BA Immersive Media & Mixed Reality

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: 

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

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.

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

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.

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. 

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.

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:

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

Majors in interactive media and mixed reality work in the NeXReality Lab equipped with the latest VR/AR/XR technology, which opened in spring 2020. They will also make use of the Martire Center for the Liberal Arts, a $50 million, 120,000-square-foot facility offering unparalleled resources. Students have access to media production studios and interactive laboratories designed to advance the skills and knowledge students need for the global marketplace. Media arts facilities include a studio for beginning and advanced HD television production courses and the state-of-the-art Hubert J. Schlafley, Jr. Digital Media Lab equipped with high-end multimedia production workstations.

Students have the opportunity to participate in a number of extracurricular activities on campus including participation in departmental media organizations that allow them to apply their coursework outside the classroom and gain valuable hands-on experience. The SCMA student organizations produce news stories, publicity campaigns, magazines and movies in addition to hosting events, taking field trips and networking with industry professionals.

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