Description & Curriculum - Integrated Media Arts IMA MFA

Program Description

The MFA Program in Integrated Media Arts (IMA) offers advanced studies in multimedia documentary arts. The IMA Program educates multi-disciplinary, socially engaged media makers in a diverse range of skills across the media landscape. Working with faculty from film, emerging media, and journalism backgrounds, students learn to conceptualize, create and distribute innovative, politically and socially engaged expression using contemporary media technologies.

The IMA Program offers a 48 credit course of study, combining analytical seminars, interdisciplinary research, and creative workshops in writing, visual communication, film and emerging media production, culminating in an advanced thesis project and paper. IMA students can also engage in collaborative production labs, intensive tech workshops, a teaching mentorship program, and outside creative residencies. Student work in the program has included films, animation, audio, interactive installations and websites, public exhibitions, transmedia narratives, live performances, and rich media for the expanding spectrum of screen-based platforms. Building on a foundation of research and analysis, IMA students explore and create new ways to advance information and ideas, balancing critical thinking with aesthetics, contemporary issues with a historical perspective, theory with practice, and traditional methods with new technologies.

IMA students will learn to:
- Cultivate an understanding of historical and contemporary practices in Documentary and Emerging Media
- Display an ability to closely analyze media using critical concepts and theoretical frameworks
- Demonstrate a proficiency with the tools and techniques of contemporary media production and apply them to a diverse range of projects
- Produce original work that carefully calibrates form and content across a variety of media platforms and communicates effectively with an intended audience
- Thoughtfully critique creative work and constructively evaluate feedback
- Develop an artistic practice and professional media skill set

We invite you to see our full course listing and descriptions for a sense of the innovative IMA MFA curriculum.

Program Requirements and Curriculum

Students are encouraged to take the following courses:
- IMA 700: Visual Culture Seminar, or IMA 701: Social and Historical Roots of Arts and Culture
- IMA 750: Emerging Media 1
- IMA 751: Documentary 1
- Minimum of 48 credits. 42 credits of coursework and 6 credits for Thesis. The program allows students to take a maximum of 60 credits, so 9 – 12 additional credits beyond what is required, if they choose.

Students must complete the following non-credit requirements:
- Critique Sessions: Students must pass two critique sessions in order to begin work on the Thesis Project. Students who do not pass either the First or Second Critique after three attempts must withdraw from the IMA Program. For more information see the IMA Critique Policy.
- Thesis Requirements: To graduate, students have a maximum of two years to complete the creative component of the Thesis Project, present this project to a panel of three advisors in a Thesis Defense, submit a Thesis Paper that is approved by the Primary Thesis Advisor and conforms to the College’s guidelines for Master’s Theses in Arts & Sciences, and exhibit the Thesis Project in the IMA Program’s Thesis Show. For more information see the IMA Thesis Guide.

Students must fulfill all degree requirements within five years of matriculating.

FAQs

Can I place out of requirements?

In some cases, students can place out of requirements based on prior graduate study or the equivalent in professional experience. To do so, we require a substantive correlation between the student’s experience and the course content and projects of the class in question. To place out of a course, you must make a written appeal to the program director and course instructor that includes a detailed rationale along with relevant supporting materials.

What if I am part-time?

Our new program requirements have been designed to apply to part-time and full-time students.

Why aren't all the foundational requirements offered every semester?

Unfortunately, we do not have the requisite resources to run courses in both the fall and spring semesters. We normally offer all required classes every fall semester, though we are working with a new model and offering technical 1-credit film courses in fall and Documentary 1 in the spring semester.

What about offering required classes during the summer?

We are expanding our summer course offerings including running our required foundation classes during summer session.

What if I really want to focus on one discipline primarily?

Students can primarily work with the medium of their choice throughout the program but we do recommend that students try at least one course that would be outside their comfort zone to explore new storytelling tools.

Will I be able to take any electives before completing my foundational requirements?

Yes. We have created prerequisites that support a tiered curriculum while preserving student flexibility.

If I’m exempted from a requirement, does that change the number of credits required for a degree?

No. You must still complete the 48 credits required for a degree.

Does it matter in what order I take the required courses?

It’s ideal to take required classes in your first and second semester but there are many reasons why you might wait to take a class later in your time at IMA.

What is important to keep in mind when signing up for a 1-credit class?

These are classes from which you cannot withdraw. Nonattendance will result in potentially receiving an F grade and placing the student on probation. Please be aware that attendance to all one-credit sessions is mandatory, so mark your calendar as the 1-credit classes often start later in the semester.

What if I want to take more classes outside of the IMA Program?

You can take up to 6 graduate credits outside of the program towards your degree.