Digital and Immersive Arts MA
1 Year Full-Time | September Start
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
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Our Digital and Immersive Arts Masters programme equips you with the skills to work as a practitioner in creative and cultural industries at the highest level using virtual and immersive technologies. You will be exposed to the most cutting-edge work in digital and immersive art and technology with the opportunity to work with industry partners such as Advanced Media Production (AMP) Gateshead, housed at PROTO and Northern Dance on live briefs. Working in groups alongside colleagues from these industry partners will enable you to critically analyse creative processes and approaches to technological production.
Digital and Immersive technologies are now all around us and so this Masters degree course addresses a growing need for expertise in the areas of virtual reality, audio-visual technology, as well as virtual film and performance.
Throughout this Masters degree programme you will develop your skills within core technologies, but will also specialise in diverse areas, such as 3D programming, audio-visuals, gaming, virtual reality, etc. depending on your personal skill sets and interests. Alongside this, our programme provides the critical skills needed to research and evaluate the products of the digital and immersive arts.
Digital and Immersive Arts is characterised by its transdisciplinary nature as it responds to the increasingly complex challenges and opportunities within the industry. Subject areas of arts, animation, film, communication design, graphic design and games design often provide transferrable skills in terms of the digital and immersive arts. However, this Masters course is open to students from all disciplines and undergraduate subject areas and is directly aimed at students who are interested in becoming expert at one more than one discipline.
You will have the opportunity to collaborate with our course partners from across the creative and creative industries with AMP Gateshead and Northern Dance through live projects, allowing you to build your professional skills, your portfolio, and your network of contacts.
Level of Study
Postgraduate
Mode of Study
1 year Full Time
Department
Northumbria School of Design, Arts and Creative Industries
Location
City Campus, Northumbria University
City
Newcastle
Start
September 2024
Fees
Fee Information
Modules
Module Information
Discover the funding options available to you.
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The Digital and Immersive Arts Masters is based around self-directed study, but you are supported by a framework of four modules, each of which will allow you to develop your personal digital and immersive skills.
These four modules explore key areas such as the impact of digital enfoldment as well as melding the concepts and forms of the creative arts with digital and immersive technology. These modules tackle the current practical skills necessary including an understanding of the core technologies needed for producing compelling digital immersive experiences.
You will develop your ability to conceptualise, theorise and undertake research which addresses the complex issues of immersive technology. As well as this you will work both individually and as a member of a team, recognising different team roles and multicultural/environmental issues on projects. These projects will explore innovations, advances, and key issues at the frontiers of Digital and Immersive Arts and their implications.
Assessment will be based on the creation of and presentation of a portfolio of practice which will contain a combination of creative practice, contextual and critical writing, and presentations. In semesters 1 and 2 you will periodically be expected to present your work in critiques and presentations, which will be formatively assessed in order to help you best advance your practice with creative technologies.
The Digital and Immersive Arts Masters welcomes students from a wide range of interests. Whether your project is focused on the fine art practice, digital media production, interactive design, film and television, or wider aspects of visual and material culture, you will be supported by a supervisory team with expertise in your subject.
This course is taught by a team of specialist academics with the relevant expertise to guide you in the intersecting disciplines within this programme and are themselves either experienced practitioners, researchers, or practitioner-researchers. Digital and Immersive Arts staff have specialist knowledge in art and design practice and theory, digital arts practices, interaction design, animation and simulation, film and television studies, curating, socially engaged arts, and performance.
Staff members will also help you develop the skills required to plan, manage, and review your learning. Throughout the duration of this course, you will receive ongoing support from teaching staff to ensure you leave equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to successfully pursue a career within the digital and immersive arts.
Here are just a few of Northumbria's academic staff with expertise in Digital and Immersive Arts.
Steve Gibson
Associate Professor, Innovative Digital Media
Paul Dolan
Assistant Professor in Film
Rupert Ashmore
Assistant Professor in Art
Take a look at what Northumbria has to offer and discover what studying with us can do for you.
The facilities of our partners in this course are also available to you, with the opportunity to work on live projects using the Advanced Media Production studio at PROTO, which houses a state-of-the-art motion-capture volume as part of a fully equipped Virtual Production Suite. This facility forms part of the UK’s first low latency 5G network that allows multiple types of media content to be created simultaneously in real-time.
Pioneering arts, dance and media technology centre, Northern Dance also offer excellent facilities including multi-screen projection, motion-tracking, an extensive light rig and a large sound stage.
