Course overview

Design for digital media means designing interactive, multisensory, aesthetic experiences. Digital content comes in many forms, delivered via various platforms and through a multitude of interfaces how the human user can access this cognitively and perceptually is of concern to digital media designers.

The course aims to provide you with a broad understanding of the theoretical and cultural frameworks in which design and technology development happens. It will also enable you to enhance your skill set in terms of technical development or visual experimentation, where appropriate. Importantly, it will encourage you to be a cultural producer with a critical view to media usage and future interface development. The ability to question and adapt applications, as well as develop innovative solutions is more important here than technological finesse.

Within the MA Design for Digital Media, a holistic consideration of the user as a human being within a cultural and social context is promoted. As the discipline moves from a purely task-orientated approach, the course will prepare you to encounter the user in an experience-orientated approach, where a range of components, including affective and ludic, can play a part.

Portsmouth School of Art, Design and Media

Portsmouth School of Art, Design and Media is part of the Faculty for Creative and Cultural Industries. It places a great emphasis on research, process and context. Staff and students are encouraged to be research active and disseminate research outcomes. Postgraduate activity is taken seriously and considered elemental to the School's research strategy.

Our particular approach means developing an awareness of historical and theoretical frameworks because it enables a critical discourse and informed process. Practical experimentation and visual research are promoted and upheld as valid forms of academic activity and this approach results in a range of methodologies with ideas- driven outcomes and the space to develop your individual style and stance in the design world.

Is this the right course for me?

Students coming on this course should be interested in the visual and interactive design of digital media i.e. aesthetic, perceptual, cognitive, affective, psychological, social and cultural concerns. They should be prepared to critically engage with solutions offered, by themselves and others, and strive to innovate.

Course content

This course is structured by three distinct project-based developmental phases. Each project phase involves a particular combination of learning modes, as outlined below.

The initial individual project phase

The project at the centre of this phase will provide you with an overview of the qualities of digital space, physical and social environments, and modes of presence. Through a body of theoretical and visual research and analysis, you will be required to demonstrate a multifaceted understanding of your selected subject through exploration of your ideas in digital media. The study of related creative and practical projects within visual culture will assist you in situating your work and realising its potential.

The group project phase

The group project at the centre of this phase requires you to investigate the surrounding social and cultural factors within your academic and creative investigations, and to consider how these factors are reconfigured in technological and virtual environments. Particular emphasis is placed upon the critical understandings and applications of the internet, allowing you to gain practical experiences of project work in this area, whilst acquiring a deeper understanding of remotely connected users.

The major project phase

The major project will allow you to develop and design your own brief. This can be done either in a University context or as part of an industrial placement. Importantly, the research has to be shown to achieve breadth and depth, your concept needs to be considered and you will achieve and sustain a systematic investigation of a research project. You will also foster relevant skills in your chosen area of study and will combine a body of theoretical and visual research with practical experimentation, to result in a presentable outcome with relevant documentation.

Teaching and assessment

This Master's degree is a taught programme, so you will receive stimulating input as part of a cohesive student group. At postgraduate level, you are then expected to apply your initiative and work independently, while receiving tutorial support on a one-to-one basis. Some projects also require you to work and act as part of a peer group, either within discussions in seminars, peer exchange or to collaborate on projects. The main parts of the assessed work are practical artefacts, which are to be underpinned by some form of documentation of visual and theoretical research, experimentation and learning journey. There are also some written components, mainly in the form of short essays, proposals and research documentation.

The course can be studied full time over one year or part time over two years and you have the opportunity to undertake an industrial placement in the major project phase.

A year in industry

In part-time study mode, it is very common to be able to work while studying on this course. Some employers encourage this, depending on their invested interest and may give you a day a week off or even sponsor you.

Career prospects

Students graduating from this course have achieved considerable success within the professional fields of interactive multimedia and digital communications. Depending on your chosen focus of study, you will develop skills relevant to a range of digital media jobs such as designer, producer and/or manager. You will be able to critically and effectively position yourself and your contribution within the production process. Most opportunities that have arisen for our graduates have focused on visual and moving image design and interactive desig for cultural and commercial environments, increasingly within the internet domain.

Facilities and features

Portsmouth School of Art, Design and Media has a range of facilities to create images or objects. This includes wood, metal and ceramics workshops, as well as letterpress and screen printing equipment.

We have dedicated computer suites equipped with the latest software to enable you to produce digital media and design interactive content through manipulating images, editing videos and sound etc. You will also have access to a virtual reality and motion capture suite.

The University Library houses a vast collection of relevant texts. It has recently undergone a major refurbishment, providing a contemporary space to study. The library also has access to specialist databases, with a lot of content being downloadable via the internet from any location. Our enthusiastic and helpful subject librarians will also be able to help with any queries, from searching to referencing. There are also a range of services to help with other needs, such as academic skills support.

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for MA Design for Digital Media are shown above, for more detailed information please contact:

Department: School of Art, Design and Media (ADM)
Tel: +44 (0)23 9284 2421
Email: create.admissions@port.ac.uk