Transdisciplinary New Media

Students draw upon their previous knowledge and experience to contribute to the collaborative process. Projects are set to test preconceived ideas and the limits of students’ understanding. The course emphasizes computer use for artistic creation and research. Overview of image making and time-based media within the broad context of contemporary art, new media art, and mediated culture. During the semester, students will explore digital software and hardware tools, digital artists, art history, and conceptual thinking to develop own skills and create project work culled from these resources.

The course includes a series of workshops, readings, and exercises that give students conceptual and technical skills to develop their own projects

This course will introduce students to digital design and fabrication techniques within the context of contemporary art and design. The hands-on course will assist students in nurturing the ability to efficiently translate ideas and concepts into digitally produced physical objects. Students will be given the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to maintain, calibrate and troubleshoot equipment in a fabrication lab as well as learn what it takes to keep a lab in operation. Students will be given the opportunity to create objects utilizing industrial laser cutters, 3D digital modeling, 3D digital scanning, and 3D printing. We will consider digital fabrication and its role in the localization and production of global goods and explore its impact on the commodification of the art object. At such early stages of digital fabrication, students can take on great roles in fostering the development of alternative materials, the creation of more efficient digital production as well as the abstraction and deconstruction of the many digital fabrication processes. The class will include three assignments to create projects using the three machines (laser, 3D) and the opportunity to work on a final project.

History of New Media is an overview of the pioneering artists and scientists who have brought about the dissolution of boundaries that have traditionally existed between the artistic and technological disciplines. The course will survey the work and ideas of artists who have explored new interactive and interdisciplinary forms, as well as engineers and mathematicians who have developed information technologies and influential scientific and philosophical ideologies that have influenced the arts. The course begins with seminal artistic movements and genres as well as the study of the invention of information technologies and new human-machine paradigms that have come to define digital culture. This broad historical analysis will help illuminate an understanding of the emerging digital arts and its aesthetics, strategies, trends, and socio-cultural aspirations. Central to this analysis will be an understanding of key concepts for the interpretation of evolving multimedia forms: including integration, interactivity, hypermedia, immersion, and narrativity. The course will reveal how these primary elements of contemporary media have roots in experimental electronic and performance art prior to the digital era. Students will develop commentary in the form of critical projects through in-depth analysis of historical trends and seminal work in the media arts and information sciences.

You may select an elective from the many course offerings in your department or in other departments with the approval of your department chair.

• French
• Drawing Technology and Perception
• Advanced Printmaking*
• Intellectual Property Rights
• Concept Development Storytelling
• Photography as Installation*
• Photography in the Expanded Field*
• History of New Media*
• Designer’s Ethical and Social Responsibility
• Educational Principles
• Marketplace for Art and Design
• Photography and the Marketplace*
• Alternative Processes Image-Making*
• Digital Fabrication Design
• The Art of Code I & II
• 4D Studio I & II*
• The Fashion Editorial
• Design Thinking
• Social Entrepreneurship
• Project Management*

* Undergraduate level courses

The class encourages a questioning collaborative practice. Students are expected to rethink their experience/practice by working through projects designed to test definitions and boundaries between disciplines. New forms of working and thinking will be developed through a consideration of ‘technology’ in its widest sense, from digital-screen-based work to experiential and auditory proposals. Through a shared creative process students will challenge their understanding of different tools and methods, developing hybrid systems and solutions that go beyond any one discipline. Students will engage in critical reflection of their relationship to the group, contextualizing their experience through theories of the collaborative role and situating their emerging practice in relation to the professional world. Masterclasses with practitioners who explore the possibilities of multi-media practice will provide students direct access to knowledge and hands-on experience of the most current and challenging ideas.

The course includes a series of workshops, readings, and exercises that give students conceptual and technical skills to develop their own projects.

This course focuses on achieving core competency in a wide variety of new media technologies. Closely linked to the studio class, students are expected to put into practice the theories and methodologies presented in other core classes, but the focus is on developing technical skills and a thorough understanding the working processes of each specialization. Technology is defined in the widest sense possible – not just screen-based, digital technology, but also mechanical, chemical, auditory, experiential, etc. – since the hybridization of “low tech” and “high tech” often produce powerful emotional experiences – familiar yet awe-inspiring at the same time.

Each New (Digital) Media and Technology class builds on its predecessor, so that over 2 semesters, students have had an opportunity to be introduced to a wide variety of tools and techniques. Every student attempts every technique, not just to appreciate the difficulties of mastering a technology, but also to understand the core knowledge that a collaborative expert can bring to the table. Students with high competency in a topic will co-teach that segment, introducing them to the world of education, increasing their understanding of their collaborative contribution/potential, and improving their communication skills.

This course introduces and outlines the role, purpose, and perception of “art” and “design” in various marketplaces and contexts for the emerging arts entrepreneur. Topics include issues in marketing aesthetic products; case studies on art fairs, art institutions, and cultural events; models of consumer behavior, art, and technology; macro-economic issues that affect the arts industries, arts policy, and access; art-as-business; design in the international context; merchandising; difficulties and the impact of the various business environments on art and design disciplines.

