In the Immersive Media major, students will have the opportunity to combine a technical and aesthetic skillset to develop the next generation of augmented, mixed, and virtual reality experiences. Students gain skills that prepare them for a job or graduate study in immersive media. This degree program is for computational artists, filmmakers, game creators, and computer scientists interested in pioneering an emerging media.

Students take lessons from a history of immersive practices to lead the current spatial media and computing evolution. Further, students gain insight into the social, political, and cultural consequences of immersive media.

At its core, students in this program will develop a programming, interaction design, and immersive user experience skillset. They will learn how to develop immersive experiences, beyond games and entertainment, that leverage the latest in emerging media.

In their senior year, students develop a comprehensive immersive media experience for their portfolio. They work as a team small team to manage the project from pre-production to production.

As a result of successfully completing program requirements, students should be able to:

• understand the history of immersive media from its traditional beginnings in antiquity to its contemporary usage;
• identify and utilize the significant and emerging theories of immersive media design and development as part of their practice;
• draw on an interdisciplinary skillset to develop a unique immersive aesthetic that is compelling for audiences and users;
• incorporate empathy, diversity, equity, and inclusion in the emerging art form to develop a more just immersive media ecosystem;
• capably draw on psychology insights to develop immersive experiences that provide users and audiences with a sense of presence;
• implement physics to develop realistic simulations for entertainment, health, engineering, and other areas;
• use appropriate terminology for immersive media design and development;
• demonstrate the social and emotional competencies necessary to perform and communicate responsibly in collaborative teams and group settings;
• analyze and critique their work in the context of the piece's goal, its perception, and the intended audience;
• exhibit proficiency applying the principles of user-centered theory and workflow to create interactive, immersive experiences;
• synthesize technology ideas and aesthetics to build and refine a professional portfolio; and
• recognize the functions, methods, vocabulary, and roles unique to the programmer, the designer, and the immersive artist within the iterative and collaborative design process.