MS in Media Arts and Sciences
The Treachery of Machine Learning / Ceci n'est pas un objet (Mark Shepard, 2020)
Where engineering meets creative media
This degree prepares students to work at the intersection of technology, design and culture. This program brings together quantitative approaches from science and engineering with the qualitative insight of art and media practice. You will learn to build systems, design experiences and critically examine the technologies shaping everyday life.
Technology does not exist in a vacuum. It shapes how people communicate, work and understand the world. The MS in Media Arts and Sciences prepares you to think across disciplines and design responsibly.
At UB, you will:
- Combine design thinking with engineering methods
- Study artificial intelligence, interface design and machine learning in real-world contexts
- Examine bias and ethics in socio-technical systems
- Work across media theory, production and computer science
- Prepare for both industry roles and computationally focused PhD programs
As a flagship public research university and member of the AAU, UB offers serious research opportunities without the private school price tag. Buffalo’s growing tech and creative communities also provide space to experiment, collaborate and build your portfolio.
Degree type: Master of Science
Field: Media Arts and Sciences
Program length: Three to four semesters
The program offers multiple pathways, allowing you to customize your coursework based on your background and goals. Students combine STEM-focused coursework with media theory and creative production.
Core areas include:
- Media theory and media culture
- Media production
- Computer science
- Science and engineering electives aligned with your interests
You will complete either an MS thesis, a research project or a combination of both under faculty guidance.
Possible focus areas include:
- Gaming
- Mobile, social and computational media
- Virtual reality
- Bio art
- Interaction design
Funding Opportunities
Graduate education is a significant investment, and funding can play an important role in making it possible. Graduate students at the University at Buffalo have access to a range of funding options that support coursework, teaching, research and professional development. Opportunities vary by degree level and stage of study.
This program is designed for students with a strong interest in both computation and creative practice. Over three or four semesters, you gain intensive exposure to the concepts and techniques underlying contemporary media systems.
You will:
- Build technical fluency in programming and computational thinking
- Develop design strategies for user-facing systems
- Work closely with faculty mentors
- Collaborate with peers across disciplines
- Complete a substantial capstone research project
Students select electives in areas such as computer science, mathematics, electrical engineering, geography, biology and related fields, depending on their goals and preparation.
Studios, labs and collaborative spaces in the Center for the Arts support experimentation across digital, interactive and computational media.
Graduates of the MS in Media Arts and Sciences will:
- Understand core concepts and techniques of computer science and apply them using a high-level programming language
- Combine design thinking with engineering methods to address complex, cross-disciplinary problems
- Develop critical positions on computational media and their social, cultural and political implications
- Integrate technical STEM knowledge into a capstone research project in Media Study
These outcomes prepare you to build systems responsibly, analyze their impact and communicate across technical and creative communities.
Graduates are prepared for roles that bridge technical expertise and human-centered design, including:
- Interaction and experience design
- Usability and user research
- User-facing engineering
- Creative technology development
- Computational media research
Many students also continue into computationally focused PhD programs that combine theory and practice.
The blend of technical skill, design literacy and ethical awareness gives graduates flexibility across technology, media and research sectors. It also reassures families that this degree opens multiple professional pathways.
f you are ready to design systems, question technologies and work across art and engineering, the MS in Media Arts and Sciences offers a focused, research-driven path.