You may select an elective from the many course offerings in your department or in other departments with the approval of your department chair.

• French
• Drawing Technology and Perception
• Advanced Printmaking*
• Intellectual Property Rights
• Concept Development Storytelling
• Photography as Installation*
• Photography in the Expanded Field*
• History of New Media*
• Designer’s Ethical and Social Responsibility
• Educational Principles
• Marketplace for Art and Design
• Photography and the Marketplace*
• Alternative Processes Image-Making*
• Digital Fabrication Design
• The Art of Code I & II
• 4D Studio I & II*
• The Fashion Editorial
• Design Thinking
• Social Entrepreneurship
• Project Management*

* Undergraduate level courses

Students draw upon their previous knowledge and experience to contribute to the collaborative process. Projects are set to test preconceived ideas and the limits of students’ understanding. The course emphasizes computer use for artistic creation and research. Overview of image making and time-based media within the broad context of contemporary art, new media art, and mediated culture. During the semester, students will explore digital software and hardware tools, digital artists, art history, and conceptual thinking to develop own skills and create project work culled from these resources.

The course includes a series of workshops, readings, and exercises that give students conceptual and technical skills to develop their own projects

This course will introduce students to digital design and fabrication techniques within the context of contemporary art and design. The hands-on course will assist students in nurturing the ability to efficiently translate ideas and concepts into digitally produced physical objects. Students will be given the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to maintain, calibrate and troubleshoot equipment in a fabrication lab as well as learn what it takes to keep a lab in operation. Students will be given the opportunity to create objects utilizing industrial laser cutters, 3D digital modeling, 3D digital scanning, and 3D printing. We will consider digital fabrication and its role in the localization and production of global goods and explore its impact on the commodification of the art object. At such early stages of digital fabrication, students can take on great roles in fostering the development of alternative materials, the creation of more efficient digital production as well as the abstraction and deconstruction of the many digital fabrication processes. The class will include three assignments to create projects using the three machines (laser, 3D) and the opportunity to work on a final project.

The course provides introductory-to-advanced-level instruction on research methods. It focuses on various methods currently used to inform the research process in the fields of fine arts, photography, and new media. The course will guide students in formulating, developing, and refining a research problem based on their area of interest, and in formulating and supporting claims, arguments, and hypotheses through data (source material).

Students will be introduced to the basic tenets of research and will be taught how to support their reasoning throughout the research and writing process. After conducting preliminary research and formulating a research problem, students will engage in data collection and analysis. They will learn to differentiate between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources and how to carry out both quantitative and qualitative research. Finally, they will learn how to properly cite their sources, format their thesis writing according to a chosen citation style, and meet PCA’s standards and requirements.

The course will also introduce students to written research methodologies, stakeholder-centered design methods, ethnographic fieldwork, applied research methods, data gathering and analysis, accurate referencing, and academic integrity. They will develop active listening skills and learn to analyze, critique, and evaluate the writing and speaking of others, notably through peer review.

Weekly sessions throughout the semester, dedicated to group and individual tutorials, will be complemented by workshops led by renowned researchers and specialists. These workshops will focus on key aspects of arts-based research methodologies, ranging from conducting research to communicating findings, including honing presentation skills.

By the end of the course, students will have mastered a range of research methods from which to choose for their subsequent research and methodology courses. They will have identified their research question for the thesis and either selected or been recommended a thesis advisor.

History of New Media is an overview of the pioneering artists and scientists who have brought about the dissolution of boundaries that have traditionally existed between the artistic and technological disciplines. The course will survey the work and ideas of artists who have explored new interactive and interdisciplinary forms, as well as engineers and mathematicians who have developed information technologies and influential scientific and philosophical ideologies that have influenced the arts. The course begins with seminal artistic movements and genres as well as the study of the invention of information technologies and new human-machine paradigms that have come to define digital culture. This broad historical analysis will help illuminate an understanding of the emerging digital arts and its aesthetics, strategies, trends, and socio-cultural aspirations. Central to this analysis will be an understanding of key concepts for the interpretation of evolving multimedia forms: including integration, interactivity, hypermedia, immersion, and narrativity. The course will reveal how these primary elements of contemporary media have roots in experimental electronic and performance art prior to the digital era. Students will develop commentary in the form of critical projects through in-depth analysis of historical trends and seminal work in the media arts and information sciences.

This seminar is offered in parallel to the studio course devoted to education. Students will be given an overview of historical and current pedagogical theory that is specific to the teaching or art and design. They will be asked to consider the role of diversity and culture on learning, as well the role of the teacher as a decision maker and facilitator. Additionally, this course will introduce alternative approaches to building a learning environment, drawing upon recent experiments in art education that challenge the traditional structure of a ‘school’. Students will study: how to generate motivation, involvement, and integration in respect to learner’s development and experience; the planning and design of learning activities for different levels of experience; how to write assessment procedures and appropriate feedback on performance, competence, and knowledge.

You may select an elective from the many course offerings in your department or in other departments with the approval of your department chair.

