BA
Digital Media
Digital Media responds to a well-established worldwide interest in the hybridization of art and science practices and methodologies. Students work within a shared environment that enables them to develop expertise across computational science and artistic practice, work in teams, and to develop interdisciplinarity. In Digital Media, students integrate critical artistic discourse and scientific inquiry with broad application to the creative industries of tomorrow, including next-generation performance, screens, mixed reality, informatics, data visualization, games, mobile applications development, and new contemporary art forms.
Offered collaboratively by Computational Arts (School of Arts, Media, Performance, and Design) and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Lassonde School of Engineering)
Program Overview
In the program, start with an 18-month core program, then select one of three specialized streams. Upper-year courses focus on independent work and collaborative projects, fostering individual growth and large-scale development skills. In addition to gaining in-depth knowledge with cutting edge technology, students graduate with the creative skills for the future of work, including computational thinking, sensemaking, resilience, teamwork, and human-machine collaboration. Students use code and programming as tools for creative expression in forms such as games, immersive and 3D environments, internet of things (IoT), interactive performance, and data visualization.
Sample Courses
As a Digital Media student you can take courses like:
- Introduction to Interactive Digital Media I & II
- Game Mechanics
- Digital Fabrication
- Introduction to Virtual Reality
- Simulation and Animation for Computer Games
- Electro-Acoustic Orchestra
Career Opportunities
As a Digital Media student you can become:
- Game Programmer/ Manager/ Designer/ Developer
- AR/VR Developer
- New Media Artist
- Front End Application Developer
- Web Programmer/Manager/Developer/Designer
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Degrees Offered
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Department
Computational Arts
Duration
4 years
Entry Options
Fall, Winter or Summer
Next Steps
We’re excited that you’re considering applying to York University's School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD). Check out our step-by-step guide to submitting an application.
Immerse Yourself in Digital Media at AMPD
Ontario’s only degree program that integrates art, computer science, and engineering.
Explore creative expression through innovative technology.
Work closely with faculty members on their groundbreaking research in one of numerous digital research labs.
Professional internship opportunities through Lassonde’s Co-op office.
Bring interactive digital installations to life with the Transmedia Lab. A multi-purpose space that is home to events and acts as a makerspace for our Digital Media students.
Streams
Learning Outcomes
Throughout the program student will:
- Develop a computational basis for the creation of digital media imagery and sound, using cutting edge technology in the creation of games, new forms of art, and the simulation of 3D environments.
- Explore the theoretical, artistic, aesthetic and experiential ideas that provide a comprehensive understanding of digital media creation.
- Get hands-on experience creating digital media works and investigate the ways in which culture is, and can be, produced through technology.
- Examine the broad socio-cultural effects of digital media, and contemporary theory and research on the uses of, and responses to, digital media.
- Build a foundation of skills for the future, including new media literacy, design mindset, transdisciplinarity, computational thinking, sensemaking, enterprise, resilience, and human-machine collaboration.
Foundation
- Gain the theoretical and practical background needed to succeed in the program and the future of the field.
Specialization
- Specialize in one of the three streams: Digital Media Game Arts, Digital Media Arts, Digital Media Development.
Ambitious Large-Scale Projects and Team Building
- Work on large-scale projects in a classroom that functions as a studio-office environment with real-world clients and collaborators.
- Learn role assignment, task management, multi-stakeholder engagement and project frameworks needed to develop large projects.
Your Independent Creative Voice and Professional Practice
- Develop self-directed, ambition projects that explore cutting edge topics in the domain of Digital Media.
How to Apply
Digital Media Course Clusters
Courses in Digital Media are organized into six thematic clusters, providing students with flexibility of personal direction they can pursue in the program, regardless of the stream they choose. These clusters have been carefully curated so that students can build strong foundations in the area(s) that interest them most, building a trajectory to their future careers.
- CORE
- GAMES
- INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE
- MIXED REALITY
- 3D FABRICATION AND PHYSICAL COMPUTING
- SONIC ARTS
CORE
- Introduction to Interactive Digital Media
- Fundamentals of Digital Media Studies
- Media Signal Processing
- Publishing in Digital Media
- Net-Centric Computing
- Programming for Digital Media
- Building Interactive Systems
- Collaborative Project Development
- Digital Media Capstone Project
GAMES
- Game Development I
- Game Development II
- Game History, Genre, and New Direction
- Game Mechanics
- Introduction to 3D Modelling
- Introduction to 3D Animation
- Simulation and Animation for Computer Games
- Artificial Life, Generative Art and Creative Code
INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE
- Introduction to Interactive Digital Media
- Fundamentals of Digital Media Studies
- Media Signal Processing
- Publishing in Digital Media
- Net-Centric Computing
- Programming for Digital Media
- Building Interactive Systems
- Collaborative Project Development
- Digital Media Capstone Project
MIXED REALITY
- Introduction to Interactive Digital Media
- Fundamentals of Digital Media Studies
- Media Signal Processing
- Publishing in Digital Media
- Net-Centric Computing
- Programming for Digital Media
- Building Interactive Systems
- Collaborative Project Development
- Digital Media Capstone Project
3D FABRICATION AND PHYSICAL COMPUTING
- Introduction to Interactive Digital Media
- Fundamentals of Digital Media Studies
- Media Signal Processing
- Publishing in Digital Media
- Net-Centric Computing
- Programming for Digital Media
- Building Interactive Systems
- Collaborative Project Development
- Digital Media Capstone Project
SONIC ARTS
- Introduction to Interactive Digital Media
- Fundamentals of Digital Media Studies
- Media Signal Processing
- Publishing in Digital Media
- Net-Centric Computing
- Programming for Digital Media
- Building Interactive Systems
- Collaborative Project Development
- Digital Media Capstone Project
What AMPD Students Say
...learning the technical skills that are part of computer sciences gave me the backbone to create. I'm able to express my creative ideas in new ways, it's opened many doors for me in academia and personal projects.
— Amir B, Digital Media Student
Get Ready to Apply
Make sure you have all the information in hands
Important dates
Stay informed about all the key dates and deadlines for applying. Make sure to submit your application by the specified deadline to ensure guaranteed consideration. Note that some programs require a supplementary application, so be sure to check the deadlines for those as well
TUITION FEES & FUNDING
Tuition and Fees will be paid to York University. For information on Undergraduate Tuition and Fees, please see the Future Students Website. Entrance Awards, Scholarships and Bursaries are available each year to support your education.
REQUIREMENTS
Our programs are open to students directly from high school, those with previous post-secondary studies, international students, exchange students, and mature applicants.
Get in Touch
Reach out to us for more information on our programs, upcoming events, open houses, and applying to AMPD. We're here to assist you with any questions you may have and to help guide you through the application process.