Our University Library (which is ranked in the top three in the UK), and our well-equipped working space, The Hub, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week is available for all students.
Throughout your course you will have access to our e-learning platform, Blackboard, which offers access to collaboration tools and video/audio-enhanced features, electronic feedback, discussion boards, blogs, and student websites.
We provide a supportive and informal learning environment, offering feedback at all key stages of your course.
You will be immersed in research-rich learning from the outset of your studies.
Research-rich learning is embedded throughout all aspects of this programme with the opportunity to work with industry partners PROTO and Northern Dance, enabling students to address both the known and emerging skills required in the Digital and Immersive Arts. This programme takes an enquiry and research-based learning approach, which is strongly student-centred, and provides students with the opportunity to develop and enhance marketable skills in self-directed study, independent research, interpersonal learning, and communication.
The core learning philosophy of the MA in Digital and Immersive Arts is based on a deep integration of art and design practice and technology-based research. Key to this programme is also a philosophy of “learning by doing,” whereby new concepts, technologies, forms, and ideas are tested in practice.
In addition, you have access to specialist postgraduate training workshops, studio space where relevant, and events both on and beyond the campus. All students are continually informed of events and opportunities of special interest to their research through the electronic learning portal, while regular individual tutorials with project supervisors will enable you to develop your project effectively.
Discover more about the research currently taking place within Design, and across the University within our multidisciplinary research themes. Feeling inspired? Join us to make a remarkable impact on tomorrow.
You will also have access to the Graduate Futures team, which provides online and face to face support with your career planning, applications, interviews, job, and placement search, as well as virtual and on campus events delivered by expert staff and employers keen to recruit Northumbria students.
The Digital and immersive Arts Masters degree at Northumbria has employability embedded, so from day one you will be gaining sought-after skills and behaviours, that will make you much more employable when you graduate. You will gain transferable employability skills though project work and practical problem solving through real-world examples.
Our live briefs, guest masterclasses and networking opportunities will give you the experience that creative employers are looking for. Below are examples of live projects we have recently run on our programme:
Take a look at what Northumbria has to offer and discover what studying with us can do for you.
Applicants should normally have:
A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in a related discipline such as fine art, media art, animation, performing arts, film production, theatre, interaction design, digital design, communication design, music technology, or computing. Other subject qualifications, equivalent professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be considered on an individual basis.
You may be required to submit a digital portfolio.
For advice on preparing your portfolio, please visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/coming-to-northumbria/portfolios-and-auditions
International qualifications:
If you have studied a non UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria, by selecting the country that you received the qualification in, from our country pages. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry
English language requirements:
International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications
Full UK Fee: £9,250
Full EU Fee: £18,250
Full International Fee: £18,250
Scholarships and Discounts
ADDITIONAL COSTS
There are no Additional Costs
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Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.
IA7000 -
Research for Practitioners (Core,40 Credits)
Research for Practitioners is a 40-credit module which spans across semesters one and two.
Forms of digital immersion have emerged due to the convergence of technology and culture and this module introduces key areas of knowledge to critically consider their impact. The module offers a structured introduction to the intellectual frameworks which can be employed to both support and interrogate the impact of digital enfoldment on the individual psyche and wider culture. These fields of knowledge include Philosophy, Media Theory, Art Theory and Art History and you will be guided and supported as you integrate these ideas to critically address the role of Digital and Immersive Arts within contemporary culture. You will also learn about the key philosophical underpinnings of the concept of immersion and will be challenged to reflect on these within your theoretical work.
IA7001 -
Introduction to Immersive Media (Core,40 Credits)
This module will help you develop a broad practical understanding of the core technologies employed in the production of immersive environments and digitally mediated audio-visual performance. A series of lectures will offer an overview of the current and emerging immersive technologies and how they are being employed within the Arts and Design, including Contemporary Art, interaction design, music, theatre, film and the games industry. It is expected that there will be cross-over with your theoretical work in Research for Practitioners, particularly around issues of technology and the body, and the ethics of advanced media production, You will also explore critical contextualisation and installation-making, live and live-remote broadcast forms, as well as their VR and AI expansions. Through a series of visually rich lectures you will learn the long history of immersion, as well as the philosophies behind ideas of the technology and experience.
You will be introduced to core technologies through a series of practical workshops and seminars. You will explore key immersive technologies such as real-time audio-visual production and digital performance methods, 3D computer graphics, audio-visuals, virtual reality and projection mapping. You will also be introduced to a range of technologies to interact with digital content using bodily gesture and expression. The module will also demonstrate the creative use of digital and immersive technology, as used by digital and immersive artists, and will enable you to apply your creative skills in a variety of technologically mediated contexts.
