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Coursework & thesis
Learn about coursework and thesis requirements for SIAT graduate students.
SIAT coursework
SIAT fosters dialogue and shared work around its core ideas of design, interactivity, art, computation and technology. The SIAT program, faculty, and facilities enable students to explore, engage, and develop their research methods.
SIAT graduate students aim to:
- Research technology in its contexts, particularly the computation that drives much current technological development
- Understand how people invent, design, make, manage and learn about technology
- Create, demonstrate and use new technology in society and industry, particularly in creative industries
- Develop and refine research methods and designs suitable for interdisciplinary inquiry
Required foundation coursework
All SIAT graduate students must complete the Research Colloquium (IAT-805) course. As part of the requirement for a SIAT Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MSc), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program you must attend two terms of the Research Colloquium and do juried presentations. For MA or MSc students one presentation is required. For PhD students two presentations some time over the term of their graduate program are required. This can be done via the Research Colloquium, a paper, a poster or some other type of juried publication.
MA and MSc students must complete all three of the following courses. PhD students must complete two, only one of the two can be a research methodology course.
Elective coursework requirements
In addition to the required foundation coursework listed above thesis based master's students and all PhD students must complete an additional 6 credits of elective coursework to achieve their overall coursework requirements of 15 credits (masters) and 12 credits (PhD). Project based master's students must complete an additional 15 credits of elective coursework to achieve their overall coursework requirements of 24 credits. Graduate elective courses, special topics and directed reading course are offered in areas of shared faculty interest and vary each semester.
The following is a sample list of possible elective courses:
- Qualitative Research Methods and Design (IAT 801)
- Quantitative Research Methods and Design (IAT 802)
- New Media (IAT 810)
- Artificial Intelligence in Computational Art and Design (IAT 813)
- Knowledge Visualization and Communication (IAT 814)
- Learning Design and Media (IAT 830)
- Encloding Media Practice (IAT 831)
- Exploring Interactivity (IAT832)
- Mixed Methods in Design Research (IAT 834)
- Models of Networked Practice (IAT 840)
- Mediated, Virtual, and Augmented Reality (IAT 848)
- Visually Enabled Reasoning (IAT 854)
- Special Topics I - VIII (IAT 881-IAT 888); All special topic courses are per term, by approval of graduate program committee.
- Directed Reading I, II, II (IAT 871); Only one directed reading can be counted towards degree requirements, and directed reading request form must be completed.
MA, MSc project
SIAT project-based master's graduate students must complete a one term project report and oral presentation in an area of specialization related to research areas in SIAT and decided upon with an assigned project supervisor.
Information for Project-Based Masters Students.pdfDownload for more information about the project-based master's program structure, requirements and expectations, program advising, and additional resources.
MA, MSc thesis and PhD dissertation
SIAT PhD and thesis-based master's graduate students must complete a thesis, a major work that conveys and explains their contribution to their field. PhD students must complete a comprehensive examination that tests for depth of inquiry, breadth of knowledge and scholarly skill.