Emerging Media Majors at NYU Shanghai

A decade ago, NYU Shanghai staff developed the IMA major with a goal of exploring creative uses for communication technologies. In 2013, they launched the major with just a handful of students. Today, over 400 students major in IMA. Then, a few years ago, faculty noticed that many students were double-majoring in IMA and Business. To make the process easier, they created the IMB major, which requires core business classes. “We created IMB to meet a practical need. But there’s also a natural synergy between the two areas,” explains Professor Christian Grewell, associate director and faculty mentor for IMA and IMB.

For those wondering if IMA or IMB is right for them, Professor Grewell says, “With lower computing costs and increased internet access, we’re seeing continued growth in applications of emerging media (read: technology). This is fueling demand for those with a new type of mind- and skill set. Businesses want people who are comfortable with change and with new applications of technology. Most importantly, they want people who can build tangible manifestations of their ideas throughout their lifetime. Both IMA and IMB prioritize fostering these qualities. And COVID has only accelerated the growth and importance of media, technology, and design.”

While some see code as an endless string of numbers and letters, Cecilia Cai sees it as a form of artistic expression. As a first-year student, she planned to major in Computer Science. However, after taking an IMA elective in her first semester, she changed course. “I love the idea that digital technology doesn’t have to be all algorithms or hardware systems. It can also be a tool for creating art and solving problems. As an IMA and Data Science double major, I particularly love to create data visualizations. They allow me to find insights from data in an artistic way. In IMA, there are so many possibilities,” she says.

Over the past three years, Cecilia has designed data visualizations, built interactive websites, programmed web apps, and directed a video storybook. “There’s a culture of creation in IMA, and it’s never linear,” she shares. “People learn by experimenting, and they experiment by doing. And my IMA and IMB friends all have such different areas of focus. For example, I have peers doing animation, product management, 3-D modeling, augmented and virtual reality, and photo editing.” Looking to the future, Cecilia has already applied for a master’s program in Management Science and Engineering. It will combine her engineering and design skills from IMA with the analytical mind-set she developed through Data Science. After that, she plans to apply her diverse skill set as a product manager in education technology.