Master of Arts in Digital Media and Global Communications

Foundations of Digital Media
This course explores the history and future of digital media, examining its business, technological, and social impacts through ethical and legal lenses. Students will learn foundational concepts of interactive media, web design, video game design, and current industry trends, including AI, accessibility, and digital stewardship. Theoretical topics include new media’s formal qualities, political dimensions, genre, narrative, history, and preservation.

Elective – Choose two of the below courses

Intercultural Communication
We live in an increasingly globalized world. Technology enables us to communicate just as easily with our local associates as with clients, stakeholders and colleagues thousands of miles away from us. This course introduces intercultural communication theories, exploring their evolution and application in today’s digital world. Students learn foundational and contemporary concepts, critical analysis methods, and barriers to successful intercultural communication, including digital accessibility.

Data Stewardship: Ethics, Privacy, and Digital Communication
The growth of e-commerce, e-services and social networking sites mean that technology developers, service providers, consumers and policymakers are reconsidering what privacy means in everyday life. What does privacy mean in our digital world? This course focuses on issues relating to data privacy in the context of digital communications and artificial intelligence including journalism, surveillance, facial recognition, and biometrics.

Ethics and Etiquette in Digital Communications and Artificial Intelligence
Explore ethics and etiquette in digital communication and AI. This course covers ethical principles, their application online (including privacy and intellectual property), AI ethics (bias and societal impact), digital citizenship, and relevant regulations like GDPR. Through case studies and practical exercises, students develop skills for ethical navigation of the digital world.

Interactive Communications
Explore new media’s impact on marketing, emphasizing e-commerce, social media, and digital content. Students learn to identify and leverage key platforms, building targeted communication strategies. Focusing on audience engagement, data analysis, and ethical considerations, they develop skills to maximize ROI and cultivate brand awareness and loyalty in a user-centric, 24/7 environment.

Choose two of the below courses

Research Methods in Digital Media & Communications
Digital media research methods matter to a critical study of digital environments. The course introduces the range of research methods appropriate for understanding scholarship in the fields of communications, information, and media studies. Students will study specific methods in the context of the media-related topics that various research methodologies have been used to address.

Design Thinking and Digital Media
Design Thinking is a user-focused, hands-on approach to innovation and problem-solving applicable across disciplines. Emphasizing user involvement, problem framing, experimentation, visualization, and diversity, it uses both qualitative and quantitative methods. This course applies Design Thinking principles specifically to digital media products and services.

Interconnected World
This course examines television, cinema, journalism, and radio, exploring their evolution, economic structures, and cultural impact. Students analyze content production, distribution, regulation, and media influence through case studies, preparing for careers in media production, analysis, and journalism.

Design and Tools for Digital Media
Today’s digital media and communications careers require a digital mindset. This course introduces students to visual design theory, applications used in developing multimedia, graphic design, and technology skills that are foundational to content creation across various technological platforms. Social media trainings include Twitter Flight School Certification, Hootsuite Qualification course, and the Google Analytics Individual Qualification course (Beginner or Advanced).

Choose two of the below courses

International Advertising
This course examines international and cross-cultural advertising, emphasizing persuasive communication strategies for global markets. Students explore the interplay between global and local forces, addressing cultural, economic, regulatory, and competitive challenges. They’ll learn theoretical and practical aspects of campaign planning, including research, objective setting, budgeting, media selection, creative development, ethics, and social responsibility.

Digital Storytelling and Brands
Digital Storytelling takes the traditional craft of telling stories and merges it with new techniques to create diverse digital media. This course includes aspects of advertising, journalism and public relations to better understand online trends and viral content by focusing on three core concepts simultaneously: creativity, production and distribution.

Artificial Intelligence and Media
This course explores AI in media, covering machine learning, NLP, and computer vision for content creation, distribution, and personalization. Students develop AI-driven tools, analyze case studies, and assess ethical implications, preparing for careers in journalism, entertainment, advertising, and social media.

Data Analytics in Digital Media
This course explores the explosion of digital media (web, social, mobile) and its impact. It introduces data analytics, focusing on processing real-time data (sentiment, buzz, contacts, context) for performance analysis. Students learn the process of transforming data into knowledge and using tools for data-driven decision-making.

Digital Media Entrepreneurship
This course focuses on entrepreneurial strategy in digital media, designed for those starting or wanting to start a digital venture. Students learn to develop business models with sustainable revenue, build value, engage consumers, and access global markets. Key skills include business model analysis, marketing, sales, and strategy, alongside exploring future revolutionary technologies.

Elective – Choose one of the below courses

The present of digital communication: Metaverse, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Neuromarketing
Explore the intersection of technology, communication, and marketing, focusing on the Metaverse, VR/AR, and neuromarketing. Students examine the evolution of digital communication, delve into these emerging technologies and their applications, and study neuromarketing fundamentals. Ethical and societal implications are critically evaluated, and virtual lab exercises provide practical experience.

Digital Visualization
Data visualization is crucial for exploring and presenting information across various fields. It aids in understanding data, providing clear evidence, and telling engaging stories through informative graphics. This course builds a foundation for data-driven decision-making.

Capstone
Developing and executing a digital media strategy requires the integration of skills, strategies, and tactics to create a cohesive, dynamic whole. This capstone project integrates components from previous coursework by addressing topics such as the life cycle of the campaign, selection of appropriate tools, content development and management, campaign management strategies, effective tracking and measurement, data privacy, regulatory frameworks, and making modifications based on data analysis.