Program: Interactive Media, B.S. - Middle Tennessee State University

Apr 04, 2025

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Media Arts
Todd O’Neill
(615) 898-5830
todd.oneill@mtsu.edu

The Interactive Media program focuses on interactive and new media content. This interdisciplinary program combines the use of text, images, video, sound, graphics, and interactivity to communicate through a variety of ever-changing digital platforms such as social media, apps, virtual and augmented reality, and games. The curriculum includes content creation, strategy, measurement, and management in a blend of theoretical and hands-on approaches. The curriculum culminates with a senior capstone course and an internship in a professional setting.

NOTE: Majors must complete all major course requirements with a grade of C (2.00) or better.

Admission to Candidacy

To be admitted to candidacy in the Interactive Media program, the student must meet the following requirements:

45 hours completed before applying for candidacy
Passing grade for EMC 1010
Grade of B (3.00) or better in each of the following:

EMC 1020 /RIM 1020 /JOUR 1020

IAM 2500

IAM 3060

IAM 3065

Math course satisfying True Blue Core requirements

Grade of C (2.00) or better in ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020 .

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Interactive Media, B.S., Academic Map

Degree Requirements

True Blue Core (TBC)	41 hours
Major Requirements	52 hours*
College Core	9 hours
Interactive Media Requirements	43 hours
Minor	15-18 hours
Electives	9-12 hours
TOTAL	120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the True Blue Core curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill True Blue Core requirements, the number of elective hours will increase.

True Blue Core (41 hours)

True Blue Core (TBC) requirements (shown in curricular listings below) include courses in the Foundational Skills areas of Written Communication (WC), Information Literacy (Info Lit), Non-Written Communication (NWC), and Quantitative Literacy (Quant Lit). Knowledge Domains include Human Society and Social Relationships (HSSR), Scientific Literacy (Sci Lit), Creativity and Cultural Expression (CCE), and History and Civic Learning (HCL), which include Discovery and Explorations categories. Students must choose at least one course from each Discovery category.

The following courses required by the major meet True Blue Core requirements:

EMC 1020 /JOUR 1020 /RIM 1020 (HSSR)
COMM 2830 (HSSR)
ENGL 1010 (WC)
ENGL 1020 (Info Lit)

Major Requirements (52 hours)

College Core (9 hours)

EMC 1020 - Introduction to Media and Entertainment 3 credit hours OR
RIM 1020 - Introduction to Media and Entertainment 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 1020 - Introduction to Media and Entertainment 3 credit hours
(may be counted in the True Blue Core)
IAM 3060 - Writing for Interactive Experiences 3 credit hours
IAM 3670 - Digital Media Law and Policy 3 credit hours OR
EMC 4250 - Media Law 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 4250 - Media Law 3 credit hours

Interactive Media Requirements (43 hours)

COMM 2830 - Introduction to Online Communication 3 credit hours (may be counted in the True Blue Core)
CSCI 1150 - Computer Orientation 3 credit hours
EMC 1010 - Orientation to Media Arts 1 credit hour
EMC 4000 - Media Internship 1 to 3 credit hours (3 credit hours required)
IAM 2500 - Survey of Interactive Media 3 credit hours
IAM 3065 - Audiences and Messaging 3 credit hours
IAM 4100 - Professional Practice in Interactive Media 3 credit hours
IAM 4460 - Interactive Media Capstone 3 credit hours
VCOM 2950 - Visual Communication Applications 3 credit hours

Major Guided Electives (15 hours)

Choose five:

IAM 3070 - Introduction to Social Media Practice 3 credit hours
IAM 3210 - Interactive Media Applications 3 credit hours
IAM 3250 - Gender and Representation in Interactive Media 3 credit hours
IAM 3610 - Fundamentals of Game Theory and Design 3 credit hours
IAM 3850 - Online Strategy and Search Engine Optimization 3 credit hours
IAM 3950 - Content Strategy and Management 3 credit hours
IAM 4350 - User Experience Fundamentals 3 credit hours
IAM 4450 - Understanding Digital Analytics 3 credit hours
IAM 4800 - Seminar in Media Issues 3 credit hours
IAM 4950 - Advanced Seminar-Interactive Media 3 credit hours

