Undergraduate Program

BA New Media

Minor in New Media

Bachelor of Arts Degree in New Media: Degree Requirements

The minimum number of credits required to graduate is 120 with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 is required in the major and New Media majors must have a “C-” or better in each required course in their major. New Media majors must complete a minimum of 48 credit hours in New Media courses. All courses required by the New Media degree program must be taken for a grade; courses taken pass/fail will not count. In addition to New Media degree program requirements, students must meet any graduation requirements set forth by the University, such as General Education course requirements, and any requirements required by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

For the first two years as a New Media Major, students acquire a common foundation that exposes them to key themes in the history and theory of creative technologies and provides them a firm grounding in the essential tools and techniques of digital creativity, from digital design and video production to coding and 3D fabrication.

Six category courses in the second and third year cultivate breadth and depth in areas of the student’s choosing. Majors choose a pair of courses from both technical and perceptual classifications (Categories 1 and 2) and then follow with two advanced courses (Category 3). Numerous New Media elective courses are also available in the program.

New Media majors are encouraged also to apply new media strategies and techniques to other fields, including within their required Minor. Students must complete an approved minor in some department outside their home program. For a listing of Minors, see https://catalog.umaine.edu/ > select current catalog > select in right menu Majors and Minors. Minors typically require 18-21 credit hours.

Along with a third-year course in community collaboration and development, a year-long, six­ credit senior capstone completes the BA. Here, students conceive, design, produce, and launch an advanced new media project that must incorporate an innovation in expression, application, development or implementation. Among past capstone projects have included those creating and incorporating experimental documentary, feature, and animated videos, mobile and wearable apps, community-based storytelling, interactive games and installations.

Each New Media Major is required to have a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air laptop capable of performing essential functions that are taught in core New Media courses. Purchase of additional hardware and software may be necessary depending on each student’s specialized interests. Minimum specifications for new media computers are available by consulting Appendix A of the SCIS Common Use Labs in Boardman Hall Lab Manual.

New Media Courses (48 credit hours):

Foundation Requirements:
Students must take all of the following courses:
NMD 100 – Introduction to New Media (3 cr)
NMD 104 – New Media Design (3 cr)
NMD 106 – Time-Based Media (3 cr)
NMD 200 – New Media Strategies (3 cr)
NMD 211 – Creative Coding II (3 cr)

One of the following courses:

NMD 105 – Creative Coding I (3 cr) (Recommended)
COS 120 – Introduction to Programming I (3 cr)
COS 125 – Introduction to Problem Solving Using Computer Programming (3 cr)
COS 220 – Introduction to C++ Programming (3 cr)

Project-Based Requirements:
Students must take all of the following classes:
NMD 306 – Community Collaboration and Development Credits: 3
NMD 498 – New Media Capstone I Credits: 3
NMD 499 – New Media Capstone II Credits: 3

Category Requirements:
Students must take a minimum of two courses from each of the following three categories, for a total of 18 credits:

Category 1 (Technical/Conceptual)
NMD 342 – Interaction Design and Physical Computing Credits: 3
NMD 345 – Web Applications Credits: 3
NMD 442 – User Experience Design Credits: 3
Category 2 (Perceptual/Conceptual)
NMD 341 – Photographic Reporting and Storytelling Credits: 3
NMD 343 – SL: Digital Narrative Workshop I Credits: 3
NMD 344 – Time-Based Art and Design I Credits: 3
Category 3 (Advanced)
NMD 443 – Digital Narrative Workshop II Credits: 3
NMD 444 – Time-Based Art and Design II Credits: 3
NMD 445 – Mobile Applications Credits: 3

Free Electives

Free electives may include any of the New Media Category 1, 2 and 3 courses not already taken, any additional NMD elective courses offered (listed below), and any other campus courses. Free electives may be taken prior to the senior year by planning your schedule appropriately. Among additional New Media elective courses available might include:
NMD 245 – Film Criticism and Theory (3 cr)
NMD 250 – Electronic Music Composition I: Item and Arrangement (3 cr)
NMD 251 – Electronic Music Composition II: Composing a Process (3 cr)
NMD 324 – Year in Film I (3 cr)
NMD 358 – Documentary Film Criticism and Theory (3 cr)
NMD 370 – 3D Modeling and Animation (3 cr)
NMD 424 – Year in Film II (3 cr)
NMD 441 – Documentary Photography and Audio (3 cr)
Special topics and independent study courses that might additionally be available include:
NMD 295 – Topics in New Media (1-3 cr)
NMD 398 – Topics in New Media (1-3 cr)
NMD 430 – Topics in New Media (1-3 cr)
NMD 490 – Independent Study in New Media (3 cr)

General Education Requirements

The UMaine General Education course requirements may be found under Student Records (https://studentrecords.umaine.edu/) > Academics (top menu) > Gen Ed Requirements. Since a single course may cover more than one Human Values and Social Context requirement, you may reduce your course load requirements by making thoughtful selections.

Model Curriculum for the B.A. in New Media

The schedule below illustrates one way of meeting the degree requirements within four years. Sufficient hours must be included to reach the University degree minimum of 120. All School, College and University requirements must be met. Electives may be moved around assuming that all prerequisites for courses have been met. Please be aware that certain students on financial aid must take a minimum of 15 credits per semester.

