Interactive Media Design (Co-op and Non Co-op Version) at Algonquin College

Build the creative and technical skills to be adaptable to any media industry career.

Interactive Media Design is a two year Ontario College Diploma program designed to prepare you for a variety of careers in the digital media industry. Web-design and programming, as well as video and motion graphic skills, are in demand in all employment sectors. You explore the primary elements of media project planning and development with equal importance given to the creative and the technical aspects. This balanced learning experience prepares graduates to be generalists in the media industry, meaning you can jump into a wide variety of roles as you begin your careers.

Strong emphasis is placed on hands-on media production through courses in computer-based web design and programming, as well as video and motion graphics. Through a number of program-specific elective courses, you can focus your path towards specializing as a video producer or a web developer, or you can choose to remain as a generalist, depending on your interests. You plan and execute individual and team-based projects under the guidance of a faculty, industry experts in the media field. You gain practical experience working with live clients through applied projects. You navigate these learning opportunities with the operating system of your choice, such as Apple OS X, Windows or other platforms.

This industry-driven program provides you with the diverse skillset that makes you adaptable in today`s dynamic job market across all sectors. Graduates may find employment in a wide variety of fields utilizing their skills in dynamic media development, web design and programming, photography, videography, motion graphics, project management, UX design, graphic design and content management. Other opportunities involve start-up businesses and a wide variety of alternate professional fields.

Students also have the option to gain real-world experience through a paid co-operative education (co-op) work term (see Additional Information for more details). Please note that places in the co-op version of the program are subject to availability. Students who elect to apply to the non co-op version of the program may not have the opportunity to transfer to the co-op version at a later date.

SUCCESS FACTORS

This program is well-suited for students who:

• Are highly adaptable to today`s technology.
• Are imaginative and enjoy solving problems.
• Enjoy a hands-on approach to learning.
• Aspire to balance skills in creative video design with web-development programming.
• Enjoy working on team projects.

Careers

Graduates may expect to find employment in a wide variety of positions such as: media director; video and audio technician; production coordinator; production assistant; production director; technical project lead; graphic layout designer; interactive developer; UX designer; web developer; project manager; videographer; motion graphics editor; web programmer; CMS specialist; video producer; server-side and or client-side programmer.

Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. Complete both individual and collaborative interactive media projects effectively.
2. Use best practices and tools to design and develop dynamic, rich-media content.
3. Contribute to the assessment of the requirements of an interactive media project.
4. Contribute to the development, budgeting, planning and professional presentation of an interactive media project.
5. Design a media project (interface, navigation, graphics, text treatment) using current best practice design and development principles, and applying conceptual and theoretical frameworks.
6. Build effective and dynamic Web sites and/or mobile applications.
7. Identify and analyze ethical and professional issues arising in an online environment.
8. Apply research and conceptual skills to propose possible solutions for mobile/multimedia/Web development problems.
9. Use creative and critical thinking techniques in the effective design, development and implementation of an interactive media project.
10. Contribute to the assessment of the financial, technical and artistic success of an interactive media project.
11. Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Program Eligibility

• English, Grade 12 (ENG4C or equivalent).

• Applicants with international transcripts must provide proof of the subject specific requirements noted above and may be required to provide proof of language proficiency. Domestic applicants with international transcripts must be evaluated through the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) or World Education Services (WES).
• IELTS-International English Language Testing Service (Academic) Overall band of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band; OR TOEFL-Internet-based (iBT) Overall 80, with a minimum of 20 in each component: Reading 20; Listening 20; Speaking 20; Writing 20.

Should the number of qualified applicants exceed the number of available places, applicants will be selected on the basis of their proficiency in English.