Rochester Institute of Technology offers two closely related New Media degrees:

• BS in New Media Interactive Development, the focus of this Web site,
  offered by the Information Technology Department in the Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences
• BFA in New Media Design and Imaging [http://cias.rit.edu/design]
  from the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences [http://cias.rit.edu/]

The successful practice of new media requires the close collaboration of designers, information technologists, and business planners. Even more so than with traditional media, collaboration between professionals with these different skill sets has become the norm. To successfully navigate the waters of the new media marketplace, practitioners must have the ability to work with and understand the needs of professionals from other disciplines. The New Media programs enable students from different disciplines to learn and work in close collaboration with one another. Although each degree path has a unique emphasis, they share common courses that introduce New Media students to technical, aesthetic, and project development issues relevant across a broad range of professional career paths.

As a New Media student, you will focus on content development, one of the most exciting areas in the new media industry. The content development process entails:

• Identifying the purpose and intended users of the product
• Determining how to best organize and present the desired content
• Selecting appropriate technologies and deployment strategies
• Creating an attractive and usable product design
• Implementing that design effectively and cost-efficiently
  

The New Media Interactive Development program includes foundation courses that range from the technical to the artistic, with coursework in graphic design, programming, photographic imaging, video, publishing, and information technology. Students acquire technical skills by taking required and elective courses from the Information Technology Department. They acquire and enhance existing design skills by taking courses from the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences.