setting where they will be able to seek assistance from each other as well as consulting with an experienced staff member. Students will master the programming skills they are being taught and deepen their understanding of the concepts as they gain actual experience and consider the material from an applied perspective. 1 Credit
WMM 606	Web Programming IIexplores advanced concepts in computer programming. Topics include more advanced data types such as strings, arrays, and collections, algorithmic methodology, and object oriented programming concepts. Language dependent features such as strong versus weak typing, classical versus prototypal inheritance, and lambda expressions will be covered with some discussion comparing and contrasting popular languages.
WMM 607	Database Concepts and Designprovides students with an understanding of the basic concepts of relational database design, how the relational model is implemented, and elementary SQL including both DDL and DML. The course also explores issues of database normalization, and data integrity and security.
WMM 610	Interface Design Conceptsintroduces the theory and practice of designing user interfaces for interactive systems. Focusing on design for human capabilities, students learn how to apply visual design principles to create usable, intuitive, and consistent graphical interfaces for web sites, information systems and educational projects.
WMM 613	Interactive Design Iexplores virtual environments in which interactions among people, machines and media are structured, flexible, and dynamic. Students gain creative skills in one or more standard authoring system and a markup language to format, store and retrieve data, and control the rules of interaction and the display. The focus is on balancing functionality with responsiveness while always anticipating user expectations.
WMM 614	Interactive Design IIIn a simulated real-world production environment, students explore advanced concepts for interactivity by collaborating to design and produce a large project for a website or other delivery medium. Operating within such constraints as budget, schedule, and production tools, students test their design, revise it, and track the development process.
WMM 615	Programming for E-Commerceintroduces the programming and database technologies that underlie an effective retail web site, enabling students to competently realize their web design concepts and fine tune their programming and database skills through a real-world project.
WMM 620	Advertising in the Digital AgeAppreciating advertising's rich history, the course explores evolving commercial trends that impact the Internet and an array of portable digital information devices. Using a variety of applications, students develop concepts and research technologies as they design and produce several web based ads.
WMM 625	Corporate Designintroduces coordinated identity branding within a digital context and the many applications required to reach the multitude of stakeholders in the corporate audience. After analyzing relevant cases, students design original identity systems that are effective in any format or medium as visual expressions of corporate culture and goals.
WMM 630	The Business of Web and Multimedia DesignStudents take the first steps towards establishing their own web and multimedia design businesses by defining their career goals and developing business and marketing plans. They also analyze successful projects, research target clients, and learn to articulate their interests, personal style, and design and technical skills.
WMM 640	Principles of 2D Animationteaches the concepts, tools and techniques necessary to infuse life into objects and characters, titles and visual effects. Encouraged to experiment and discover their own voice and style, students produce a final project by writing a short script, developing an original character, and animating their character in an environment of their own design.
WMM 641	3D Animation Ipresents the theoretical framework for organizing three-dimensional space. Students learn how to design virtual objects and environments using basic lighting, shading, and camera angles, gesture, posing and expression and sound design. Students also learn the importance of timing and careful planning by producing scripts and detailed storyboards.
WMM 642	3D Animation II presents the theoretical framework for organizing three-dimensional space. Students learn how to design virtual objects and environments using basic lighting, shading, and camera angles, gesture, posing and expression and sound design. Students also learn the importance of timing and careful planning by producing scripts and detailed storyboards.
WMM 650	Type in Motionexposes students to the design of dynamic typography used in motion graphics. Type style, letter form, color, texture, shape, font size, and transitions will be analyzed in the context of how the viewer reads moving visual information. Building on the rich history of typeface design, students will experiment to effectively communicate type-based messages in a variety of digital media.
WMM 660	Digital Photography for Designersis a practical introduction to the craft of digital photography and how both traditional and experimental approaches to the photographic image support and enhance the communicative power of web and interactive designs. Examples of significant historical and contemporary photographs are critically examined to stimulate the student's creativity.
WMM 670	Video and Audio Production StudioStudents learn the aesthetics and technical aspects of good visual and sound design to effectively communicate messages in digital distribution platforms. Hands-on projects help students develop concepts, shoot video and capture audio effectively, edit both using industry accepted software, and manage post-production workflow and distribution.

Prerequisite Courses

For applicants lacking program prerequisites

MSIS 401	English Literacy Skills for IT Professionalsis designed for students for whom English is a second language, so that they can benefit fully from Masters level media and textbook material. Students will learn to preview, read, summarize and respond to information from a wide variety of sources. Additionally, students will be expected to master important written communication skills through the proper design and use of emails, presentations, memos, technical reports and papers.
MSIS 402	English Communication Skills for IT ProfessionalsThis comprehensive oral communications course is designed for students for whom English is a second language, so that they can learn to effectively communicate in the many public settings required both in school and in their future employment settings. While the course curriculum dovetails with that of MSIS 401, the focus is on oral proficiency, accent reduction, and personal impact in the public spotlight.
WMM 608	Introduction to Multimedia Technologyintroduces prospective Web and Multimedia Design students to basic computer topics and terminology relevant to their field. Digital workflow issues and the entire Adobe Creative Suite (CS) are introduced. Students will complete this course with a solid understanding of both PC and MAC platforms, and how to access, evaluate, and secure information on the World Wide Web.
WMM 609	Foundations and History of Designintroduces the basic design principles, elements, and concepts related to media design. The vocabulary of visual form and the design process will be introduced in a project-based environment that will foster the development of studentsÕ visual creative skills.
WMM 611	Foundations of Web DesignThis course is intensive and will focus primarily on helping students understand the design and functional abilities of developing a thorough knowledge of HTML design. The student knowledge of basic HTML design will be extended into areas of graphic design, image optimization, understanding frames and tables, embedding video / audio, in order to provide the student with a framework for successfully engaging with the remainder of the masters program.

All courses carry three credits, unless specified.

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