BA in Immersive Media & Mixed Reality at Sacred Heart University

In the Immersive Media & Mixed Reality degree, students learn to communicate effectively with the latest in immersive media. Working in our NeXReality Lab, students prepare for creative careers in the emerging field of interactive communication.

Why Earn Your BA in Immersive Media & Mixed Reality from Sacred Heart?

The interdisciplinary immersive media & mixed reality (IMMR) degree program provides an exceptional opportunity to combine new forms of artistic expression, creative technology and innovative approaches to media management. 

This program aims to open up possibilities, raise questions and engage with human creativity. The fundamental philosophy of the program is to inspire digital expression to enhance human experience through the interconnections among people, new media arts and emerging technologies of communication.

Practical work merges technology with creativity, providing opportunities for collaboration in the following areas: 

• VR/AR/XR creation
• Animation and special effects
• Interactive media design
• Artificial intelligence
• Electronic music
• Innovation and entrepreneurship
• Social media management; and 
• Physical computing

Concentrations

Immersive media & mixed reality majors can choose between two concentrations:

Interactive Filmmaking

The interactive filmmaking concentration pairs a thorough grounding in the form and aesthetics of cinematic storytelling with the skills needed to apply them to developing interactive media.

Interactive Media & Animation

In this interdisciplinary concentration, students connect skills in art, design and animation with our innovative mixed reality curriculum.

Combined BA/MA Program

Incoming freshmen with a strong high school academic performance and an expressed interest in communication are eligible to join our combined five-year program, which leads to the completion of both a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Master of Arts (MA) degree in five years.

Learning Outcomes

Students learn to rethink and reinvent a better world through people-centered experiences with technology and media and become fluent in multiple forms of digital interactivity. Through support from participating faculty from across disciplines in the School of Communication, Media and the Arts such as media theatre arts, communication studies and art and design, students learn how their work can evolve as they partner with and share perspectives with future colleagues. 

Internships

In addition to courses in the history, theory and production of new media, students have the opportunity to participate in internships both within the‌ University and at companies related to the new media/communication industries, including Internet/web content providers, traditional media companies (TV/film/radio), advertising agencies and public relations firms, among many other top industry organizations who partner with Sacred Heart University.

Careers

Students in the IMMR program are prepared for creative careers in the emerging fields within interactive communication, gaining the skills to become industry leaders and entrepreneurs who use the power of technology to respond to the human need for communication and expression. 

Students in IMMR graduate ready for professional careers in the immersive media fields. Current alumni work for such companies as:

• Showtime
• NBC Universal
• Fortune Money Magazine
• Huffington Post
• ESPN
• New York Yankees
• Life & Style Magazine
• MTV
• And many more

Minors

Students from across the university can take advantage of the eight different minors offered by the School of Communication, Media & the Arts:

• Advertising & public relations
• Dance
• Digital communication
• Esports 
• Film & television
• Journalism
• Sports communication & media
• Theatre arts

These minors allow non-majors to explore an area of focus within the fields of Communication, Media & the Arts while developing an understanding of media theory, history and technical skills.