Program Description
In the interdisciplinary New Media B.A. Program at Purchase College, students learn to interact with digital media both as critical consumers and as active producers. The pervasiveness of digital technologies, their rapid pace of development, and the constant global flow of information are transforming political, social, and cultural landscapes while creating new models of communication and interaction. Because “new” is a culturally relative term, cross-cultural initiatives and global education are essential parts of the curriculum. The program also emphasizes the public aspect of making media and the opportunities for effecting positive change.
New media students study the effects of digital media from multiple perspectives while developing their own voice through hands-on production. Analysis and production are equally emphasized and are often present in the same course. The curriculum draws from courses in the visual arts, computer science, and the social sciences, as well as music, film, and other liberal arts disciplines. The program offers students a structured, well-rounded foundation covering a range of content areas and methodologies. Collaboration is particularly encouraged, among both faculty and students, as are experimental and creative approaches to media production and distribution.
Students are strongly encouraged to pursue internships, which provide an important bridge to a career in the field. In recent years, Purchase students have interned at a broad range of companies and organizations, including Eyebeam Atelier, Developer.com, MTV, PepsiCo, Harvestworks, and IBM.
Because new media is a constantly evolving field, specific course requirements are subject to change.
Requirements for the Major
Freshman and Sophomore Years:
- Photography I or Design I
- Basic Visual Literacy
- Digital Media Studio
- Shooting and Editing Digital Video
- Studio Composition I
- Programming Games or Computer Science I
- Computers and Culture
- Creating Web Documents
- New Media Advanced Standing*
*Advanced standing is a prerequisite for the junior- and senior-year studies. Students apply for advanced standing in the spring semester of their second year. To become eligible for advanced standing, students must maintain a minimum 2.7 (B-) GPA in the courses above, with no grade lower than a C+.
Junior and Senior Years:
A grade of C+ or higher is required in these courses.
- One advanced history/theory course, chosen from an approved list
- One anthropology or sociology course, chosen from an approved list
- Elective courses (16 credits), chosen in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor
- Junior Seminar in New Media
- Internship in New Media (optional)
- Senior Seminar I & II
- Senior Project in New Media (8 credits)
Representative Elective Courses
Advanced Web Design: Special Projects
Art in the Age of Electronic Media
Cinematic Expression I & II
Creating Databases for Web Applications
Creating Dynamic Web Documents
Creating User Interfaces
Cross-Cultural Video Production
Digital Audio I & II
Digital Dimensions
Experimental Film Workshop (Part One & Two)
Experimental Web Practice
Information Aesthetics
Interactive Media/Sound
Intermediate Video
Internet as Public Art
MIDI Composition I & II
Networking and Security
Performance Art I
Robotics
Search in the Age of Google
Social Software
Sound/Interactive Media I & II
Studio Composition II
Studio Production I & II
The Animated Print
Video Art I & II
Video Graphics
Representative Alumni
- Nicholas Bruckman ’05, owner, People’s Television (www.peoplestelevision.com); producer/director of La Americana (www.la-americana.com), winner of the Best Documentary award at the New York Latino Film Festival
- Christina Hu ’06, Web designer, IBM
- Matt Kornheisl ’07, Web programming and development, Omega Institute
- Sheryl Morgan ’06, Web designer/developer, ImageSpan
- Bill Reese ’06, program editor, Playbill
- Kate Senisi ’04, graphic designer, Atelier Ten; www.katesenisi.com
- Melissa Symolon ’04, interactive designer/Flash developer, Serious USA
- Steven Tartick ’07, lead creative/retail marketing coordinator, Apple, Inc.; new media designer, HQ Productions; and emerging media consultant, www.steventartick.com
- Josh Tonsfeldt ’04, MFA, Columbia University; represented by Simon Preston Gallery, New York, NY; www.joshtonsfeldt.com
For more information, visit the New Media site in Academic Programs.
Updated May 27, 2009
