Immersive Media Communication Master’s Program, SOJC Portland
Just as social media transformed communication more than a decade ago, VR, AR, and XR are positioned to revolutionize content production and communication strategy in the coming years. In our unique master’s program, you’ll learn fundamental skills for creating immersive content, building experiences and production pipelines, and designing and critically analyzing strategies that use emerging technologies to influence key audiences.
Along the way, you’ll work with committed faculty and become part of a tight-knit cohort of professionals who are passionate about using immersive media as ethical communication tools.
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What You Can Do with a Master's Degree in Immersive Media Communication?
We’re at the dawn of an immersive media hiring spree. Companies like Nike, Disney, and Gucci are hiring immersive media strategists, Web3 managers and community builders, and chief metaverse officers—job titles that didn’t exist a few years ago. Our program will prepare you for the communication trends of the future by teaching skills in immersive and experiential marketing strategy, user experience and design, the psychology of immersive media, and content creation for AR, VR, and XR platforms.
Flexible Online Immersive Media Program
Our fully online program offers working professionals the freedom and flexibility to advance their education while maintaining their jobs and other commitments. This 46-credit-hour program is designed to be completed in one year, but the pace can flex to meet your needs. All students will receive a checklist for required technology for coursework to be completed at home, or you can use our state-of-the-art immersive media gear in the Oregon Reality Lab based at SOJC Portland.
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Immerse Yourself at the Oregon Reality (OR) Lab
At the Oregon Reality (OR) Lab, students get hands-on experience with the latest in AR, VR, and XR equipment and software as they develop and test the effects of immersive media and their capacity to solve social, environmental, and business problems. Although the Immersive Media Communication Master’s program is entirely online, students who live in the Pacific Northwest have access to equipment in the OR Lab, based at SOJC Portland. All students in the IMC program will receive guidance and information on needed equipment and software to successfully navigate the program.
IMMERSIVE MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
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GRADUATE STUDENT SERVICES
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Associate Director of Graduate Affairs
214A Allen Hall, Eugene
541-346-6304
aboutell@uoregon.edu
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PROFESSIONAL MASTER'S INQUIRIES
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Rachael Greenhaw
Graduate Recruitment Manager
503-412-3706
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FOUNDING DIRCTOR OF IMMERSIVE MEDIA COMMUNICAITON MASTER'S PROGRAM, FOUNDING/CO-DIRECTOR OF THE OREGON REALITY LAB, AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN IMMERSIVE MEDIA COMMUNICATION
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Donna Davis
NE Portland Campus
Library Suite 106
503-412-3658
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CO-DIRECTOR OF THE OREGON REALITY LAB AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
IMMERSIVE MEDIA PSYCHOLOGY
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Danny Pimentel
NE Portland Campus
Library Suite 105
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TERMS TO DEGREE COMPLETION
46
CREDITS REQUIRED
10-20
STUDENTS IN EACH COHORT
Your Investment
The estimated total for this fully online master’s program covers tuition for 46 credits—regardless of how long you take to complete them—as well as fees. This excludes the cost of technology needed to successfully complete the program. Students should review our technology procurement list for more information on what they will need to acquire prior to the start of their program. Estimated cost for technology is approximately $2500-$3,000 and should include a game ready PC tower or laptop (Dell preferred), Meta Quest headset (current version), link cable, and three-button mouse. Technology packages can be awarded through our scholarship program. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available. This cost is the same for all U.S. students.
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Cost of attendance is the estimated cost to attend the UO for the academic year. The Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships provides estimates for cost of attendance information that goes beyond tuition and fees, and includes books/supplies/equipment and miscellaneous personal expenses.
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$35,000
ESTIMATED TUITION AND FEES
(excluding technology)
Immersive Media Communication Courses
J594 Strategic Communication Research (4 credits)
Learn how and why public relations and advertising professionals conduct research, and how they use it to formulate strategic campaigns and evaluate their effectiveness. This class is a mix of theory and skill building.
J611 Mass Communication and Society (4 credits)
This introduction to graduate study in communication emphasizes the major intellectual traditions and enduring issues in the field of strategic communication.
J629 Media and Communication Ethics (4 credits)
This course explores the ethical issues communications professionals face almost daily. It addresses how to survive and thrive in the turmoil and disruption of the current media landscape with an emphasis on the power of immersive media. We will explore what is changing, why it is changing, and how you can do good work despite, and sometimes because of, these changes. You’ll focus on ethical decision-making and potential outcomes—on a continuum of positive to negative—of communicating through digital media.
