The graduate program in Digital Futures responds to the increasingly important and sophisticated role of digital technology as a catalyst for change.
Digital Futures has an international student cohort and faculty. The program features collaborative overseas eGlobal courses with world-wide educational and industry partners. A global perspective is key to securing our graduates’ futures in the eclectic international creative digital industries, encompassing design, arts, creative services, entertainment, media and cultural industries. The Digital Futures program is offered in partnership with the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) Media Lab.
The Digital Futures student-centred learning approach applies to both research and practice. The curriculum ensures that you gain core digital knowledge and skills as you explore your specific areas of interest through electives, industry internships, residencies and independent study.
The program focuses on practice-based learning and prototyping, with an enterprise component and supporting thesis research. Industry partnerships help students to build a career runway in advance of graduating. You are encouraged to work with industry partners in internships which lead to mentorship for your thesis research.
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
You should have a background in design, technology, culture and/or enterprise as demonstrated by an undergraduate degree and relevant work experience. Our students are designers and artists, filmmakers, architects, journalists and media specialists, scientists, engineers and business people. This diversity drives peer learning and collaboration across disciplines in the program.
THE MASTER’S DEGREE IN DIGITAL FUTURES
The master's in Digital Futures is a two-year full-time program. In the program, you will develop practice-based and scholarly research in technologically advanced design, art and media through the following:
Critical thinking
Research and practice
Business and innovation studies
Computing and emerging digital methodologies
This is a full-time, 8-credit program comprising:
Foundational courses in computation, business creation, innovation and leadership
Core courses in digital methods, research, theory and practice
Intensive digital project and prototyping courses
Individual research and creation overseen by a principal advisor and supervisory committee
Summer internship and/or study abroad
Elective choices
Creative digital thesis project and supporting paper (MFA/MDes) or a written thesis and supporting creative project (MA)
Students declare their intention to pursue the Master of Design (MDes), Master of Fine Arts (MFA) or Master of Arts (MA) at the time of application. The outcomes of the chosen degree are distinctive. The MDes and MFA focus on practice-based research creation with a supporting thesis. The MA flips that focus, with an emphasis on a scholarly research thesis and a supporting creative project.
ELECTIVE CHOICES
New elective courses are continuously created in response to trends and emerging technologies. These cutting-edge courses cover theory and practice in design, art, media, technology and enterprise. Some examples include:
Body Centric Technologies
Dialogues in Feminism and Technology
Digital Games
Information Visualization
IP: Getting Value from Your Creativity
Web + Mobile System Design
Transmedia Storytelling
Ubiquitous Computing
Affect and Emotion in Practic
Making It Real
From Data to Perception
Special Topic: Family Camera at the ROM
WHERE MIGHT YOUR GRADUATE DEGREE IN THE DIGITAL FUTURES PROGRAM LEAD YOU?
As a Digital Futures graduate, you’ll be qualified to work in positions such as:
App, web, and games designers and developers
Digital project leaders
Cultural industry producers
Managers and coordinators between art and design departments and IT
Creators and developers of your own start-ups
Film, television and digital transmedia producers
Digital strategists and educators
Graduates of the Digital Futures program will be poised to play leadership roles in research and development in the media, arts, technology, entertainment and education sectors.
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