Digital Media
The Master of Science (MS) in Digital Media at Drexel University is a 45-credit, interdisciplinary graduate program that prepares students for advanced work in digital design, animation, games, immersive media, and critical media studies. Grounded in three core domains—Art and Design, Technology, and Critical Thinking—the program offers a balanced education that combines creative practice, technical proficiency, and critical insight.
Students gain hands-on experience with emerging tools for real-time rendering, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), AI-enhanced workflows, and interactive storytelling. Whether building animated worlds, designing playable experiences, prototyping interfaces, or analyzing the ethical impact of media technologies, students graduate ready to contribute meaningfully to a rapidly evolving field.
The curriculum is adaptive by design, with advanced coursework that evolves based on emerging technologies and faculty expertise, ensuring students engage with cutting-edge tools and ideas while building a strong foundation across the program’s three core domains. In the final year, students choose between a Capstone Project or a Research Thesis, each designed to demonstrate mastery through applied or scholarly work.
This program is ideal for students who:
- Have a background or strong interest in animation, game design, immersive media, or interactive digital arts and want to advance their creative and technical capabilities;
- Seek to apply emerging technologies—such as AI, machine learning, and spatial computing—in their design practice;
- Are interested in examining the ethical, social, and critical dimensions of digital media production;
- Value interdisciplinary collaboration and project-based learning.
The MS in Digital Media is STEM-designated and offers options for full-time or part-time study.
For more information, visit Drexel’s Graduate Studies in Digital Media webpage.
| Degree | Availability | Location |
|---|---|---|
|
MS |
Full-Time |
Philadelphia |
|
PhD |
Full-Time |
Philadelphia |
Application Requirements
On-Campus Program
Please view our academic calendar for term start dates.
| Fall (Sept) | Winter (Jan) | Spring (March) | Summer (June) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS (U. S. Applicants) | Priority: Jan. 15 Regular: Sept. 1 |
N/A | N/A | N/A |
| MS (International Applicants) | Priority: Jan. 15 Regular: June 1 |
N/A | N/A | N/A |
| PhD Applicants | Jan. 15 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
For details regarding the items below, please review the Admission Application Instructions.
How to Submit Application Materials
Drexel Admissions is currently processing application documents received through the U.S. Postal Service and courier services (DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc.), although there is a slight delay in processing these documents. We strongly recommend that you submit all official transcripts and supporting documentation electronically to enroll@drexel.edu. If your school is not able to send official transcripts electronically, please request that official documents be sent by mail or courier service. Please allow 3–4 weeks for transcripts and supporting documents sent by mail or courier to be processed. We appreciate your patience during this unprecedented time at Drexel and around the world. We will process all documents as soon as we receive them, but please expect some delays.Graduate Admission Application
Applicants may only apply to one program. All documents submitted by you or on your behalf in support of this application for admission to Drexel University become the property of the University, and will under no circumstances be released to you or any other party. Please note, an application fee of $65 U.S. is required.
Transcripts
Official transcripts must be sent directly to Drexel from all of the colleges and universities that you have attended. Please note that transcripts are required regardless of number of credits taken or if the credits were transferred to another school. An admission decision may be delayed if you do not send transcripts from all colleges and universities that you have attended.
Transcripts must show course-by-course grades and degree conferrals. If your school does not notate degree conferrals on the official transcripts, you must provide copies of any graduate or degree certificates.
If your school issues only one transcript for life, you are required to have a course-by-course evaluation completed by an approved transcript evaluation agency.
Precise, word-for-word English translations of all non-English language documents are required along with official documents in the original language. All translations must be completed by the issuing institution or an ATA-certified translator. Visit the American Translators Association website to search for an ATA-certified translator.
International students: If you have already graduated from your previous institution at the time of your application, please email your graduation certificate(s) attached as PDF or Microsoft Word documents to enroll@drexel.edu. Note: Any international applicant, regardless of program, may be required to provide a transcript evaluation should the Admissions Committee determine it is needed for the application to be reviewed. If your transcripts are selected for a course-by-course evaluation by an external agency, you will be responsible for supplying all necessary documentation and paying all necessary fees to have your transcripts evaluated.
If you have questions regarding what documents you must submit to fulfill the transcript requirements, contact the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Test of English as a Foreign Language
International applicants are required to demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL minimum scores: 100/600/250), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS minimum Overall Band Score: 7.0), the Pearson Test of English (PTE minimum score: 68), or the Duolingo English Test (minimum score: 110), unless they meet the criteria for a waiver.
Essay
Please write approximately 500 words explaining your reasons for pursuing a degree from Drexel; your short-term and long-term career plans; and how your background, experience, interest, and/or values, when combined with a Drexel degree, will enable you to pursue these goals successfully.
Submit your essay with your application or through the Discover Drexel portal after you submit your application.
Résumé
Upload your résumé as part of your admission application or through the Discover Drexel Portal after you submit your application.
Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation from either former professors or professional contacts with supervisory capacity are required. To electronically request recommendations, you must list your recommenders and their contact information on your application. We advise that you follow up with your recommenders to ensure they received your recommendation request — they may need to check their junk mail folder. Additionally, it is your responsibility to confirm that your recommenders will submit letters by your application deadline and follow up with recommenders who have not completed their recommendations.
Request recommendations with your application or through the Discover Drexel portal after you submit your application.
Alternatively, you may submit your recommendation letters by mail. Letters must include the address, phone number, and signature of the recommender. The recommendation envelope must be submitted unopened to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Portfolio (Optional)
Applicants are encouraged to follow the portfolio guidelines carefully and submit materials that strengthen their application.
The Digital Media Graduate Admissions Committee is examining your work for originality, creative problem solving, systematic thinking, and production skills within the context of digital media creation and/or research.
Please be mindful to submit work that best represents why you are a strong candidate for the Digital Media program. The committee is not seeking a particular type of work; also, we do not require examples of digital work. Any and all media are acceptable. Instead of or in addition to a traditional portfolio, you may submit alternative creative practices such as one scholarly article, a grant proposal, or business plan.
Portfolios must consist of one to five pieces with a total running time that may not exceed 10 minutes. Annotate each piece with the title, size, running time, date, medium, tools used, and any other relevant information. For collaborative works, it is important to identify and describe your roles and contributions within the creative process. If the work is not in English, please include subtitles.
The portfolio must be completed in SlideRoom only. Upload the highest possible quality of documentation of your creative work. Media requirements are outlined in SlideRoom for files consisting of images, audio, videos, PDF, or embedded media.
Online Program
Please refer to Drexel University Online for application requirements and deadlines.