Bachelor of Arts [B.A] [Interactive Media Design] From Royal Academy of Art, The Hague

Study Programme

The structure of the Interactive Media Design programme at the Royal Academy of Art The Hague can be divided into five major phases:

• skill development
• advanced skill application
• research development
• exploration of the professional domain
• self-development

These phases are distributed across the four-year programme. As indicated above, however, they are not always distinguished by sharp boundaries. For example, while working to master a given skill, a student could already be working with another skill at a much more advanced level, or a particular research interest could make it necessary to master yet another set of skills. This situation is translated into a clustering of courses, allowing room (beginning in the second year) for a fully personalised, Individual Study Track (IST), which allows for in-depth exploration in a specific field of interest. The IST is constructed by the students themselves, and it could include the development of an original project within or outside the school. Alternatively, it could consist of taking classes in other departments or at Leiden University, varying from the very practical to the very philosophical.

The development of the competencies through the five phases can be divided as follows over the three major domains:

Artistic technical domain:

• Skill development
• Advanced skill application

Theoretical domain:

• Research development
• Self-development

Professional social domain:

• Exploration of the professional domain
• Self-development

Graduates of the Interactive/Media/Design programme have a variety of potential careers to consider. The fact that I/M/D does not focus on or specialise in any specific medium often leads to the mistaken impression that it is not a specialisation in itself. The department was started in response to the increasing demand from the professional field for a type of designer who would be knowledgeable enough to communicate about media-specific issues with various media specialists, while maintaining enough distance to be able to translate the demands and preferences of clients into media expressions. At the same, these designers are expected to have a keen understanding of the rapidly changing field of media and their usage. This demands an attitude that embraces change and finds substance in instability. Conceivable positions for such designers include those of art director, concept developer, communication strategist and senior media developer.

Despite the programme?s brief history (the first I/M/D graduates received their diplomas in 2010), most alumni have found professional positions within the category described, or those closely resembling it. They are now located all around the globe (e.g. Berlin, Hong Kong, Los Angeles), working for commercial and non-profit organisations.