New Graduate Programs Prepare Rutgers–Camden Students to Work in Evolving Digital Landscape

Rutgers Board of Governors approves two master’s degrees in emerging media.

The Rutgers Board of Governors unanimously voted on Wednesday to approve the creation of master of arts (M.A.) and master of professional studies (MPS) degrees in emerging media at Rutgers University–Camden. If approved by the New Jersey Presidents’ Council, which represents the state’s public and private colleges and universities, these degrees would be offered by the Graduate School at Rutgers University–Camden beginning in 2023.

Rutgers University–Camden Chancellor Antonio D. Tillis applauded the Rutgers Board of Governors’ support of the new degrees. “These programs of study will prepare Rutgers–Camden students to be at the forefront of the evolving digital landscape,” said Chancellor Tillis.

“They will be well-positioned to utilize their media production skills in a wide array of professions and academic areas.”

Michelle Meloy, associate dean of the Graduate School, explained that the master’s program in emerging media relies on a combined approach to questions of design and communication, melding perspectives and research methods. Both degrees, she said, will teach theoretical approaches and practical skills in areas such as digital storytelling, interaction design, digital art, digital writing, creative coding and digital archives.

The emerging media graduate program will teach the “how” of digital media production — skills for creating polished digital projects in multiple media platforms — alongside the “why”— questions of ethics and the ways that digital artifacts affect people, places and cultures.

“This program asks students to consider important ethical questions, such as the impact that the project will have on the world,” said Jim Brown, associate professor of English and director of the Digital Studies Center at Rutgers–Camden.

The M.A. program is a two-year, 36-credit program focused on both digital production skills and research methods across a range of disciplines. The M.A. couples media production skills with research ability to prepare students for jobs in marketing, brand strategy, social media, campaign management, product development and more. Students are able to pair their digital production and research skills with courses and methods from across the Graduate School.

Designed for working professionals, the 30-credit MPS program can be completed in a calendar year and shares the same curriculum as the first year of the M.A. program. However, the MPS degree extends this work by providing more courses that allow students to build a portfolio of work. The MPS aims to sharpen transdisciplinary research and design skills, providing ample studio time to those who wish to connect their work in emerging media to projects in their professional fields.