Interactive Media Management (IMM) is a one-year Graduate Certificate program that equips students with the necessary skills for various user experience design, project management and communications roles. From courses on user experience design and content planning to project management, emerging trends, and more, this program provides updated, real-world material to students that provides them with the confidence they need to pursue a career after graduating.
This hands-on approach is especially evident in the senior project students participate in at the end of the program. The graduating class holds a showcase equipped with separate displays that present the work students have been building and contributing to throughout the program. This year, students held Beyond Clicks; check out the work students created here.
Below are three program graduates that provide insight into various aspects of the program
#1: STAND-OUT COURSES IN THE PROGRAM
Comparable to many other Graduate Certificates at the School of Communications, Media, Arts and Design, the IMM program includes a range of courses encompassing the industry in a short, one-year time frame. This provides an outstanding snapshot for students and equips them with skills that they can turn to upon graduating.
Kristen Cruz, a 2019 graduate, points out that Senior/Collaborative Project (IMMT-721/722), Pitches and Presentations (IMMT-732), and Content Planning (IMMT-712) were the courses that stood out to her most during her time in the program. She explains:
“In the Senior/Collaborative Project, we were tasked with creating our own interactive media project and worked in teams to help two other peers with theirs as well. When choosing a project to design, we had to prove that it was viable as a business, solved a real-world problem, and had the statistics to back it. Pitches and Presentations taught us how to make and present pitches and presentations effectively for a variety of situations. Lastly, in Content Planning, we were taught how content plays an integral part in building digital experiences.
For these courses, there was a good amount of hands-on learning and collaboration. As this program prepared us to enter the industry, practical application was a must. We would have typical lectures for a portion of the class, and then, the remainder of the time, we were asked to collaborate with our peers, participating in a variety of activities based on the lesson that was taught. Every class was engaging and exciting and kept me on my toes; I felt the amount of knowledge and experience I gained from these courses greatly contributed to where I stand in my career today. Every day was brand new, and I was pushed out of my comfort zone, which helped me grow into the UX/UI Designer I am today.
All of the courses I took helped me, but these three in particular helped me grow exponentially. In my current career as a UX/UI designer in a boutique agency, I design websites, apps, landing pages, and marketing collateral for a variety of clients—at times as the sole designer. When tackling a new project, I usually catch myself going back to what I learned at different points.”
#2: PREPARING FOR THE INDUSTRY AND PURSUING A CAREER
Nilu Seneviratne, a 2020 graduate, works as a UX/UI designer at Innovate By Day Inc. (IBD), a digital marketing company. She first started working at IBD in 2020 when she interviewed with the company during her third semester of the program for the placement requirement. “I completed my placement, which led to an offer from IBD for a six-month contract, eventually turning into a permanent position. I'm fully aware that Pamela's positive recommendation of me for the placement position played a significant role in enhancing my application at IBD. This is where I see the value of IMM in preparing students for their careers –through networking and building professional connections.”
She adds, “In my experience, the IMM program equips students for their careers by providing opportunities to network and connect with industry professionals. During my three semesters at IMM, I developed strong connections with instructors and program staff. They provided opportunities to visit them at their office for chats, and they were open to discussing not just course material but life in general, creating an environment for connecting as people, not just as students in a program. This connection allowed program staff to see me for who I am, boosting their confidence in recommending me to industry hiring managers.
This still holds true today. I know I can reach out to IMM staff and the IMM community for potential job opportunities in the future. It's a space where networking and professional connections are not just encouraged but actively celebrated.”
Nilu adds that the program's courses were a mix of business courses, including business strategy and project management; UX courses, including content strategy and interactive strategy; and tech courses, including development and graphic design. She shares, "In my experience, I believe these courses did a good job of introducing us to each subject matter. They also provided us with the most up-to-date and relevant tools and methodologies."
#3: ADVICE TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS, CURRENT STUDENTS, AND GRADUATES
Martin Seal, a 2021 graduate, breaks down his advice on the IMM program into the following:
Those thinking of pursuing the program: Do it! You’ll get a lot of value out of this program. Be ready to learn and to work a lot—the program is like a full-time job. You’ll develop a multitude of skills, all of which will come in handy when you enter the interactive media field. I’ve used skills I learned in each and every class I took as part of the program, and I am extremely grateful for the ability to experience so much in such a short amount of time.
Someone in the program: Stick with it, and keep your head up! This program throws a lot at you. I remember one night sitting at my computer and looking at what the semester ahead had in store and thinking, how will I ever get it all done!? The best thing to remember is that your classmates are all in the same place as you, so if you work together and help each other out, you’ll see the most success. I can’t thank my classmates enough for all the support, collaboration, commiserating and laughs we had together.
A recent graduate of the program: Stay in touch with your classmates and professors, and don’t sell yourself short! You learn so much in this program, so be open to using all your skills. The great connections you make during the program are your ticket to great job opportunities after graduating, so don’t be a stranger! A huge thanks to all the instructors and classmates who have kept in touch with me since graduating—I would not be where I am now without their guidance, tips, referrals, and recommendations.
If you are interested in finding out more about the IMM program, be sure to check out our program pages for both the in-person and online delivery options.
Article by: Alexandra Few
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