Virtual and immersive technologies are complex, and the production of immersive environments and experiences require an interdisciplinary approach which draws from a wide range of creative and technical fields. The module is therefore designed to encourage team working through self-generated projects, and through the creation of short individually designed interactive and/or immersive projects. Working in these ways will allow you to solve complex technological challenges and to create new bodies of original work.
IA7002 -
Creating Virtual and Immersive Experiences (Core,40 Credits)
This module builds on the knowledge acquired in Introduction to Immersive Media (IA7001) to further embed the essential skills necessary to produce compelling digital immersive experiences. You will further develop the ability to successfully meld the concepts and forms of the creative arts with digital and immersive technology, and you will apply these technological and creative skills in a variety of technologically mediated contexts. This module has 2 components.
Component 1
You will be introduced to a range of cutting-edge technologies including motion-capture, which is used extensively in the Cultural industries to capture very detailed information in terms of image, texture and movement. You will be simultaneously introduced to motion-tracking, which is used extensively in live audio-visual and dance performance as well as immersive installations, to measure user movement and affect immersive audio-visuals. A series of lectures will offer an overview of their application within the creative industries, as well as key research questions around ethics and technology. Seminars will be interspersed with these sessions, which will allow the students to develop and present initial ideas that will serve as prototypes for the final submission. A series of practical sessions will lead you through the processes involved in capturing and tracking detailed three-dimensional imagery and movement. These technologies and skills may be introduced through a live project with a collaborative partner drawn from the creative industries. This project will give you the opportunity to work as teams as you apply these technologies to the brief set by the partner. Self-directed projects may also be undertaken by student who want to generate their own group or team proposition.
Component 2
You will develop a proposal for your Major Project (IA7003) which forms the centre piece of your Masters work. You will be guided through the requirements of the forthcoming module and you will carry out preliminary research and development and develop a short project proposal which will be refined in the following semester.
IA7003 -
Major Project (Core,60 Credits)
In this module you will learn through practice to professionally meld the concepts and forms of the creative arts with digital and immersive technology, and you will apply these technological and creative skills in a specific context that illustrates your mastery of digital and immersive arts. This module has two components. Firstly, you will produce a significant piece of work in the area of Digital and Immersive Arts and this builds directly on the practical experience and knowledge gained in modules IA7001 and will be directly informed by the research and development carried out in IA7002. Secondly, you will critically reflect upon the ideas underlying your work and this builds on your interdisciplinary knowledge gained in ‘Research for Practitioners.’
Component 1
This module gives you the opportunity to produce a significant piece of work which can be self-initiated either individually or as a team, or can be developed in collaboration with a creative or industrial partner. This work may include but is not limited to the production of a live or virtual immersive performance, a live or virtual audio-visual performance, an immersive installation, a VR experience, a immersive game, or a screen-based work which incorporates immersive data. This significant piece of work will demonstrate an original and critical engagement with both the technologies and ideas within the fields of Digital and Immersive Arts and will directly support your future opportunities in this dynamic emerging field. The project in terms of scope, design and proposed production methodology will be subject to consultation and approval with the project supervisor and module tutor. The project will be shown in a final degree show, to which potential employers will be invited.
Component 2
The second aspect of this module is a significant piece of reflective writing which demonstrates firstly, a thorough understanding of the relevant histories and theories which underpin the practical work in Component 1 and secondly demonstrates a critical reflexivity in your practice as you articulate the underlying motivations and processes employed in the realization of the project.
Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.
IA7000 -
Research for Practitioners (Core,40 Credits)
Research for Practitioners is a 40-credit module which spans across semesters one and two.
Forms of digital immersion have emerged due to the convergence of technology and culture and this module introduces key areas of knowledge to critically consider their impact. The module offers a structured introduction to the intellectual frameworks which can be employed to both support and interrogate the impact of digital enfoldment on the individual psyche and wider culture. These fields of knowledge include Philosophy, Media Theory, Art Theory and Art History and you will be guided and supported as you integrate these ideas to critically address the role of Digital and Immersive Arts within contemporary culture. You will also learn about the key philosophical underpinnings of the concept of immersion and will be challenged to reflect on these within your theoretical work.
