User Experience and Interaction Design BS / Digital Media MS

Major: User Experience and Interaction Design and Digital Media
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS) & Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 233.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Five years); Three Co-op (Five years)
BS Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 09.0702
BS Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-9199
MS Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 11.0801
MS Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 15-1134

About the Program

The program is a natural extension of our undergraduate program in User Experience & Interaction Design (UXID)  and challenges students to push beyond what’s known and into what’s possible. It combines research with applicable skills in 21st century media applications and offers a mix of academic coursework and project-related activities in advanced digital design, including 3D modeling, animation, interactivity, gaming and digital media history, theory and methods.

Additional Information

For more information about this program, please contact Troy Finamore twf23@drexel.edu.

Admission Requirements

Students who wish to enter the accelerated program are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.5 and between 70 and 120 credits of completed undergraduate coursework.

Acceptance into the accelerated program is decided by the program director of the Digital Media MS program in consultation with the undergraduate program director in Interactive Digital Media as well as the Department’s Graduate Admissions Committee.

Main criterium for acceptance is an evaluation of the student’s prior academic performance and the student’s likelihood of success within the program.

Degree Requirements

Required Undergraduate Courses
General Education Requirements
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COM 230Techniques of Speaking3.0
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development *1.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
MATH 119Mathematical Foundations for Design4.0
PHYS 170Electricity and Motion3.0
PHYS 171Computational Lab for Electricity and Motion1.0
PHYS 175Light and Sound3.0
PHYS 176Computational Lab for Light and Sound1.0
PSY 330Cognitive Psychology3.0
UNIV A101The Drexel Experience2.0
Arts and Humanities elective **3.0
History (HIST) elective (100-499)4.0
Literature (ENGL) elective (100-499)3.0
Social Science electives ***6.0
Free electives23.0
Art and Art History Requirements
ARTH 103History of Art III3.0
ARTH 300 [WI] History of Modern Design3.0
ARTH 314Contemporary Art3.0
VSST 108Design I for Media3.0
VSST 109Design II for Media3.0
VSST 110Introductory Drawing3.0
Business & Management Requirements
EAM 211Strategic Management for Entertainment and Arts Management3.0
Media Requirements
FMTV 206Audio Production and Post3.0
INFO 110Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction3.0
PHTO 110Photography3.0
PROD 215Design Thinking in Product Design4.0
WEST 107Maker Workshop3.0
Digital Media Core Requirements
ANIM 115Introduction to Production with Animation & VFX3.0
DIGM 105Overview of Digital Media3.0
DIGM 475 [WI] Seminar: The Future of Digital Media3.0
DIGM 490Digital Media Senior Project 9.0
DIGM 491Digital Media Senior Project Studio 3.0
GMAP 260Overview of Computer Gaming3.0
Interactive Digital Media Requirements
IDM 211User Interface Design I3.0
IDM 212User Interface Design II3.0
IDM 213Interaction Design3.0
IDM 214Human Factors Engineering3.0
IDM 215User Experience Design I3.0
IDM 216User Experience Design II3.0
IDM 221Web Design I3.0
IDM 222Web Design II3.0
IDM 231Scripting for Interactive Digital Media I3.0
IDM 232Scripting for Interactive Digital Media II3.0
IDM 241Microinteractions3.0
IDM 250Content Management Systems3.0
IDM 371Interactive Digital Media Workshop I3.0
IDM 372Interactive Digital Media Workshop II3.0
IDM 401Professional Practices in Interactive Digital Media3.0
IDM 418Storytelling for User Experience Design3.0
Select three (3) of the following:9.0
Digital Cultural Heritage
Explorations in New Media
Content Strategies for Digital Products
History of Web Development
Interactive Graphics
Web Game Design
User Interface Design for Immersive Media
WebVR
Interactive App Design I
Interactive App Design II
Interactive App Design III
Interactive App Design IV
Experimental Interactive Technologies
Internet of Things
Validating Product Ideas
User Research Methodologies
Independent Study in Interactive Digital Media
Special Topics in Interactive Digital Media
Required Graduate Courses
Digital Media Core
DIGM 501New Media: History, Theory and Methods3.0
DIGM 510Designing for Interactivity3.0
DIGM 511Research Methods for Digital Media3.0
Digital Media Specialization18.0
Select 18.0 credits from the following list:
Game Design and Development
Game Design I
Game Design II
Game Development Foundations
Serious Games
Experimental Games
Game Design from the Player’s Perspective
Animation and Immersive Media
Spatial Data Capture
Animation I
Animation II
Organic Modeling
Advanced Concepts and Applications in Interactive 3D Environments
Immersive World Building
UX Design and Digital Cultural Heritage
Digital Cultural Heritage
Interactivity I
Interactivity II
General Digital Media
Digital Media Skills Intensive
Independent Study in Digital Media
Independent Study in Digital Media
Special Topics in Digital Media
Special Topics in Digital Media
New Media Project
DIGM 540New Media Project ††6.0
Thesis
DIGM 680Thesis Development3.0
Directed Studies ±9.0
Total Credits233.0
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

**

Select from 100-499 level courses, including T380-T480 in AFAS, ARCH, ARTH, COM, DANC, ENGL, FMST, GST, HIST, INTR, IST, JWST, LANG, LING, MENA, MUSC, PHIL, PHTO, PPE, PBHL, RELS, SCRP, THTR, TVST, VSCM, WGST, WRIT.

