Welcome

Welcome to the Division of Emerging Media Studies. On this webpage you’ll find our MA and PhD handbooks and learning outcomes. As always, if you have any questions, please email dems@bu.edu or call 617-353-3482.

Division Leadership

Division Director: Dr. Betsi Grabe
Senior Program Manager: Laura Cafasso
Senior Program Coordinator: Catie Owens

Links

MA Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate by means of written papers and other coursework a theoretical,
    philosophical, historical, and practical understanding     of how emerging media
    technologies come to affect cultures, industries, and the lives of individuals and
    communities.
  2. Make methodological and empirical skill and strategic, integrated thinking evident
    through coursework that addresses issues related to emerging media technologies.
    Coursework may encompass novel empirical research (including original data collection
    and analysis), systematic reviews of existing literature, and the development of prototype
    media applications.
  3. Display research skills related to cutting-edge and specialized hardware and software
    to analyze data collected via advanced quantitative analysis, text mining, machine
    learning, or physiology/psychology experiments.
  4. Via oral presentations – within class, at campus research symposia, and at national and
    international conferences – exhibit competence in communicating scientific
    information     to audiences of peers, industry leaders and scholars.
  5. Co-create a project report, based on original research, that demonstrates value to a
    client    , and incorporate this project into your portfolio. Depending on your interests, this
    report could address commercial, service, nonprofit, governmental or academic sectors.

PhD Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the field: Identify, situate, and synthesize relevant
    scholarly literature to explain, analyze, and generalize information within emerging media
    studies. This includes a deep understanding of major theorists, their perspectives, and
    core principles and approaches to the field.
  1. Demonstrate specialized knowledge: Synthesize and clearly articulate knowledge
    from your chosen area of specialization. You’ll apply this specialized knowledge to
    address complex problems within the field of emerging media.
  2. Conduct high-quality, original research: Conceptualize and carry out a full-scale
    research project that makes a truly original contribution to the field. This includes
    demonstrating a strong understanding of research design and advanced quantitative
    data analysis, alongside a firm grasp of qualitative and critical approaches. Throughout
    the program, you’ll strategically integrate and apply multi-level analysis to your
    programmatic activities.
  3. Apply knowledge in professional environments: Effectively convey complex
    information and apply methods, concepts, and theories in both practical and classroom
    settings. This outcome also emphasizes reflexivity in research and self-awareness in
    your professional pursuits. These skills will enable you to flexibly deploy your research
    capacities to solve problems in dynamic environments and apply project management
    and leadership skills across various professional domains.
  4. Master advanced oral and written communication: Deliver compelling oral
    presentations and produce written research that exhibits a high level of conceptual
    understanding, critical competence, and originality. Your written work should meet the
    standards for publication in peer-reviewed journals.