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Is the program geared specifically
towards learning about media in a digital age?
Digital technology is part of a wider arena of media that
is considered, along with studies and coursework that involve
looking at media content, context, and technology in a historical,
cultural, and political context. The diversity considered
across media and the program’s focus on considering
media in relation to each other instead of in isolation
is also what makes our program distinctive. While there
are new graduate programs arising that are designed to teach
students how to use "new technology" or how to
write for new forms of media, the CMS Program at MIT prepares
students for how to think critically about the technology
that they are using. Having an understanding of the historical
uses of and relationships between media and being able to
discuss the functions of media in a larger context are critical
skills that will give our students an extra edge to discussing
and understanding the role of technology -- new or old --
in our lives.
Can you define the CMS Workshop Requirement?
The workshop requirement provides an opportunity for a hands-on
project that emphasizes intellectual growth as well as the
acquisition of technical skills. During the first semester,
each student will participate in an ongoing project selected
in consultation with a CMS faculty member. In the second semester,
each student will work on a project of his/her own that can
be presented for review as a portfolio. The portfolio can
be a new project or an extension of work begun in the first
semester. Students will attend regular meetings to present
and critique their work and discuss its implications.
Will I be able to use transfer credits?
Generally speaking, graduate credits are not transferable.
Will I be able to take courses at Harvard or other institutions
for credit?
MIT maintains reciprocity with Harvard and Wellesley, which
means that students in our program would be free to take relevant
courses at these other colleges and universities. Students
will also be able to take a range of related subjects taught
elsewhere at MIT. We encourage students to explore the full
range of opportunities for education in the Cambridge-Boston
area.
I'm an older student, having been out in the industry
for several years. Will I feel out of place?
We expect that there will be many returning students who will
be interested in the program. We see this as advantageous
to the program, as returning students bring with them a variety
of real-life experiences and practical skills. We envision
that an education in CMS as just one component in a student’s
education and not an end point. Some students will come to
boost their skills and knowledge in a particular area. Other
students may see it as a way to return to school in order
to develop a much needed perspective that will give them an
edge when they return to work. Others may decide that they
would like to continue their studies and go on to pursue a
Ph.D.
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