New Media and Digital Design

NMDD 1001. Explorations in Digital Design. (3 Credits)

This course critically explores notable histories, geographies, and practices of digital design. Students will gain an understanding of fundamentals of contemporary design paradigms, internet architecture and governance, and the politics of designing media that operates at intimate, local, and global scales.

NMDD 1999. Tutorial. (1 Credit)

Independent Study.

NMDD 2999. Tutorial. (2 Credits)

Independent Study.

NMDD 3020. Explorations in Digital Storytelling. (4 Credits)

This class explores storytelling in emerging platforms. From the still image, the soundscape, and film, we will evolve to discuss game design and interactive storytelling. The practice of game narratives is a new aspect of writing for digital media that helps to bridge storytelling formats from television and film with interactive experiences on our computers or phones. Integrated workshops in cinematography, sound and video editing, and game design via Twine will enable students to create story projects of their own. Note: Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

Attributes: CCMS, COMC, COMM, CVW, DTEM, NMAT.

NMDD 3150. Creative Coding. (4 Credits)

This course will develop programming skills used in the digital humanities, all in the context of critical and cultural media studies. Students will learn basic coding concepts such as variables, loops, graphics, and analyzing sound data, and will connect them to current debates in the culture of coding. No previous coding experience is required. Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

Attribute: DTEM.

NMDD 3308. Professional Social Media. (4 Credits)

This course explores the landscape of social media in applied, professional contexts. Through case studies across industries, it explores professional social media work and develops knowledge fundamentals for digital professionals, including effective writing for social media, strategies for engagement, community management, and professional measurement and reporting. The goal of this course is to teach you how to "be social," and to provide you with the social media tools you need to pursue a communications career in the digital age. Please note: Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

Attributes: CCMS, COMC, COMM, DTEM, JOUR, JSME, NMAC, NMMI.

NMDD 3338. Digital Strategy for Cause Marketing. (4 Credits)

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of digital cause marketing. Students will have a chance to explore the variety of tools, best practices and strategies commonly found in the industry while taking a deep dive into case studies of digital content marketing for social causes in action. Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

Attributes: NMAC, NMMI.

NMDD 3350. Advocacy Design Lab. (4 Credits)

This course examines digital organizing, digital advocacy, and nonviolent direct action online. Through a series of case studies across movements, it explores the role social media, digital marketing, and advertising plays in movement building online, and provides fundamentals for digital activists and advocates including principles of design thinking, digital strategy, creative campaign design, and more. In this lab, students will work on a digital organizing project of their choice throughout the semester and learn how to create, design, execute, and measure a digital advocacy campaign for movement building around matters such as environmental and racial justice, corporate accountability, and human rights. Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

Attributes: NMAC, NMDD, NMDE, NMMI, PPWD.

NMDD 3450. User Experience Design: Design for Empowerment. (4 Credits)

This course focuses on how human-centered design and participatory design methods can be used as approaches to empowerment. Students will gain a hands-on experience with conducting user research, synthesizing findings into insights, ideating, sketching, rapid prototyping, and validating concepts with users. Course reading, discussions, and activities will be organized into a user-experience project to help students get out and interact with real users, needs, and challenges.

Attributes: DTEM, DTEV, NMAC, NMAT, NMMI.

NMDD 3880. Designing Smart Cities for Social Justice. (4 Credits)

This class combines a critical introduction to the promises and perils of the smart city with a community-engaged learning and design project. "Smart urbanism" represents the rapid integration of networked technologies into all modes of urban living as well as the reorienting of urban economies toward high-tech industries. While much of smart urban rhetoric focuses on designing efficient and globally competitive cities through data-driven platforms, critics argue it has led to stepped-up surveillance, discrimination, segregation, and economic inequality in urban environments. Through class readings, group discussions, and engagement with the Lincoln Square community, students consider how a smart urban design oriented towards social justice could help rework flows of wealth, power, and privilege in New York City. Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

Attributes: AMST, CCUS, COMC, COMM, DTEM, DTEV, DTMM, JOUR, NMAC, NMAT, NMMI, SL, URST.

NMDD 3890. Data Visualization and Representation. (4 Credits)

The word "data" is everywhere these days, mostly in reference to just how much of it we are generating at all times. But once we have this data, how can we create tools that enable us to better understand exactly what it means? This class explores the world of data visualization and representation. We will look at a wide variety of examples, including charts and infographics, interactive and web-based projects, and abstract, sculptural, or more artistic works. Students will examine and evaluate a variety of different forms of information design and they will create their own, using the fundamentals of computer programming. Please note: Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

Attribute: DTEM.

NMDD 3900. Internship Seminar. (4 Credits)

This seminar encourages students to draw connections between their coursework and internship so as to chart paths for future intellectual and professional growth. Students will complete critical reflections, identify objectives for continued learning, and produce a digital design portfolio that documents their internship and/or community-engaged learning experience(s). It is recommended that students take this course at the same time as their internship, or after their internship has been completed. Note: Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

NMDD 3999. Tutorial. (3 Credits)

Independent Study.

NMDD 4600. Senior Capstone Seminar. (4 Credits)

This is a seminar and hands-on working group for senior capstone projects in the New Media and Digital Design program. Students will propose and complete capstone projects that demonstrate the skills and expertise acquired during their undergraduate careers, are driven by a strong passion of theirs, and innovate in their chosen subject. This course offers a cooperative setting for students to produce work and prepare written materials about their work through presentations, feedback, collaboration, and workshops. Note: Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

Prerequisite: NMDD 1001.

NMDD 4800. Internship. (1 to 4 Credits)

This course may be taken for 1 to 4 credits as an alternative, or in addition to, the Internship Seminar (NMDD 3900) with the prior approval of both an NMDD instructor and the program director.

NMDD 4999. Tutorial. (4 Credits)

Independent Study.