¶¡ÏãÔ°AV

Communication and Interactive Arts and Technology Bachelor of Science Joint Major Program

School of Communication | School of Interactive Arts and Technology | Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Calendar 2013 Summer

This program offers in-depth training in new media, design and interactive systems, and combines this with an understanding about how information is created, coded, communicated and controlled. Program graduates benefit from a unique mix of technical skill, communication theory, and practice from across traditional and new media.

¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Requirements

The School of Communication requires a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.50 for entry to this joint major program.

Prerequisite Grade Requirement

Communication and Interactive Arts and Technology course entry require a grade of C- or better in each prerequisite course.

Students must obtain permission from the department if they wish to complete, for further credit, any course that is a prerequisite for a course the student has already completed with a grade of C- or higher.

Program Requirements

Students complete 120 units, as specified below.

Lower Division Requirements

Communication

Note that School of Communication directed studies and field placement courses cannot be used for credit in this program.

Students complete both of

  • CMNS 110 Introduction to Communication Studies (3)
  • CMNS 130 Communication and Social Change (3)

and six 200 division CMNS courses totalling 18 units, including

  • CMNS 253W Introduction to Information Technology: The New Media (3)

and one of

  • CMNS 220 Understanding Television (3)
  • CMNS 221 Media and Popular Cultures (3)
  • CMNS 223W Advertising as Social Communication (3)
  • CMNS 235 News Media, the Public, and Democracy (3)

and one of

  • CMNS 230 The Cultural Industries in Canada: Global Context (3)
  • CMNS 240 The Political Economy of Communication (3)

and one of

  • CMNS 226 Digital Media Communication Techniques (3)
  • CMNS 258 Introduction to Electroacoustic Communication (3)
  • CMNS 259 Acoustic Dimensions of Communication I (3)

and two of

  • CMNS 260 Empirical Communication Research Methods (3)
  • CMNS 261 Documentary Research in Communication (3)
  • CMNS 262 Design and Method in Qualitative Communication Research (3)

Interactive Arts and Technology

Students complete all of

  • CMPT 166 An Animated Introduction to Programming ^ (3)
  • IAT 100 Digital Image Design (3)
  • IAT 102 Graphic Design (3)
  • IAT 201 Human-Computer Interaction and Cognition (3)
  • IAT 265 Multimedia Programming for Art and Design (3)
  • MACM 101 Discrete Mathematics I (3)

and one of

  • IAT 222 Interactive Arts (3)
  • IAT 235 Information Design (3)

^or an equivalent introductory programming course (including CMPT 120, 125, 126 or 128)

Concentrations

In addition, students choose one of three School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT) concentrations, and complete the requirements as follows.

Media Arts Concentration

If students choose this concentration, then they complete

  • IAT 202 New Media Images (3)
Design Concentration

If students choose this concentration, then they complete

  • IAT 233 Spatial Design (3)
Interactive Systems Concentration

If students choose this concentration, then they complete

  • IAT 267 Introduction to Technological Systems (3)

Upper Division Requirements

Communication

Students complete five CMNS courses totalling 22 units including one of

  • CMNS 362 Evaluation Methods for Applied Communication Research (6)
  • CMNS 363 Approaches to Media and Audience Research (6)

and any two upper division four-unit CMNS courses of the student's choice

Concentrations

In addition, students complete two courses in any one of the following concentrations.