• French
• Drawing Technology and Perception
• Advanced Printmaking*
• Intellectual Property Rights
• Concept Development Storytelling
• Photography as Installation*
• Photography in the Expanded Field*
• History of New Media*
• Designer’s Ethical and Social Responsibility
• Educational Principles
• Alternative Processes Image-Making*
• Digital Fabrication Design
• The Art of Code I & II
• 4D Studio I & II*
• The Fashion Editorial
• Design Thinking
• Social Entrepreneurship
• Project Management*

* Undergraduate level courses

The class encourages a questioning collaborative practice. Students are expected to rethink their experience/practice by working through projects designed to test definitions and boundaries between disciplines. New forms of working and thinking will be developed through a consideration of ‘technology’ in its widest sense, from digital-screen-based work to experiential and auditory proposals. Through a shared creative process students will challenge their understanding of different tools and methods, developing hybrid systems and solutions that go beyond any one discipline. Students will engage in critical reflection of their relationship to the group, contextualizing their experience through theories of the collaborative role and situating their emerging practice in relation to the professional world. Masterclasses with practitioners who explore the possibilities of multi-media practice will provide students direct access to knowledge and hands-on experience of the most current and challenging ideas.

The course includes a series of workshops, readings, and exercises that give students conceptual and technical skills to develop their own projects.

This course focuses on achieving core competency in a wide variety of new media technologies. Closely linked to the studio class, students are expected to put into practice the theories and methodologies presented in other core classes, but the focus is on developing technical skills and a thorough understanding the working processes of each specialization. Technology is defined in the widest sense possible – not just screen-based, digital technology, but also mechanical, chemical, auditory, experiential, etc. – since the hybridization of “low tech” and “high tech” often produce powerful emotional experiences – familiar yet awe-inspiring at the same time.

Each New (Digital) Media and Technology class builds on its predecessor, so that over 2 semesters, students have had an opportunity to be introduced to a wide variety of tools and techniques. Every student attempts every technique, not just to appreciate the difficulties of mastering a technology, but also to understand the core knowledge that a collaborative expert can bring to the table. Students with high competency in a topic will co-teach that segment, introducing them to the world of education, increasing their understanding of their collaborative contribution/potential, and improving their communication skills.

This seminar provides the theoretical and methodological foundation to conduct research and writing in the departments of Photography, Transdisciplinary New Media, and Fine Arts. The seminar consists of a series of workshops which provide hands-on, practical research and writing exercises–all of which have the potential to be integrated into the student’s graduate thesis in Photography and Image-Making, Transdisciplinary New Media, or Drawing. The exercises’ content will lead to regular in-class oral presentations of the student’s research. In this manner, the course builds on knowledge and skills acquired in the first semester’s introductory research course, and provides a dynamic continuity of the student’s research and writing throughout this second semester of the MFA program. The work conducted here in the Intermediate Research course will serve to build toward the culmination of the student’s thesis; the writing of which will begin in the latter portion of the semester for all formats.

The course focuses on various methodological exercises that propose critical approaches which can be used to investigate creative practice and theory alike. Knowledge of materials, techniques, processes and theoretical methods in relation to past and present contexts play a key role. In-class writing workshops serve as practical spaces for the student to research, write and revise writings to be reviewed, through peer review and individual tutorials. Throughout the semester, the course offers an array of opportunities requiring the student to present their research based on their written submissions. Each session includes interactive work sessions with students reporting on progress and problem-solving, and receiving feedback from faculty and peers. The seminar involves extensive student participation in the form of discussion, debate, and dialogue. Because it is a forum for the exchange of work in progress, the seminar allows students to share their ideas and receive feedback on the development of their research.

In sum, this course seeks to provide the necessary theoretical, methodological and practical basis to enable a student to conduct efficient arts-based research and writing. It also offers the student multiple opportunities to orally–and visually (through projections of work and/or installations in situ)–present their research within the confines of the three-hour weekly seminar. The student’s work on all three facets–research, writing, and presentation–are viewed as being crucial to the successful development of their Master’s research project.

Finally, in proposing a well-rounded approach to arts-based research–one which accentuates the proposed writing and presentation exercises–the class seeks not only to serve as a successful transition to the final phase of the MFA written thesis and oral defense (during the third for the Academic or Monograph formats; or the fourth semester for the Workbook format), but also successfully prepares the student for the eventual future transition to professional roles and/or advanced research studies within the creative sector and/or academic community.

You may select an elective from the many course offerings in your department or in other departments with the approval of your department chair.

• French
• Drawing Technology and Perception
• Advanced Printmaking*
• Intellectual Property Rights
• Concept Development Storytelling
• Photography as Installation*
• Photography in the Expanded Field*
• History of New Media*
• Designer’s Ethical and Social Responsibility
• Educational Principles
• Alternative Processes Image-Making*
• Digital Fabrication Design
• The Art of Code I & II
• 4D Studio I & II*
• The Fashion Editorial
• Design Thinking
• Social Entrepreneurship
• Project Management*

* Undergraduate level courses