OVERVIEW OF DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Minimum number of credits required to earn minor: 18

GPA requirements to earn minor:  Students graduating with a minor in a CLAS field must earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better in the courses in the minor field that are credited toward completion of the minor.

Minimum Grade requirements for courses to count toward minor: C-

Other requirements:  A minimum of 9 credit hours must be completed at the University of Maine.

Contact Information: Velma Figgins, Administrative Specialist, 5711 Boardman Hall, Room 348, 207-581-4358

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Interested in new/emerging media and technology? The New Media minor may be perfect for you. The Department of New Media created the minor in new/emerging media for the consideration of all students at the University of Maine. Expertise in new and emerging media enhances any major. Expand your comprehension of contemporary communication practices-including digital, mobile, and social media-while learning some of the most effective ways to interact in this continuously evolving environment. Focus on both critical and creative tools across disciplines to build upon your specific goals and interests.

This minor in New Media is designed to prepare students to perform professionally, academically, and personally in a diverse new media environment. The minor provides a foundation upon which students build an understanding of New Media in relation to art, art history, communication, computer science, English, engineering, philosophy, psychology, music, and more.

The minor in New Media is designed for students seeking an introduction to the interdisciplinary applications of computer-based media. The minor enables students from a variety of majors to:

• Learn the technical considerations involved with computer-based manipulation of image.
• Develop aesthetic abilities and problem-solving skills required in creating effective communication in digital environments.
• Understand the interrelationships of new digital media to various professions and fields of study.

The New Media minor explores multiple perspectives of how information or content is created and shaped in new and emerging media, as well as the role and impact of those media on human communication. New Media refers to the emerging digital technologies that enable information to be produced, stored, transmitted, and displayed in new ways. Students will gain an understanding of how these technologies change the ways various types of content can be created, managed, and distributed, as well as their potential to influence the content itself.

Key Concepts, Skills, and Methods

• Fieldwork for understanding people’s needs and the influence of context
• Generative approaches to imagining many possible solutions, such as sketching and an interaction  design method  know  as User  Experience prototyping
• Iterative refinement of designs
• Implementation of iterative prototypes
• Evaluation techniques, including empirical evaluation methods

Benefits of this Minor

• Provides students with a variety of digital technology skills
• Increases knowledge base beyond common core
• Introduces students to cutting-edge digital technologies
• Application of New Media concepts in support of a wide variety of majors
• Job-ready problem-solving and design skills for the modern workplace