MFA New Media/Interactive/Electronic Writing/Digital Arts

[digitas2010]

Hi everyone,

I'm a recent grad from a top Ivy League School where I majored in English and was part of a selective Creative Writing program with a focus in Fiction. I wrote my senior English thesis on a topic in Digital Literature and also completed a special project in this area, which got me to thinking.

I'm considering applying to programs in New Media, Electronic Writing, Digital Arts, Interactive Media, etc.

Does anyone have advice as to pursuing the MFA in any of these fields? I'm particularly interested in USC's Ph.D because it's so interdisciplinary. I'd love to be in California, especially after doing my undergrad on the East Coast.

Schools/Programs I'm looking at:

Brown -- Electronic Writing

MIT -- Media Lab (High-Low Tech, Lifelong Kindergarten, Changing Places)

University of Southern California -- Interactive Media & Interdisciplinary Media Arts & Practice Ph.D

University of California

[beepbeatums]

Hi,

A really obvious choice for you would also be NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) in the Tisch School of the Arts. itp.nyu.edu. Highly experimental, choose-your-own-digital-adventure, attracts all kinds of backgrounds. Check it out!

[kiripin]

I hope this response isn't too late to be useful (not that I'm guaranteeing that it'll be useful at all!).

Depending on the school, it might not matter if your undergrad degree is in a different field. It sounds like our interests are pretty similar. I majored in English as well, and I'm applying to new media-related programs this year. It looks like there are people with various backgrounds in UCSC's DANM program, and they no longer have a programming requirement. I'm also applying to SF State's Industrial Arts MA, with a concentration in Visual Communication/New Media, and they will accept students with unrelated degrees conditionally. Once you complete a semester of design courses and pass a portfolio review, you're advanced to candidacy status.

Since you're interested in California, have you looked into California College of Arts' Design MFA with a focus on interaction design, or SF Art Institute's Design+Technology MFA? CalArts might also have something that's a good fit for you.

[joro]

The user never came back after that first post.

[kiripin]

Hmm, hopefully it'll be useful to someone else.

[arunkumar]

Most of the thread starters escapes after first post.. But information is always wealth..

[digitas2010]

Well, thanks for (some of) the responses -- it's been a busy few months.

I've actually decided not to apply to schools this year, part of which is because I'll be expanding my portfolio with some new releases this Spring, and part is just because there isn't enough information out there. It seems like I'm really going to have to do some digging/visiting to figure out any real info about what these programs are like.

@Kiripin -- Good luck! Thanks for the info on Cali schools, but I'm only interested in programs at major research institutions (personal preference), which rules out most of the "Art" colleges. For this reason RISD will probably come off the list.

@BeepBeatums -- Great suggestion on NYU's ITP program, right on, but frankly I'm just not very interested in New York.

It'd be great if more contributions on this topic (and new subforum) started coming out. There seems to be a dearth of good (experiential) info about Digital Arts programs in general.

Cheers!

[wickedgradgirl]

Check out Georgia Tech's Digital Media program. It has some of the biggest name faculty and is incredibly interdisciplinary with collaboration with the human-computer interaction program, psychology, architecture, music + technology etc. It's a great place to be if you are interested in digital media like games studies, interactive fiction, public design, augmented reality, etc. It has a strong mix of theory and practice and graduate students come from all types of backgrounds arts, literature, computer science, film, design, even mathematics!

I've checked out all the other schools in the field (and related) and few compare.

If you are interested in interactive fiction particularly... Georgia Tech has Janet Murray and Fox Harrell who are big thing poppin'. Also if you are a super nerd and love science fiction... it has a huge science fiction collection.

Oh and Atlanta has everything you'd expect in a big city (arts, nightlife, happenings, +++great restaurants), but the cost of living is low.. low.. low.. so you can live comfortably if you don't have much money as a grad student.

cheers.

