Media and Information Technology

Benjamin J. Bishop, Ph.D., Director, Computing Sciences Department

Overview

During the lifetime of the current college students, the means of personal and corporate communication have changed dramatically. Computers are as common as microwave ovens and Internet access is as prevalent as cable TV. Cell phones and mp3 players are common possessions of many adults and will only become more widespread in the coming years. The ability to create content for these new media is vital now and will be in the future.

The Media and Information Technology program is our response to this need. This relatively new program combines coursework from several academic departments to provide a unique opportunity for students interested in this field of study. Our course work draws primarily from the departments of Communication, Computing Sciences and Physics/Electrical Engineering. But major electives are also available in Marketing and writing. Because our cognate requirements are very flexible, students can tailor their programs to meet their personal interests.

If the recent past is an indication of the future, the technology used today will be outdated in a few years. Therefore, course requirements are distributed to address theoretical concepts and practical skills. Our goal is to produce graduates who are not only qualified for today’s marketplace, but who will also have the background to continue the lifelong learning that will be necessary to grow professionally in this field.

In addition to courses in the major, the student will develop a content area in another discipline and will be required to produce a major project in this area. This culminating project will demonstrate practical experience as well as theoretical knowledge.

Media and Information Technology students tend to focus their studies on either Web development or digital video production. Students are free to pursue other interdisciplinary interests such as online advertising or database journalism.

Course Information

Courses for Media and Information Technology are listed under the prefixes of COMM, CMPS, MIT, PHYS. For more information on these and all courses offered, visit our Course Descriptions page.