J664 Foundations in Immersive Media (4 credits)
Explore the uses of virtual worlds and augmented, virtual, and extended reality through the strategic lens of communications (marketing, advertising, branding) and community building. Investigate the attributes of the technologies that create both opportunities and barriers to adoption and effective use.
J665 Media Psychology (4 credits)
This course offers an overview of media psychology with an emphasis on emerging media platforms. Learn why humans consume certain types of media content and gain an understanding of the affective, behavioral, and cognitive implications of media messages to better understand audiences.
J667 User Experience & Design (UX) (4 credits)
Learn fundamental principles of user experience (UX) and human-centered design (HCD) in the context of strategic communication. The class teaches theoretical and applied approaches from human-computer interaction, media psychology, and more and features domains for mobile apps, traditional web, service/customer experience, gaming, and other industries.
J668 Experiential Marketing (4 credits)
This course provides fundamental immersive media marketing concepts. Learn to develop a framework for building immersive media marketing strategies. Specific topics include leveraging augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR), or mixed reality (MR) to meet branding and marketing objectives.
J669 Creating for Immersive Platforms (4 credits)
Get an introduction to the tools used for designing and building virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences. Work with the game engine Unity to design your first interactive VR scene, AR builder Zapworks to create mobile augmented visuals, and 3D content creation software to learn the foundational skills for building real-time ready assets. Explore off-the-shelf resources to get started quickly and gain an understanding of the overall production pipeline for generating content for immersive spaces. This course sets the foundation for future building class electives. No prior experience necessary
J670 Immersive Media Seminar (2-4 credits)
This course allows a timely deeper dive into the most relevant emergent technologies in immersive media. For example, were this course to have been offered in the 2021-22 academic year, it would have likely addressed the metaverse, including the opportunities and challenges of the concept.
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We consult regularly with our professional faculty to determine the skills and curriculum students need to become successful communicators in the immersive media space. To find out when the courses below are offered and to register, visit the UO Class Schedule.
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Elective Options
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Course titles offered within each “topic” will vary, and many of our electives include experiential learning. Elective courses are repeatable when the topics have different titles, for a total of 16 or more credits. Electives offered may include topics such as:
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Data Analytics
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Project Management using XR (Agile/Scrum)
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XR Data Visualization
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Entrepreneurship
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Game Engine Coding
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Digital Identities
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Tech Communication
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Artificial Intelligence
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Industry Collaboration (internship credits)
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Immersive Audio Design
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Accessibility and Ethics
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Game Studies
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Critical and Cultural Concerns of Immersive Technology
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VR for Social Good
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Gamification
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VR for Media Professions
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VR in Cinema
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Research Methods in Immersive Spaces
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Understanding Immersive Platforms
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Creating in Unity
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Building for Immersive Media
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Production with Unreal Engine
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Photogrammetry for Immersive
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Create with 3D
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360 Video
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Disruptor Lab
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Drone Cinematography
Immersive Media Communication vs. Immersive Media Track
The Immersive Media Communication Master’s program focuses on communication strategies; however, students may opt for a heavier content production concentration through the immersive media track within Strategic Communication. Taken either as electives within the IMC course curriculum, or as an additional year to the IMC program, these classes go beyond the single building fundamentals course and are an ideal option for those who would like a greater understanding of immersive content creation for the purposes of bringing original ideas to life or communicating more effectively with production teams. See full course descriptions here.
J510/J410 (2crds)
Creating in Unity
J510/J410 (4crds)
Building for Immersive (Assets)
J510/J410 (2crds)
Production with Unreal Engine
JXXX (2crds)
Immersive Elective
(course listings vary by term – check pre-recs)
Recommended:
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Photogrammetry for Immersive
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Create with 3D
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360 Video
Graduate Research, Internship, and Job Opportunities in Immersive Media
Once you have completed coursework in the master’s program, you’ll want to apply your skills outside the classroom. SOJC faculty members often help industry professionals find talent. This can be anything from immersive media communication internships and research assistantships to full-time jobs. Here are some examples of jobs emerging in this field:
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Immersive media strategist
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Chief metaverse officer
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Immersive media concept designer
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Content researcher/creator
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Questions?
Need some guidance? Contact our graduate recruiter with questions about the program, the application process, and admission.
Download our graduate handbook for more details about program requirements and resources.