As the contemporary media landscape grows ever more complex, a new undergraduate degree offered by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will provide students with the necessary critical framework to engage with, participate in, and study the media on a global scale.

Open to any students interested in strategic and creative writing, in media and communication theory, and in graphic, interactive, and mixed-reality design, the new bachelor of science degree in communication, media, and design launched this semester by the Department of Communication and Media at Rensselaer is focused on developing versatile, professional, and creative communicators for 21st century multimedia and multicultural environments.

“A critical understanding of the media has never been as crucial as it is today,” said June Deery, the head of the department. “Graduates of our program will recognize the media as vital cultural technologies that shape and are shaped by the rest of society.”

The inclusion of “design” is key to the department’s distinctive approach to communication, which is based in both theory and practice. In today’s networked world, design and design thinking foster excellence, innovation, and social change. The broad range of communication and research practices that students graduating from this program will be prepared for will be fundamental to a wide range of careers – from content creators and creative directors to data visualizers, from motion graphics animators to user-interface or mixed-reality designers.

The program is also designed to benefit Rensselaer students pursuing degrees in engineering, the sciences, and management who want the advantages of a competitive dual degree or a minor in communication, media, and design.

“We are excited to be making new investments in people, resources, and facilities that will advance our mission to prepare students to communicate strategically in a variety of professional, academic, and artistic contexts,” Deery said.

The Department of Communication and Media at Rensselaer is committed to its role as an innovative center for communication, media, and design studies. As such, it is a vital component of The New Polytechnic, the interdisciplinary model for research and education at Rensselaer.