Computation Arts

Curriculum

Specialization in Computation Arts - 60 credits
Students interested in either a design or studio practice in digital media with a solid technical foundation should consider the Specialization.

Major in Computation Arts - 45 credits*
Students interested in combining a design or studio practice in digital media with a deep foundation in computer science should consider the Major.

Minor in Computation Arts - 24 credits
Computation Arts (CART) explores the use of computers as a new medium for creative expression. Using digital media, the program provides students with a rich foundation for innovative work that crosses the areas of design, art and technology. CART educates students to pursue careers as designers, artists and/or researchers who can work in an interdisciplinary manner in the rapidly developing creative industries.

Program philosophy

CART is a unique digital media program that features extensive interaction between students and professors. We take a studio approach to instruction, with class sizes of twenty-two students or less, and all of our faculty teach extensively at the undergraduate level. The faculty is heavily involved with local, national and international digital media practice, and direct research studios such as Obx Labs, XS Lab, Topological Media Lab and LabXmodal. We involve our undergraduate students heavily in our lab work, providing them with plentiful opportunities for engaging in high-level research and creation.

We are interested in developing students whose work is aesthetically engaging, conceptually provocative and technically innovative. Teaching and practice focuses on an awareness of the cultural and political implications of a society that is increasingly wired and networked. The CART program emphasizes technically strong creative production in four areas of concentration of interactive media:

1. screen media
2. network media
3. time-based media such as audio and video
4. physical media & environments.

The CART curriculum includes courses in interaction design, game design and development, programming, tangible media (electronics, sensors, and physical computing), computational media (real-time graphics, video, and sound), social media, interactive media environments and new media theory.

We educate students to have the flexibility to move between and integrate into different disciplines with ease, giving them first hand exposure to interdisciplinary ways of thinking that extend gallery-based fine arts practice and consultancy-based design practice. This gives our graduates a strategic strength that translates into long careers that thrive in an ever-changing technological landscape.

You can learn more about game design perspectives here.

* The Major in Computation Arts must be taken in combination with the Option in Computer Applications offered by the Department of Computer Science.

Student perspectives

CART alumni started cutting-edge multidisciplinary design studios such as Departement and Eski, and work at, among others, Moment Factory, Blue Sponge, and Sid Lee; they are involved with leading game development studios such as Ubisoft, Behaviour, Electronic Arts and Warner Brothers Interactive; they work at world-class software and hardware companies such as Microsoft, IBM and Matrox; and can be found at architecture studios such as Les Architectes FABG. CART alumni have gone on to graduate school at MIT, University of California, Ontario College of Art and Design, Simon Fraser University, University of Toronto, McGill, Université de Montréal, Université du Québec à Montréal, Royal College of Art, Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design, NYU Interactive Telecommunications Program, the Leipzig Academy of the Visual Arts, and the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Courses

For a list of required courses please download the Program Guide according to year of entry. For a complete list of course descriptions please consult the Undergraduate Calendar. Advanced level students have the opportunity to pursue Independent Study courses and Internships.

Schedules for courses are available on the class schedules website.