First year

First Semester (15 Credits)

NMD 100 Introduction to New Media • Credits: 3 • Prerequisite: none
NMD 104 New Media Design • Credits: 3 • Prerequisite: none
ENG 101 College Composition • Credits: 3
General Education Elect (Math) • Credits: 3
General Education Elect (Science) • Credits: 3

Second Semester (15 Credits)

NMD 105 Creative Coding I • Credits: 3 • Prerequisites: NMD 100 & NMD 104
NMD 106 Time-Based Media • Credits: 3 • Prerequisites: NMD 100 & NMD 104
General Education Elect • Credits: 4
General Education Elect (Math) • Credits: 3
General Education Elect (Ethics) • Credits: 3

Second year

First Semester (15 Credits)

NMD 200 New Media Strategies • Credits: 3 • Prerequisite: (NMD 100 or 104) & NMD 106
NMD 211 Creative Coding II • Credits:  • Prerequisite:  NMD 105
General Education (Lab Science) • Credits: 3-4
General Education Elect • Credits: 3
Course in Minor • Credits: 3

Second Semester (15 Credits)

NMD Category 1 or 2 Course • Credits: 3 • Prerequisites: See below
General Education Elect • Credits: 3
General Education Elect • Credits: 3
General Education Elect • Credits: 3
Course in Minor • Credits: 3

Junior year

First Semester (15 Credits)

NMD Category 1 or 2 Course • Credits: 3 • Prerequisite: See below
NMD Category 1 or 2 Course • Credits: 3 • Prerequisite:  See below
NMD Category 1 or 2 Course • Credits: 3 • Prerequisite: See below
ENG 317 Business and Technical Writing* • Credits: 3
Course in Minor • Credits: 3

Second Semester (15 Credits)

NMD 306 Community Collaboration and Development  • Credits: 3 • Prerequisites: NMD 211 & NMD 212
NMD Category 3 Course• Credits: 3 • Prerequisites: See below
NMD Category 3 Course• Credits: 3 • Prerequisites: See below
Free Elective • Credits: 3
Course in Minor • Credits: 3

Senior year

First Semester (15 Credits)

NMD 498 New Media Capstone I • Credits: 3 • Prerequisite: NMD senior & C or better in NMD 306
Free Elective (may be NMD elective) • Credits: 3
Free Elective (may be NMD elective) • Credits: 3
Free Elective • Credits: 3
Course in Minor • Credits: 3

Second Semester (15 Credits)

NMD 499 New Media Capstone II • Credits: 3 • Prerequisite: NMD 498
Free Elective (may be NMD elective) • Credits: 3
Free Elective (may be NMD elective) • Credits: 3
Free Elective • Credits: 3
Course in Minor • Credits: 3

* Also recommended depending on the interests of a student include other writing intensive courses outside of the major at the 200 level or above (such as ENG 205 & ENG  206) that meet the UMaine General Education requirement for this category.

New Media Majors are required to take two courses in each of the following three categories.

Category 1 Courses

Technical / Conceptual Credits Prerequisites
NMD 342 Interaction Design and Physical Computing 3 NMD 211
NMD 345 Web Applications 3 NMD 200 & 211
NMD 442 User Experience Design 3 NMD 211

Category 2 Courses

 

Perceptual / Conceptual Credits Prerequisites
NMD 341 Photographic Reporting and Storytelling 3 NMD 200 & 211
NMD 343 Digital Narrative Workshop I 3 NMD 200 & 211
NMD 344 Time Based Art & Design I 3 NMD 200 & 211

Category 3 Courses

Advanced Credits Prerequisites
NMD 443 Digital Narrative Workshop II 3 NMD 343
NMD 444 Time Based Art & Design II 3 NMD 344
NMD 445 Mobile Applications 3 NMD 345

Minor in New Media

A complete description of the New Media minor may be found in the official catalog at Undergraduate Catalog > select current academic year catalog > select Majors and Minors (right menu) > select Minor: New Media

Minor Requirements
Students pursuing the minor in New Media must complete a total of 18 credits, including 12 credits of introduction to New Media and 6 credits of New Media elective courses.

Introduction to New Media (12 credits)
NMD 100 – Introduction to New Media (3 cr)
NMD 104 – New Media Design (3 cr)
NMD 105 – Creative Coding I (3 cr)
NMD 106 – Time-Based Media (3 cr)

Electives in New Media (6 credits)
NMD 200 – New Media Strategies (3 cr)
NMD 211 – Creative Coding II (3 cr)
NMD 250 – Electronic Music Composition I: Item and Arrangement (3 cr)
NMD 251 – Electronic Music Composition II: Composing a Process (3 cr)
NMD 306 – Community Collaboration and Development (3 cr)
NMD 324 – Year in Film I (3 cr)
NMD 341 – Photographic Reporting and Storytelling (3 cr)
NMD 342 – Interaction Design and Physical Computing (3 cr)
NMD 343 – SL: Digital Narrative Workshop I (3 cr)
NMD 344 – Time-Based Art and Design I (3 cr)
NMD 345 – Web Applications (3 cr)
NMD 358 – Documentary Film Criticism and Theory (3 cr)
NMD 370 – 3D Modeling and Animation (3 cr)
NMD 424 – Year in Film II (3 cr)
NMD 441 – Documentary Photography and Audio (3 cr)
NMD 442 – User Experience Design (3 cr)
NMD 443 – Digital Narrative Workshop II (3 cr)
NMD 444 – Time-Based Art and Design II (3 cr)
NMD 445 – Mobile Applications (3 cr)