RIT Dubai to launch Bachelor of Fine Arts in New Media Design

New degree program to prepare students for the future of digital communication and design

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) of Dubai is set to launch a new undergraduate degree program that will prepare students for work in the rapidly evolving fields of new media, interactive design, and mobile applications. The Bachelor of Fine Arts in New Media Design will be open to applicants looking to combine technology and creativity to take them to the forefront of future digital communications.

Focussing on the increasing role of the internet and smart devices in reaching and influencing audiences, the new programme will equip participants with advanced skills in visual design, communication, and user experiences, across a full spectrum of digital products and interfaces. Students will have the opportunity to take on real-world challenges and design cutting-edge interactive solutions, ranging from mobile applications to fully immersive digital environments while experimenting with augmented and virtual realities.

Explaining more about the programme, Jason Arena, Associate Professor and Undergraduate Programme Director said, "This major is for students who are fascinated by visual design, user experience design, interactivity, motion graphics, and technology. The first two years focus on practical skills and an introduction to theory, with the third and fourth years covering more theory, which is put into practice through innovative applications. Students are exposed to a vast range of practical skills, including mobile and tablet interface design, website design and development, multiscreen interaction design, 3D modelling and animation, front-end web development, rapid prototyping for onscreen interactivity, and physical computing experimentation."

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in New Media Design sits at the intersection of visual communication, design strategy, and user experience design, opening up a broad range of internship and career opportunities. As part of the immersive curriculum, students will take part in the RIT Dubai Cooperative Education programme, which provides hands-on industry experience before graduation.

Arena continued: "Graduates of this degree are frequently employed as interactive user experience designers or interactive visual designers. With the skills taught in the program, students can also pursue careers in motion graphics design or development. Many graduates of the program in the USA have been employed in renowned companies such as Pinterest, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, Meta, Google Creative Labs, Buck Animation, Microsoft, and Johnson & Johnson. We anticipate that graduates from the Dubai program will also be in high demand among leading companies across the region, such as Accenture, HP and W Motors."

Like all degree programmes offered by RIT Dubai, the Bachelor of Fine Arts in New Media Design will allow students to undertake their studies in the UAE and earn an American degree from the institution's main campus in New York. Participants can also choose to complete their program or spend a period of study abroad, at one of the university's global campuses in Croatia, Kosovo, China and the USA.

Looking forward to the launch of the new degree, Dr Yousef Al Assaf, President of RIT Dubai, said, "The introduction of this program builds on our commitment to support the growth of the UAE's digital economy and to equip graduates with the knowledge and skills to enter sustainable careers that will promote economic growth. This is an important milestone for RIT Dubai as we broaden our portfolio with this pioneering program that will equip students with the skills to design and innovate the future of digital communication."

The programme is open to enquires for entry this Fall semester.