Integrated Design & Media, M.S.

On Campus

The Integrated Design & Media (IDM) program (formerly known as Integrated Digital Media) fosters creative practice, design research and multidisciplinary experimentation with emerging media technologies. As a research-active program within NYU Tandon School of Engineering, IDM faculty collaborate in research that integrates digital media and society. Our projects range from using motion capture technology to reimagine theatrical performance, to developing novel uses of virtual/augmented reality for health and wellness, to the integration of STEAM learning into special needs education, to the development of citizen science tools to empower NYC residents to monitor and report on noise pollution in their communities, to helping NASA JPL develop next-generation user interfaces for space exploration, to assisting with the search and visualization of the historical record of New York City.

Our faculty include leading artists, designers, developers and performers who passionately engage in professional work and research at the intersection of engineering and creative practice.

Research and Outreach

Graduate students in IDM participate fully in research initiatives through our partnerships with other programs and schools at NYU Tandon, NYC Media Lab, the Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP), NYU, and other NYC institutions.

The ABILITY Project supports research in client-centered, assistive technology and adaptive design for people with disabilities.
The Mobile Augmented Reality Lab supports research into design modalities where digital experiences meet the physical world.

Some of our top research areas include:

Assistive Technology
Augmented Reality
Human-Computer Interaction
Motion Capture
Real-Time Performance
Social Activism
User Experience

Internships and Careers

From industry giants to fast-paced startups, the most competitive companies in the world seek NYU Tandon School Of Engineering graduate students. Below is a small sample of some of the places our IDM students have interned or worked at:

Companies

ABC Network
American Express
Apple Corporate
Bank of America
EMI Music
Facebook Inc.
Google
HTC China
LG Electronics
Major League Gaming
New York Stock Exchange
Simon & Schuster Incorporated
Wunderman/Y&R Advertising

Careers

Multimedia Artist
Video Editor
Graphic Designer
Sound Designer
Web Designer/Developer
Game Developer
Mobile Application Developer
User Experience (UX) Designer
Creative Director

Admission

Application Requirements

Priority Deadline: December 1st

Regular Admission: February 15th

The following items are required for admission:

Online Application + $90 application fee
Transcripts from all previously attended institutions
Letters of Recommendation (minimum of 2)
Personal Statement
Resumé/CV
Portfolio of Creative Work (as PDF or website)
TOEFL or IELTS Scores (for international applicants only) (school code: 2668)
Interview (on skype or in person) with faculty and administration, if requested

Find out more about Admission Requirements.*

*No GRE is required for the Graduate IDM application

All graduate applications need to be submitted through the School of Engineering Office of Graduate Admissions.

Questions? Email idmadvise@nyu.edu

Video and Portfolio Submission

Submit a portfolio of your creative work as a PDF. If you have materials online that you wish to use, please provide a PDF with a URL to your website.

The one-minute video required for application to IDM is an opportunity for you to give us a stronger sense of who you are as a person. We’d like to hear specifically what you might expect to do with your time at NYU. This may include faculty you want to work with and why, which of our courses are exciting to you, a project you're currently passionate about that you'd like to explore, or what labs or research activities spark your interest. This video should be as unique as you. Think of it as a extension of your portfolio and use your own voice. We get many videos of people reading our website back to us, this is an opportunity for your personality to come through.

Post to Youtube or Vimeo and share the link for viewing. We strongly encourage you to post this privately and share the password with us. There are many IDM application videos on the web, and yours should not look like any of the others out there.

If you require accommodations for either the portfolio or video requirements, please contact Eric Maiello at em1680@nyu.edu to discuss.

Curriculum

The IDM curriculum combines project-based learning with the study of historical, legal and philosophical aspects of digital media. We emphasize the development of skills applicable to a broad spectrum of media through individual and collaborative work. Guest lectures and conferences supplement our curriculum and maximize students’ personal contact with leaders in various sectors of the following fields: business, advocacy, service, entertainment, and education. The program culminates in a thesis that combines theory and practice to showcase students’ creative and technical abilities.

That blend of theory and practice defines our program. It's what we mean by "integrated" — the powerful combination of emerging media and technology, creative mastery, and critical thinking.

You must complete 30 credits to obtain a Master of Science in Integrated Design and Media. The coursework is outlined below:

IDM Grad Core (4 courses)

DM-GY 6043 Please refer to the bulletin for more information
DM-GY 6053 Please refer to the bulletin for more information
DM-GY 6063 Please refer to the bulletin for more information
DM-GY 7033 Please refer to the bulletin for more information

Thesis Sequence (2 courses)

DM-GY 9963 Please refer to the bulletin for more information
DM-GY 9973 Please refer to the bulletin for more information

Elective Courses (4 courses)

Electives, which may include Special Topics Courses, an Independent Study, or a 3-credit Internship, in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), motion capture, user-experience design (UX), live performance, sound, cinema, interaction design, game design, and web to raise your expertise level in a particular area.

Special Topics courses, taught by regular and adjunct faculty, are selected each year from a group of possible courses based on the interests of the first-year class. For example, if the entering DM class is specifically interested in UX/UI or Mobile Application Development (based on its project work in the first-semester seminar), the faculty will “commission” an elective on that topic.

Independent Study enrollment is permitted for DM students interested in specific research areas outside of the electives offered.

Internships are available for students seeking to gain job experience outside of the School of Engineering in the commercial or nonprofit sector. Students should contact the IDM Internship instructor one semester in advance to prepare for the course.

Students can take graduate courses offered by other departments at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, including Computer Science & Engineering and Technology Management & Innovation and others. After the first semester of study, students can also take up to 3 elective graduate courses offered through other NYU programs such as NYU Steinhardt’s Music Technology, Digital Media Design for Learning, and Art & Arts Professions, and the graduate programs at NYU Tisch, such as coursework through the Game Center.