MSc in Interactive Digital Media

Founded in 1996, the MSc in Interactive Digital Media (IDM) was the first of its kind in Ireland. Its graduates work in the digital media and related sectors, both nationally and internationally. It is delivered on a full-time basis over one year and carries a total ECTS weighting of 90.

The course is designed to help students combine their existing skills – technical as well as non-technical – with the knowledge needed to design and develop digital media applications and content on existing and emerging platforms. To this end, the course covers the programming languages and applications used in digital media, a range of design techniques (graphic design, interactive design, UI/UX design, game design) as well as approaches to content creation in a range of modalities (moving image, audio, sensor technologies).

The MSc in Interactive Digital Media lets students build on knowledge gained at the undergraduate level in order to allow them to work and stay current in the digital media sector. Platforms for digital media applications are constantly evolving, and what used to be focused on desktop computers and mobile devices now also include Virtual and Augmented Reality and the Internet of Things. The skill sets required to design and build digital media applications and content have expanded and now include analytical, technical and creative skills. Teams creating digital media are practically always multidisciplinary, so communication is more important than ever.

The course also covers critical thinking around digital media, giving the students the ability to situate works in relevant cultural contexts and anchor their ideas in deeper thinking than is often possible in today’s fast-moving world. While the course covers practical aspects of design and technology, it also includes a solid theoretical foundation for each topic, such as scientific, cultural and critical concerns, rather than focusing exclusively on how to use off-the-shelf applications.

Students are accepted from a wide range of backgrounds, and the range of skills each year facilitates exchange and learning between different disciplines. Students work collaboratively on course assignments and their final projects, which are exhibited publicly at the end of each year in our Annual Showcase.