Overview

From the electric telegraph to personal computers, from the participatory web to intelligent networks, our tools for communication and media production are constantly changing the ways we connect with one another. The Interactive Media major at NYU Abu Dhabi aims to make sense of these developments by demystifying their inner-workings and leveraging them as a means for creative expression, communication, and participation. Ultimately, the mission of the program is to engage with existing and emerging technologies to foster creative exploration, to think critically about media and computation, and to enable students become active participants in an increasingly mediated world. The Interactive Media program at NYU Abu Dhabi rests at the convergence of art, design, communications, computer science, and engineering. The technologies are posited not as an end in themselves but as a means to address fundamental questions pertaining to the human condition, complex relationships between ourselves and our mediated environment, and what it means to be an active participant in a world increasingly informed by computation and automation. The strength of the Interactive Media program ultimately lies in its ability to facilitate an environment where students are encouraged to imagine new possibilities for expression. Through an ever-evolving project-based curriculum, a supportive communal work environment, and an emphasis on bringing creative ideas to life, the program embodies a culture of collaboration and inclusivity applicable to people of all backgrounds and interests. Graduates of this major will be empowered to more fully engage in a world where technical change is anticipated, collaboration between humans and technology is expected, and a fluency in interactive media is fundamental.