The Master of Arts in Experimental Digital Media (MA-XDM) engages students coming from any discipline in the analysis and creation of media in broad cultural and technological contexts. Objects of study range from memes and video games to AI and interactive art. The program is rooted in fields such as media theory, tech ethics, feminist media studies, social media studies, critical design, device and interface analysis, and game studies. MA-XDM faculty members support students in developing hands-on projects to complement their studies, and students receive training in research-creation through the foundational course in Critical Design Methods (ENGL 701). Graduates from MA-XDM are employed as information designers, tech ethics consultants, communications managers, game designers, content creators, and media artists; other students go on to doctoral programs.
The MA-XDM can also be taken in the co-op stream.
Full program information and regulations are available in the Graduate Calendar. Admission requirements and the application process can be accessed on the English (Experimental Digital Media) - Master of Arts (MA) webpage.
. MA-XDM specific requirements can be tracked with the help of our department checklists.
You can earn your MA-XDM by following any of the following streams:
-
Course work
- Major Research Project (MRP)
The following sections outline the shared requirements of all streams and the individual requirements of each.
Shared requirements
The following requirements are shared between all streams:
Academic integrity workshop
All students are required to complete a University of Waterloo workshop on academic integrity and sign a pledge to conduct their research with scrupulous honesty. The workshop takes place before classes begin and students will not be allowed to take classes until they have signed the pledge.