Program Overview

Master's Degree in Emerging Media Design and Development

The Master's Degree in Emerging Media Design and Development is a low-residency program designed for working professionals who want to manage and direct interdisciplinary teams that use advanced storytelling techniques to advance an organization.

Quick Facts

• Next Start Date: May 11, 2026
• Delivery: 100% Online or Blended
• Major Credits: 33 to 36
• Thesis and non-thesis options
• No GRE Required

Program Overview

This program was created for working professionals who want to gain skills in design thinking, human-computer interaction, and cross-platform storytelling. Students will learn how to plan, develop, deploy, and test the effectiveness of communication design and stories.

Ideal Candidates

Our students come from creative backgrounds (e.g., English, journalism, theater, graphic design, photography, videography) and technology backgrounds (e.g., programmers, web developers, animators). The interdisciplinary approach allows students from diverse professional and academic backgrounds to boost existing skills with training in project management, design thinking, applied research, and cross-platform storytelling.

Career Opportunities

Our graduates are prepared for success as content strategists, user experience designers, product designers, project managers, and other leadership roles in corporations, non-profits, marketing firms, media companies, entertainment companies, consulting agencies, and more.

Faculty

Courses are taught by engaged professors who have years of teaching experience, coupled with current experiences helping organizations with real-world strategic communication design challenges. Professors work closely with partners external to the university, developed through faculty collaborations and advisory board relationships, and stay current on economic issues and business and state needs.

Program Structure

The program is designed with the mid-career professional in mind. While the majority of coursework will be online, five days at the start of each semester, students will meet in-person in the Greater Indianapolis area to work in a small group setting with professors and classmates. This experience allows for the flexibility needed for the workplace, as well as the benefit of face-to-face interaction.

Lab Experiences

The applied lab experiences are the centerpiece of the EMDD program. This is where students will focus on solving real-world problems with partners outside the university. Students can even complete projects for their current workplace. They will be required to complete either a thesis or creative project.

Culminating Project

If students choose to write a thesis, they will design a study that is tied to their lab work and will focus on important topics related to the problem space. For those who don't want to write a thesis, they will produce a culminating project option that they can design with their adviser.

Course Requirements

The master's degree in Emerging Media Design and Development is a 36-credit program that includes 18 credits of coursework and 18 credits working on creative projects and applied research.

Foundational Courses (18 Credits)

• EMDD 600 Usability and Evaluation Research Methods (3 credits)
• EMDD 620 Emerging Media Design Thinking (3 credits)
• EMDD 610 Theories and Frameworks in Human Computer Interaction (3 credits)
• EMDD 640 Transmedia Storytelling and Publishing (3 credits)
• EMDD 630 Nonlinear and Interactive Storytelling (3 credits)
• EMDD 650 Interactive Media Design and Development (3 credits)

Lab Experiences (18 Credits)

• EMDD 660 Applied Research Lab (3-9 credits)
• EMDD 670 Creative Project Lab (3-9 credits)
• CRPR 698 Creative Project or THES 698 Thesis (3-6 credits)

Admission Requirements

Students will first need to check if they meet the admission requirements for the Ball State Graduate School. Then they may apply.

International Applicants

If the degree is offered only in an online format, U.S. policies will not allow international students to come to the U.S. and take only online courses. However, they may be able to study online from their home country. International students will need to meet the admission requirements for international graduate students.

Tuition and Fees

Ball State's online and distance education degrees give students the combination of quality and value. The tuition rates are competitive, and the experience brings personalized attention. Students are urged to compare the value with any other program.

Graduate Certificate

For those not quite ready for the master's program, a graduate certificate is also available, which can be completed in three semesters. Courses in this program can apply to the master's degree if students later decide to pursue the full degree.