Approved Major General Elective (3 hours)

Choose one:

BCED 3510 - Business Communication 3 credit hours
BCED 4660 - Corporate Communication 3 credit hours
ENGL 3620 - Professional Writing 3 credit hours
ENGL 4640 - Advanced Topics in Technical Writing and Communication 3 credit hours
ENTR 2900 - Entrepreneurship 3 credit hours
JOUR 3560 - Podcasting in Journalism 3 credit hours
JOUR 3600 - Digital and Media Literacy 3 credit hours
JOUR 3841 - Data Skills for Media Professionals 3 credit hours
MKT 3820 - Principles of Marketing 3 credit hours
PHIL 3170 - Ethics and Computing Technology 3 credit hours
PHOT 1050 - Basic Digital Photography 3 credit hours
PSY 4340 - Human Factors Psychology 3 credit hours
PWR 3010 - Community Writing 3 credit hours
PWR 3020 - Digital Writing 3 credit hours
PWR 4000 - Experimental Writing 3 credit hours
RIM 3011 - Survey of Audio Technology 3 credit hours
VCOM 3920 - Information Web Design 3 credit hours
VFP 1080 - Post-Production I 3 credit hours
VFP 2130 - Single Cam I 3 credit hours

Minor (15-18 hours)

Electives (9-12 hours)

Curriculum: Interactive Media

Freshman

COMM 2830 - Introduction to Online Communication 3 credit hours (HSSR)
EMC 1010 - Orientation to Media Arts 1 credit hour
ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (WC)
ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Info Lit)
IAM 2500 - Survey of Interactive Media 3 credit hours
Non-Written Communication 3 credit hours
Quantitative Literacy 3 credit hours
Creativity and Cultural Expression 3 credit hours
Human Society and Social Relationships/Elective 3 credit hours
Elective 3 credit hours
EMC 1020 - Introduction to Media and Entertainment 3 credit hours (HSSR) OR
JOUR 1020 - Introduction to Media and Entertainment 3 credit hours (HSSR) OR
RIM 1020 - Introduction to Media and Entertainment 3 credit hours (HSSR)

Subtotal: 31 credit hours

Sophomore

CSCI 1150 - Computer Orientation 3 credit hours
IAM 3060 - Writing for Interactive Experiences 3 credit hours
IAM 3065 - Audiences and Messaging 3 credit hours
VCOM 2950 - Visual Communication Applications 3 credit hours
Creativity and Cultural Expression Literature 3 credit hours
Scientific Literacy 4 credit hours
Creativity and Cultural Expression 3 credit hours
Minor courses 6 credit hours
Elective 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 credit hours

Junior

IAM 4100 - Professional Practice in Interactive Media 3 credit hours
History and Civic Learning 6 credit hours
Minor course 3 credit hours
IAM guided electives 9 credit hours
Scientific Literacy 4 credit hours
EMC 4250 - Media Law 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 4250 - Media Law 3 credit hours OR
IAM 3670 - Digital Media Law and Policy 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 28 Hours

Senior

EMC 4000 - Media Internship 1 to 3 credit hours (3 credit hours required)
IAM 4460 - Interactive Media Capstone 3 credit hours
Minor courses 6 credit hours
IAM guided electives 6 credit hours
Major general approved elective 3 credit hours
Written Communication/Elective 3 credit hours
Information Literacy/Elective 3 credit hours
Minor/Elective 3 credit hours

Interactive Media, B.S.

Admission to Candidacy

Academic Map

Degree Requirements

True Blue Core (41 hours)

Major Requirements (52 hours)

College Core (9 hours)

Interactive Media Requirements (43 hours)

Major Guided Electives (15 hours)

Approved Major General Elective (3 hours)

Minor (15-18 hours)

Electives (9-12 hours)

Curriculum: Interactive Media

Freshman

Subtotal: 31 credit hours

Sophomore

Subtotal: 31 credit hours

Junior

Subtotal: 28 Hours

Senior

Subtotal: 30 Hours