From an undergrad & masters Georgia Tech alum

[Logodaedalus]

I'll back up what wickedgradgirl said...what I've heard from my professors supports that Georgia Tech is definitely one of the big places to go for interactive fiction and narrative experimentation with technology. If it helps at all, I'm also checking out:

-Brown University: has a lot of the old guard hyperfictionistas, progenitor of Storyspace [i believe, though I'm not a believer] although last time I checked, they only let 1 person into their Electronic Writing program each year. Guess what? It's pretty freaking competitive. As a matter of fact, if you apply for that, better to think of it as a fellowship than an MFA

-School of the Art Institute, Chicago: very permeable program, and has Judd Morrissey on faculty, although not for the graduate program and he seems to be somewhat liminal, yet accessible. They self-confessedly are not really rocking technology in the writing program, but the rest of the degrees offered at SAIC mean that not only tech, but gallery space is accessible. You have carte blanche for checking out resources, to my understanding. Their MFA structure only requires HALF your courses to be from the writing department. You get two advisers for your thesis, one writing and possibly one outside, and you can get gallery space for your senior thesis project. Looks good.

-Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD): Top-notch art school, with attached permeable writing program. Don't know anything else.

-California Institute of the Arts: Center for Integrated Media? Maybe? http://calarts.edu/a...ntegrated-media

-University of Iowa: No really. Or as they like to call it, The Intermedia Area of The University of Iowa School of Art & Art History (http://research-inte...out_the_Program) Seems a little tenuous on the writing side. My impression of UI has always been one of deep tradition, not so much experimentation.

Anyone else care to share? I only want to apply to programs that will allow me to use computers to construct interactive narrative environments (not games) and, well, it's pretty freaking hard to find 'em so far.

Edited October 22, 2010 by Logodaedalus

[sfugradstudies]

If you're open to looking north, we've got a Master's of Digital Media that was developed amongst the major universities in British Columbia: http://mdm.gnwc.ca/program/overview

Here's their News page to give you an idea of the creative projects they do: http://mdm.gnwc.ca/news

Kinda cool: They helped Art Spiegelman put together his MetaMaus project — http://mdm.gnwc.ca/projects/industry/metamaus

[pourtant]

Check out Georgia Tech's Digital Media program. It has some of the biggest name faculty and is incredibly interdisciplinary with collaboration with the human-computer interaction program, psychology, architecture, music + technology etc. It's a great place to be if you are interested in digital media like games studies, interactive fiction, public design, augmented reality, etc. It has a strong mix of theory and practice and graduate students come from all types of backgrounds arts, literature, computer science, film, design, even mathematics!

I've checked out all the other schools in the field (and related) and few compare.

If you are interested in interactive fiction particularly... Georgia Tech has Janet Murray and Fox Harrell who are big thing poppin'. Also if you are a super nerd and love science fiction... it has a huge science fiction collection.

Oh and Atlanta has everything you'd expect in a big city (arts, nightlife, happenings, +++great restaurants), but the cost of living is low.. low.. low.. so you can live comfortably if you don't have much money as a grad student.

cheers.

From an undergrad & masters Georgia Tech alum

I know this thread is way old, but is there anyone out there who is still active on these boards who is in or has done (or knows an alum...anything) the Georgia Tech MS in digital media? Just got my acceptance and I would really love some more info on it.

[asrai7]

THis was really helpful for me, thanks for all of the replies.

 

I'm currently looking at interactive and collaborative arts MFAs as well, and find the task pretty daunting. I'm looking at programs like

 

MIT's MEdia LAb

Pacific Northwest College of Art's MFA in Collaborative Design

Parson's MFA in

Art Center College for Design's MFA in Media Design Practices

Portland State University's MFA in Contemporary Art Practice

UCLA's MFA in Interdisciplanary Studio

 

I'm probaly going to add U of Iowa's New Media Program in there as well.

 

THanks again for all of the replies

[Ahmed]

Don't overlook CMU's Design MDes and Fine Art MFA programs - both have great faculty and focus on digital\electronic media. 

[siya]

Hi, I have applied to the following, for fall 2015..
Parsons
Massart
RISD

CCA

SVA

UW
Temple

Have got admits from Parsons(Design and Technology) and Massart (DMI) both with partial scholarships. I like the close knit kind of feel about massart, its takes just 8 to 10 students while parsons is better known than the earlier. I have done substantial research on their courses, education quality and ethics. But i couldn't find any student reviews, or inside reviews on these universities. Can someone help me regarding this?

