Digital Media Arts MA

International equivalencies

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Why study with us?

• Interdisciplinary programme that crosses the traditional boundaries of art and design

• Professional studio environment with the latest digital media technology

• Based in Brighton with exposure to a wide range of new digital and new media activity, and with close proximity to London

• Partnership with Lighthouse, an agency at the heart of Brighton's digital culture

• Guest lectures from leading industry figures such as Roman Verostko, Paul Brown and William Latham

• International links with industry and creative practitioners including ISEA International, ACM SIGGRAPH and Leonardo

• Links with Brighton’s digital industry in the public and commercial sector including Blast Theory, Wired Sussex and Brighton Digital Festival

• Alumni network of designers, developers, agency directors and academics

• Access to a media centre, film and design archives, library materials and research facilities

• Live project work that gives you direct experience and a chance to develop valuable links in the digital media and wider cultural industries

Areas of study

The course is designed to support your individual development and creativity as an artist and producer and is based around an essential core of practice-based learning, underpinned by a programme of theoretical lecture series, artist talks, seminars, workshops, tutorials and independent study.

You will learn core digital media production skills. Specialist workshops have included processing, motion graphics and sound art.

The course supports an interdisciplinary approach that enables you to develop existing skills and experiences in an environment that encourages both innovation and high quality production. Live project work in modules throughout the course will help you gain direct experience and develop valuable links in the digital media industries and wider cultural industries.

Modules will be relevant and up-to-date in this fast changing and evolving digital climate, allowing for flexibility to expand into new areas of development. Examples of theses areas include screen based web design, social media and interactive installations and also including using data analytics, coding, programming and hacking.

You will be taught by a diverse and experienced lecturing team, all of whom are creative practitioners. 

The course offers a flexible mode of study for students, either as a part-time route (two years) or full time (one year). 

Modules

• Cultures of Media Authoring and Web Design
• Virtual Culture and Network Practices
• Practice based Research Methods
• Beyond the Screen: Interactive Installations
• Presenting a Body of Work
• Critical Theory: Media Concepts Research Paper

There will be an increasing emphasis on engaging with script and code, which is particularly pertinent to practical modules as they include the building blocks of developments for creative design, and web applications. These include the following languages - CSS, Flash, Processing, Pure Data, ActionScript 2.0 and 3.0, Wordpress, PHP, HTML5, Javascript, jQuery. MFC, C, OpenGL, Java and Lingo. 

We encourage students to create work through the use of open source data and engaging with hacker ethics, which are concerned primarily with sharing, openness and collaboration, rather than using commercial software. 

Staff profile

Sue Gollifer

Sue Gollifer is the course leader for the Digital Media Arts MA, director of ISEA International, chair of the ACM SIGGRAPH Distinguished Artist Award, co-chair of Phoenix Brighton and a trustee of Lighthouse.

Sue works at the intersection of art and technology as a curator, organiser, professor, researcher, chair, board member and artist in her own right. A pioneer of early computer art, she has continuously explored the relationship between technology and the arts and in both her creative and academic work.

Student views

We surveyed a small group of students about their experiences on the MA course. Here is some of what they had to say:

• "The course gave us an excellent opportunity to explore a wide range of creative technologies under the tutelage of established digital media artists."

• "The course made me step out of my comfort zone and helped me to improve my skills in the field of digital media arts. It also helped me to approach challenges from a different point of view."

• "The theory lectures and seminars helped me to think of myself as an artist, not just a commercial illustrator."

• "I think Ben Sheehan is brilliant and really enjoyed his lessons – he is an amazing tutor and went out of his way to help us."

• "I started the MA with quite low self-esteem and confidence, but now I feel totally confident in myself and able to embark on a career as an artist."

Student work

The Digital Media Arts MA at Brighton develops your production skills and unique artistic approach. Over the course, you will build a substantial body of digital artwork that will help you get ahead in the fast-moving and competitive new media industries. 

You will create your art and design work using a range of digital technologies, producing screen-based work, interactive installations, social media interventions and soundscapes. All students produce work for the assessment show towards the end of the course.

Location

Campus where this course is taught

Accommodation

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Grand Parade campus map