WELCOME VIDEO: Interactive Media Arts Division Chair Sharon Ryba-Pertz

Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) and/or Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degrees

Notice to University of the Arts students:

Please contact [email protected] or Request More Information if you are interested in attending for this Fall 2024. There is still space and we welcome you!

OVERVIEW

The Interactive Media Arts (IMA) program offers a challenging, idea-driven environment that teaches students skills in creative design technologies. These technologies are used in a variety of redefined creative ways, including 2D/3D Animation, Virtual Reality, and User Interface design.

Students pursuing an interactive media degree in computer graphics apply digital design tools and the language of creativity to continually develop their portfolios and learn how to work collaboratively in creative professions.

Portfolio Development and Career Preparation will go beyond the project-based showcase to include self-branding, interviewing and entrepreneurial skill sets. Students will develop real-world commercial art and design projects that showcase the fundamental design principles within a digital studio environment.

As an Interactive Media Arts degree student, you will learn to integrate technical, historical, theoretical, and art/design criticism to create an original and dynamic portfolio appropriate for continuously evolving careers in interactive media arts. Your new creative skills will help you take on real-world projects and internships that will reinforce your ability to become a lifelong learner in a creative profession.

For curriculum information, view the current Five Towns College Catalog.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A)

Students will grow within the following core skills: drawing and design, 3D animation, computer programming for graphics, digital fabrication, along with design thinking, entrepreneurship, and personal branding.

At each stage of the B.F.A. program, students will be exposed to collaborative, project-based learning that reflects the skills necessary for current and emerging jobs and provides opportunities for building a strong portfolio.

Graduates of the B. F. A. program may work in advertising, sports graphics, broadcast television, and emerging digital fields. The FTC Interactive Media Arts program is designed to develop the creative skill set for the independent freelancer or startup, capable of contributing to, or building, agile teams that will tackle unknown challenges as technology rapidly advances.

To learn more about the Interactive Media Arts degree or to request more information, contact the Admissions Office at (631) 656-2110 or [email protected].

Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S)

The Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree is offered in motion graphics, computer programing for graphics and creative problem solving.

Graduates of the A. A. S. program may work in advertising, sports graphics, broadcast television, and emerging digital fields. Qualified graduates may also be eligible to continue their studies within the Bachelor of Fine Arts program in IMA, which offers an enhanced exploration into experiential learning, entrepreneurship, and other advanced facets of this interactive media degree.

VIDEO: Interactive Media Arts Student Reel 2023

Areas of study include:

MOTION GRAPHICS

The basics of effective communication in motion graphics will be covered including color theory, graphic design and typography. Compositing techniques and animation for both information graphics and visual storytelling will be explored. Courses that develop Motion Graphics skills include:

Design Thinking
Interactive and Time-Based Media
Technology

3D ANIMATION

CAD/CAM represent the underlying structure of 3D animation. While physics and geometry are an integral part of these disciplines, the approach will be design-based, with the focus on the user or viewer experience rather than the scientific or mathematic aspects. Students will learn modeling techniques, including photo-real lighting, texture mapping and particle systems. Five Towns College 3D animation courses will overlap with the motion graphics discipline and include scripting as part of that integration. Courses that build 3D animation skills include:

Design Thinking
Digital 3D Principles

EMERGING CREATIVE SKILLS

Creative programming is not just for computer geeks anymore. Visual programming tools provide nonlinear approaches to php/html/javascript code building. The concepts are well within the artist’s ability to apply to information architecture in web design, UI and UX.

Combined with a creative imagination, these skills prepare students for developments in experiential and IoT applications that are becoming the new normal for future generations. Examples of the technological future that are already emerging include 3D WebGL HTML5 (interactive browser-supported experience) and virtual or extended reality.

Digital fabrication has also crept into the artist’s realm with the development of additive manufacturing techniques like 3D printing. Students will also explore subtractive techniques such as CRC machining. Embed system programming and materials design will advance your understanding of smart objects as part of the human experience with an eye to global responsibility and sustainability. Courses that support emerging creative skills include:

Visual Communication
Technology
User/Audience Experience

Five Towns College IMA students show their senior projects at Vanderbilt Planetarium in Centerport, NY

VIDEO – Interactive Computer Graphics: Apprenticeship – Experience Lab