[DrF8]

Hi, I have applied to the following, for fall 2015..

Parsons

Massart

RISD

CCA

SVA

UW

Temple

Have got admits from Parsons(Design and Technology) and Massart (DMI) both with partial scholarships. I like the close knit kind of feel about massart, its takes just 8 to 10 students while parsons is better known than the earlier. I have done substantial research on their courses, education quality and ethics. But i couldn't find any student reviews, or inside reviews on these universities. Can someone help me regarding this?

I was also admitted to Parsons D+T. Check out www.studentsreview.com. Mostly undergrad reviews, but it may be useful to you. Here are reviews for MassArt: http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/MCA_comments.html?page=4&type=&d_school=The%20Massachusetts%20College%20of%20Art%20and%20Design. And here are reviews for Parsons: http://www.studentsreview.com/NY/PSD_comments.html?page=2&type=&d_school=The%20Parsons%20School%20of%20Design.

Edited March 21, 2015 by DrF8

[elinik]

As this topic is about interdisciplinary MFA  programs in Art, I thought it might be useful to share schools I have applied.

 

University of Texas at Dallas (UTD)- Art and Technology

University of North Texas in Denton (UNT)- New Media Art

Virginia Tech University- Creative Technologies

 

I am still waiting to hear from all three.

[DrF8]

The Virginia Tech program looks like a really good program. I was looking at that the other day (for the second time). They have great research opportunities (including VR research). It's the program I wish I was in. But I have to stay in NYC for now. 

[elinik]

The Virginia Tech program looks like a really good program. I was looking at that the other day (for the second time). They have great research opportunities (including VR research). It's the program I wish I was in. But I have to stay in NYC for now. 

Wish u find great schools near NYC. Virginia Tech is my top choice now. They release admission decisions this week.

[siya]

I was also admitted to Parsons D+T. Check out www.studentsreview.com. Mostly undergrad reviews, but it may be useful to you. Here are reviews for MassArt: http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/MCA_comments.html?page=4&type=&d_school=The%20Massachusetts%20College%20of%20Art%20and%20Design. And here are reviews for Parsons: http://www.studentsreview.com/NY/PSD_comments.html?page=2&type=&d_school=The%20Parsons%20School%20of%20Design.

Thank you so much for this You are accepting the offer from Parsons ?

[DrF8]

Thank you so much for this You are accepting the offer from Parsons ?

After much contemplation, I declined the other day. There was no way I was going to be able to pay for it (even if I got a full-time job on campus and arranged a payment plan) without going into debt, and I'm already $50k in debt from a previous masters.

[AngelinaZ]

After a lot of soul-searching, I finally applied to a program I was considering in 2014, and hanging out with some really bad people I had to remove from my life (at least events last year showed me that it was them causing the problem, not me) I have -1 ratings from this community, I am ready to pursue the things I truly believe in. I have not logged in here in years. 

This thread sums up my current interests and the future field I would like to pursue. 

The Fulbright fellowship is open right now, and these are the programs I am trying to apply to in the US. They are offering the fellowship to cover a full-time master's degree program or a research visit if we are doctoral students already. I have just applied for one PhD position in Europe, it is mostly experimental psychology/computational neuroscience, with many labs to choose from. 

My plan right now is to apply for the visiting option if I get in the European doctoral program, or for the degree option if my current application is rejected. There must be some cultural differences when it comes to declining offers, but I really like the places listed here so I will give my best to attend any of them even if another place grants my degree. 

I also have some things I have started in linguistics, but this is mostly a matter of finishing up with certain things I have started years ago. 

Ideally, I can do a more research-heavy PhD in Europe and try the visiting Fulbright option in the US to cover the more artistic/creative side. 

 

[AngelinaZ]

• MIT Media Lab
• USC Mixed Reality Lab

After consulting this thread @wickedgradgirl

• Georgia Tech

 

 

[Dhiatensor]

The PIMA MFA at Brooklyn College: https://pima.mfa.nyc/