Learning Outcomes

  • Research and analyze emerging digital media and media management precepts, best practices, methods and theories as a foundation for designing, developing, and managing innovative media productions.
  • Collaborative on multi-disciplinary work teams to design and produce digital media content that exemplifies students' expertise in digital media theory, design, writing, and production.
  • Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to complex digital media design, development, and management projects.
  • Develop knowledge and skills in planning, organizing, and executing digital media productions that include various media forms (e.g., video, sound, graphics, and animation).
  • Develop proficiency in technologies used for digital media design, development and evaluation.
  • Conceptualize creative design ideas in the form of prototypes that communicate design precepts and requirements.
  • Understand the nature of digital media and media management in a global context and their relevance to a diversity of disciplines and fields (e.g., business/industry, education, research, law, medicine, science).
  • Develop knowledge and competencies that exemplify professional ethics and ethical leadership in the digital media and media management fields.
  • Cultivate life-long learning practices to engender engagement with the profession including: accessing and contributing to journals and professional literature; participating in professional associations and meetings.

Requirements for the
M.F.A. Degree (42 credits)

The M.F.A. in Media Arts and Technology incorporates three tracks from which students choose a path:

1. Creative and Strategic Media
2. Interactive Design
3. Photography and Film

Each track is 39 credits of course work coupled with a 3-credit capstone Project/Thesis course for a total of 42 credits. 

Core for all Tracks: (15 Credits)

  • DMA 501 Introduction to Media Design
  • MDIA 565 Ethical issues in Media
  • MDIA 567 Research Methods
  • MDIA 582 Legal Issues in Media Law
  • Project /Thesis (3 credits):

Creative and Strategic Media Track 
(18 credits)

  • MDIA 501 - Workshop: Creativity in Media
  • MDIA 541 - Media Writing
  • DMA 505 - Graphic Design Process
  • MDIA 517 - Critical Studies in Media
  • MDIA 568 - Seminar: Media Entrepreneurship

Additional track requirement (student chooses one of the following 3 credits):

  • ADPR 518 - Public Relations Campaigns
  • ADPR 519 - Advertising Campaigns, Writing, and Production
  • JOUR 571 - Investigative Reporting
  • JOUR 569 - Magazine Journalism
  • MDIA 584 - Media Lab

Electives (9 Credits)

Interactive Design Track (21 credits)

  • DMA 562 - Seminar: Elements of User Experience (UX) Design
  • DMA 564 - Human-Computer Interaction Studio
  • DMA 522 - Kinetic Design Techniques OR DMA 505 - Graphic Design Process
  • DMA 545 - Interactive Design Studio (Methods)
  • DMA 574 - Interactive Design Studio (Process)
  • DMA 572 - Development Studio I (Creative coding)
  • DMA 575 - Development Studio II (Cross-Channel Experiences)

Electives (6 credits) 

Photography and Film Track (21 credits)

  • DMA 505 - Graphic Design Process
  • DMA 583 - Photography Studio I
  • MDIA 571 - Media Writing
  • MDIA 571 - Investigative Reporting
  • DMA 579 - Digital Video Production Studio I
  • DMA 583 - Photography Studio II
  • DMA XXX (TBD) - Digital Video Production Studio I

Electives (6 Credits)

Project/Thesis Course

Typically, in the last semester of coursework, students register for the "Project" or "Thesis" course (MDIA 700) in which they develop a proposal for their project/thesis committee to approve.

Upon approval, students receive an IP (in progress) grade for this course until the project or thesis is complete, at which time they receive a P (passing) grade and the M.F.A. degree is issued. Students register for MDIA 700 once.

Additionally, to maintain enrolled status at Duquesne, each semester until students complete the project or thesis they register for GRAS 700 (Continuous Registration Fee). Registration for Continuous Registration (GRAS 700) is restricted. Therefore, students must request registration by sending an email to the Graduate School Office and the MEDIA Department Graduate Director.

Students have a maximum of two years to submit their final work to their committee. The two-year time limit on the project/thesis is subject to the college's policy that graduate students have a maximum of six years to complete graduate work.

Requirements for the Accelerated Program
for the M.F.A. Degree

Undergraduate students in the MEDIA Department can choose to enter the accelerated path to the Master of Fine Arts. Beginning in their junior year, and after acceptance into the accelerated path, MEDIA students can begin to take graduate level courses. Students in this accelerated path can take up to 12 credits of graduate level courses, which will apply to their undergraduate degree. Once the student formally moves from Undergraduate to Graduate status, and assuming that the student has achieved a B or above in those graduate courses, those 12 credits of graduate work will apply towards the 42 credit requirement for the Master of Fine Arts. This would leave 30 credits, plus a the project left for the student to complete in order to receive the MFA degree.