Master's Degree in Emerging Media Design and Development

Master of Arts in Emerging Media Design and Development

36-42 credits

The Master of Arts in Emerging Media Design and Development includes two tracks for completing degree requirements. The first track is a traditional on-campus program. We also offer a low-residency track, which requires a five-day visit to the Ball State University campus in Fishers, Indiana at the start of each semester. The rest of the course work is completed online. This track is appropriate for professionals and part-time students who are currently working and/or manage cross-platform projects. The goal is to give working professionals the option to learn, understand, and apply design thinking, cross-platform storytelling and usability/user experience research skills, which are vital to the modern workplace. Program requirements include a minimum grade of C or better in each graduate course.

Admission requirements

In addition to the Graduate School admission requirements, applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Department of Journalism’s emerging media design program requirements:
A cumulative baccalaureate grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
A 1000-word statement of purpose that indicates the specific area of concentration the applicant wants to pursue, the reasons for undertaking graduate study in this department, and the relationship of such study to the applicant’s long-term personal and professional goals and interests.Either an academic or professional writing sample(s) that best illustrates the applicant’s ability to write and to think critically and logically, and is no less than 2,500 words and no more than 5,000 in total.

A creative or design portfolio.

Required Courses

• Usability and Evaluation Research Methods
• Theories and Frameworks in Human-Computer Interaction
• Emerging Media and Design Thinking
• Nonlinear and Interactive Storytelling
• Transmedia Storytelling and Publishing
• Interactive Media Design and Development
• Applied Research Lab
• Creative Project Lab

Choose one group

• Creative Project
• Thesis
• Creative Project
• Thesis

Students will choose one of three options for a culminating project: CRPR (6), THES (6), or CRPR (3 or 6) with a THES (6). The CRPR will be completed in the EMDD 670 Creative Project Lab, the THES will be completed in the EMDD 660 Applied Research Lab, and the dual culminating project CRPR and THES would be completed in the respective EMDD 660 Applied Research Lab and EMDD 670 Creative Project Lab.

General Admission Requirements and Conditional Admission

• Applicants must first meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School (See: Master’s Degree Admission Requirements).
• A current resume or curriculum vitae.
• International applicants are required to submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International Language Testing Systems (IELTS). International applicants must achieve a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based TOEFL, a 79 on the Internet-based TOEFL, or a minimum score of 6.5 on the IELTS. In addition, the TOEFL and IELTS scores will be further analyzed for writing skills assessment.
• Applicants who do not meet minimum departmental and program GPA, GRE and/or TOEFL or IELTS score requirements but who provide an otherwise meritorious application may be considered for conditional admission. The department will request supplemental evidence of preparedness for graduate study when considering conditional admission. Conditional admission will require the student to earn a minimum of B (3.0) in each of his/her first three graduate courses in the Department of Journalism. Failure to do so may result in the dismissal of the student from the program.