Media and Culture Concentration

If students choose this concentration, then they complete two of

  • CMNS 326 Applied Media Workshop: On the Hill (4)
  • CMNS 358 Sound Recording: Theory and Design (4)
  • CMNS 426 Video Design for Social Communication (4)
  • CMNS 428 Media Analysis Project Group (4)
  • CMNS 437 Media Democratization: From Critique to Transformation (4)
Technology and Society Concentration

If students choose this concentration, then they complete two of

  • CMNS 353 Topics in Technology and Society (4)
  • CMNS 354 Communication and Social Issues in Design (4)
  • CMNS 358 Sound Recording: Theory and Design (4)
  • CMNS 359 Acoustic Dimensions of Communication II (4)
  • CMNS 446 Communication, Science and Technology (4)
  • CMNS 453 Issues in the Information Society (4)
  • CMNS 454 Computer Supported Cooperative Work: Critical Perspectives (4)
  • CMNS 455 Women and New Information Technologies (4)
Political Economy and Policy Concentration

If students choose this concentration, then they complete two of

  • CMNS 333 Broadcast Policy and Regulation in the Global Context (4)
  • CMNS 353 Topics in Technology and Society (4)
  • CMNS 433 Issues in Communication and Cultural Policy (4)
  • CMNS 444 Political Economy of International Communication (4)
  • CMNS 446 Communication, Science and Technology (4)
  • CMNS 455 Women and New Information Technologies (4)

Interactive Arts and Technology

Students complete both of

  • IAT 403 Capstone Design Studio I (3)
  • IAT 405 Interdisciplinary Design Studio II (3)
Concentrations

In addition, students complete five courses totaling 15 units in any one of the following concentrations.

Design Concentration

If students choose this concentration, then they complete five of

  • IAT 333 Interaction Design Methods (3)
  • IAT 334 Interface Design (3)
  • IAT 336 Materials in Design (3)
  • IAT 337 Representation and Fabrication (3)
  • IAT 338 Interactive Objects and Environments (3)
  • IAT 431 Speculative Design (3)
Interactive Systems Concentration

If students choose this concentration, then they complete five of

  • IAT 351 Advanced Human-Computer Interaction (3)
  • IAT 352 Knowledge Media Architectures (3)
  • IAT 355 Introduction to Visual Analytics (3)
  • IAT 410 Advanced Game Design (3)
  • IAT 452 Developing Design Tools (3)
  • IAT 455 Computational Media (3)
Media Arts Concentration

If students choose this concentration, then they complete five of

  • IAT 313 Narrative and New Media (3)
  • IAT 320 Body Interface (3)
  • IAT 343 Animation (3)
  • IAT 344 Moving Images (3)
  • IAT 443 Interactive Video (3)
  • IAT 445 Immersive Environments (3)

Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements

Students admitted to ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV beginning in the fall 2006 term must meet writing, quantitative and breadth requirements as part of any degree program they may undertake. See Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements for university-wide information.

WQB Graduation Requirements
A grade of C- or better is required to earn W, Q or B credit.
Requirement

Units

Notes
W - Writing

6

Must include at least one upper division course, taken at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV within the student’s major subject
Q - Quantitative

6

Q courses may be lower or upper division
B - Breadth

18

Designated Breadth Must be outside the student’s major subject, and may be lower or upper division
6 units Social Sciences: B-Soc
6 units Humanities: B-Hum
6 units Sciences: B-Sci

6

Additional Breadth

6 units outside the student’s major subject (may or may not be B-designated courses, and will likely help fulfil individual degree program requirements)
Additional breadth units must be from outside the student's major and may be B-designated (B-Hum, B-Soc, B-Sci courses). Students choosing to complete a joint major, joint honours, double major, two extended minors, an extended minor and a minor, or two minors may satisfy the breadth requirements (designated or not designated) with courses completed in either one or both program areas.

 

Residency Requirements and Transfer Credit

The University’s residency requirement stipulates that, in most cases, total transfer and course challenge credit may not exceed 60 units, and may not include more than 15 units as upper division work.

Elective Courses

In addition to the courses listed above, students should consult an academic advisor to plan the remaining required elective courses.

Students may need to take additional electives to bring their total unit count to a minimum of 120, including 45 upper division units.

Return to communication index page.
Return to interactive arts and technology index page.

For calendar technical problems or errors, contact calendar-sfu@sfu.ca | Calendar changes and corrections