***

Select from 100-499 level courses, including T380-T480, in AFAS, ANTH, CJS, CS, ECON, ENSS, ENVS, PSCI, PSY, PBHL, SOC, WGST.

DIGM 490 and DIGM 491 are repeated three times each to complete the DIGM Capstone Senior Project sequence.

††

DIGM 540 is repeated two times.

±

Select from 500-600 level courses, including I599, I699, T580, T680 in ANIM, CS, DIGM, DSRE, GMAP, IDM, INFO.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

4+1, 1 co-op (Spring/Summer) (Accelerated program completed in 5 years)

Students complete undergraduate requirements in four years, then convert to graduate status in the fifth and final year.

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENGL 101 or 1113.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0CIVC 1011.0VACATION
IDM 2113.0IDM 2123.0DIGM 1053.0 
INFO 1103.0PHTO 1103.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
PROD 2154.0UNIV A101 (Program Specific)1.0IDM 2133.0 
UNIV A101 (Department Specific)1.0VSST 1093.0MATH 1194.0 
VSST 1083.0WEST 1073.0VSST 1103.0 
 17 16 17 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
EAM 2113.0ANIM 1153.0IDM 2153.0ARTH 1033.0
FMTV 2063.0IDM 2143.0IDM 2323.0COM 2303.0
GMAP 2603.0IDM 2223.0IDM 2413.0COOP 101*1.0
IDM 2213.0IDM 2313.0IDM 4183.0IDM 2163.0
PHYS 1703.0PHYS 1753.0(UG) Free Elective3.0IDM 2503.0
PHYS 1711.0PHYS 1761.0 (UG) IDM Elective3.0
 16 16 15 16
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ARTH 3003.0ARTH 3143.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
DIGM 4753.0IDM 3723.0  
IDM 3713.0(UG) Arts & Humanities Elective 3.0  
PSY 3303.0(UG) Free Elective3.0  
(UG) IDM Elective3.0(UG) IDM Elective3.0  
DIGM 5013.0DIGM 5103.0  
 18 18 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
DIGM 4903.0DIGM 4903.0DIGM 4903.0Student Classified as Graduate Status
DIGM 4911.0DIGM 4911.0DIGM 4911.0 
IDM 4013.0(UG) Free Electives 9.0(UG) Free Electives6.0 
(UG) Free Electives 5.0(UG) Social Science Elective3.0(UG) Literature (ENGL) Elective 3.0 
(UG) History (HIST) Elective4.0DIGM 5403.0DIGM 5113.0 
(GR) Digital Media Specialization3.0 DIGM 5403.0 
 19 19 19 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
DIGM 5912.0DIGM 5912.0DIGM 5912.0 
DIGM 6801.0DIGM 6801.0DIGM 6801.0 
(GR) Digital Media Specialization3.0(GR) Digital Media Specialization3.0(GR) Digital Media Specialization3.0 
(GR) Directed Studies3.0(GR) Directed Studies3.0(GR) Directed Studies3.0 
 9 9 9 
Total Credits 233
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

5+0 Co-terminal Accelerated Program (Spring/Summer)

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENGL 101 or 1113.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0CIVC 1011.0VACATION
IDM 2113.0IDM 2123.0COOP 101*1.0 
INFO 1103.0PHTO 1103.0DIGM 1053.0 
PROD 2154.0UNIV A101 (Program Specific)1.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
UNIV A101 (Department Specific)1.0VSST 1093.0IDM 2133.0 
VSST 1083.0WEST 1073.0MATH 1194.0 
 (UG) Free Elective4.0VSST 1103.0 
 17 20 18 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
EAM 2113.0ANIM 1153.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
FMTV 2063.0IDM 2143.0  
GMAP 2603.0IDM 2223.0  
IDM 2213.0IDM 2313.0  
PHYS 1703.0PHYS 1753.0  
PHYS 1711.0PHYS 1761.0  
(UG) Free Elective4.0(UG) Free Elective4.0  
 20 20 0 0
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
IDM 2153.0ARTH 1033.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
IDM 2323.0COM 2303.0  
IDM 2413.0IDM 2163.0  
IDM 4183.0IDM 2503.0  
(UG) Free Elective3.0(UG) IDM Elective3.0  
DIGM 5013.0DIGM 5103.0  
 DIGM 5912.0  
 18 20 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ARTH 3003.0ARTH 3143.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
DIGM 4753.0IDM 3723.0  
IDM 3713.0(UG) Arts & Humanities Elective3.0  
PSY 3303.0(UG) IDM Elective3.0  
DIGM 5403.0DIGM 5113.0  
DIGM 5912.0DIGM 5403.0  
(GR) Digital Media Specialization3.0DIGM 5912.0  
 20 20 0 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
DIGM 4903.0DIGM 4903.0DIGM 4903.0 
DIGM 4911.0DIGM 4911.0DIGM 4911.0 
IDM 4013.0(UG) Free Electives5.0(UG) Free Electives6.0 
(UG) IDM Elective3.0(UG) History (HIST) Elective4.0(UG) Literature Elective3.0 
(UG) Social Science Elective 3.0DIGM 6801.0DIGM 6801.0 
DIGM 6801.0(GR) Digital Media Specialization3.0(GR) Digital Media Specialization3.0 
(GR) Digital Media Specialization3.0(GR) Directed Studies3.0(GR) Directed Studies3.0 
(GR) Directed Studies3.0   
 20 20 20 
Total Credits 233
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

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