MS Pre-Thesis in Digital Media
DM-GY 9963 A - MS Pre-Thesis in Digital Media
NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Integrated Design and Media program
Fall 2022
Instructor
Elizabeth Henaff
Summary
This is the first of a two-semester sequence, ending in a thesis project of depth and rigor through a process of conceptual exploration, research and execution. The goal for this semester (Pre-Thesis) is to create a rich body of research that explores an idea, a theme, or a project in detail, accompanied by a series of experiments and culminating in a series of proof of concept prototypes. The Pre-Thesis research model is intended to be conceptual, creative, and a place to find the right questions to ask about your topic.
The course will allow students to formulate a thesis question and define a project brief, develop conceptual and theoretical research for their topic, establish research methodologies with relevant methods, develop expertise on the topic, and crystallize research into practice through a series of prototypes. During the semester students will produce a significant body of work born out of a research and making model. A Design and Media thesis is unique in that it is more than a paper and more than a project: it is the combination of the two and is created by synthesizing research in order to understand what to make, i.e, you will be engaged in doing practice-based research.
Curricular Innovation
- developed project guidelines to include outcomes ranging from UX to arts, and defined a new thesis outcome which aims to build portfolio
- designed a detailed, point-based, thesis grading rubric to manage student expectations for assessment
Syllabus