IA7001 -
Introduction to Immersive Media (Core,40 Credits)
This module will help you develop a broad practical understanding of the core technologies employed in the production of immersive environments and digitally mediated audio-visual performance. A series of lectures will offer an overview of the current and emerging immersive technologies and how they are being employed within the Arts and Design, including Contemporary Art, interaction design, music, theatre, film and the games industry. It is expected that there will be cross-over with your theoretical work in Research for Practitioners, particularly around issues of technology and the body, and the ethics of advanced media production, You will also explore critical contextualisation and installation-making, live and live-remote broadcast forms, as well as their VR and AI expansions. Through a series of visually rich lectures you will learn the long history of immersion, as well as the philosophies behind ideas of the technology and experience.
You will be introduced to core technologies through a series of practical workshops and seminars. You will explore key immersive technologies such as real-time audio-visual production and digital performance methods, 3D computer graphics, audio-visuals, virtual reality and projection mapping. You will also be introduced to a range of technologies to interact with digital content using bodily gesture and expression. The module will also demonstrate the creative use of digital and immersive technology, as used by digital and immersive artists, and will enable you to apply your creative skills in a variety of technologically mediated contexts.
Virtual and immersive technologies are complex, and the production of immersive environments and experiences require an interdisciplinary approach which draws from a wide range of creative and technical fields. The module is therefore designed to encourage team working through self-generated projects, and through the creation of short individually designed interactive and/or immersive projects. Working in these ways will allow you to solve complex technological challenges and to create new bodies of original work.
IA7002 -
Creating Virtual and Immersive Experiences (Core,40 Credits)
This module builds on the knowledge acquired in Introduction to Immersive Media (IA7001) to further embed the essential skills necessary to produce compelling digital immersive experiences. You will further develop the ability to successfully meld the concepts and forms of the creative arts with digital and immersive technology, and you will apply these technological and creative skills in a variety of technologically mediated contexts. This module has 2 components.
Component 1
You will be introduced to a range of cutting-edge technologies including motion-capture, which is used extensively in the Cultural industries to capture very detailed information in terms of image, texture and movement. You will be simultaneously introduced to motion-tracking, which is used extensively in live audio-visual and dance performance as well as immersive installations, to measure user movement and affect immersive audio-visuals. A series of lectures will offer an overview of their application within the creative industries, as well as key research questions around ethics and technology. Seminars will be interspersed with these sessions, which will allow the students to develop and present initial ideas that will serve as prototypes for the final submission. A series of practical sessions will lead you through the processes involved in capturing and tracking detailed three-dimensional imagery and movement. These technologies and skills may be introduced through a live project with a collaborative partner drawn from the creative industries. This project will give you the opportunity to work as teams as you apply these technologies to the brief set by the partner. Self-directed projects may also be undertaken by student who want to generate their own group or team proposition.
Component 2
You will develop a proposal for your Major Project (IA7003) which forms the centre piece of your Masters work. You will be guided through the requirements of the forthcoming module and you will carry out preliminary research and development and develop a short project proposal which will be refined in the following semester.
IA7003 -
Major Project (Core,60 Credits)
In this module you will learn through practice to professionally meld the concepts and forms of the creative arts with digital and immersive technology, and you will apply these technological and creative skills in a specific context that illustrates your mastery of digital and immersive arts. This module has two components. Firstly, you will produce a significant piece of work in the area of Digital and Immersive Arts and this builds directly on the practical experience and knowledge gained in modules IA7001 and will be directly informed by the research and development carried out in IA7002. Secondly, you will critically reflect upon the ideas underlying your work and this builds on your interdisciplinary knowledge gained in ‘Research for Practitioners.’
Component 1
This module gives you the opportunity to produce a significant piece of work which can be self-initiated either individually or as a team, or can be developed in collaboration with a creative or industrial partner. This work may include but is not limited to the production of a live or virtual immersive performance, a live or virtual audio-visual performance, an immersive installation, a VR experience, a immersive game, or a screen-based work which incorporates immersive data. This significant piece of work will demonstrate an original and critical engagement with both the technologies and ideas within the fields of Digital and Immersive Arts and will directly support your future opportunities in this dynamic emerging field. The project in terms of scope, design and proposed production methodology will be subject to consultation and approval with the project supervisor and module tutor. The project will be shown in a final degree show, to which potential employers will be invited.
Component 2
The second aspect of this module is a significant piece of reflective writing which demonstrates firstly, a thorough understanding of the relevant histories and theories which underpin the practical work in Component 1 and secondly demonstrates a critical reflexivity in your practice as you articulate the underlying motivations and processes employed in the realization of the project.
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