Programme
Introduction
Every day, people in the commercial media industry aim to design creative and original media products that are profitable, technologically refined, and that engage their audiences in completely new ways. This means that media products are much more than just creative ideas. They are the result of a collective effort in which knowledge about ICT and programming, media theory, communication studies, marketing and business is linked together.
Innovation
Innovation in the creative media industry is a hot topic in many countries. Up until now, however, there is a persistent lacuna. Innovators have not yet been successful in establishing an integral academic approach that is directly relevant to the digital media industry. In close cooperation with international partners, NHTV Breda therefore has developed this executive master's programme, which will bridge the gap between theory and practice in digital media studies.
Focus
The guiding principle of this programme is that successful media innovations are often not brand new, but rather, they build on existing, recognisable elements. These elements, codes, are the building blocks that can be found in any media product. In this master, we shed light on these building blocks from different theoretical perspectives. And, once you understand the codes behind a media product, you can make new connections. This is how you arrive at new concepts that are innovative and future-oriented.
Theory as a design tool
Next to the delivery of top class post-graduates, the purpose of this executive master’s programme Media Innovation is to give media professionals the ability to ‘bring something new into use’. In their final project, students will develop, prototype and (pre-)produce media innovations. To enable this, NHTV has built up an international network of researchers and media professionals demonstrating the ability to put original ideas into use within their respective fields of knowledge.
It is all about concept development and innovation
Aron van der Valk started on the Master in Media Innovation after he graduated from NHTV's bachelor's programme in International Media and Entertainment Management.
‘The master's programme suits me very well. For one thing, students are really motivated and ambitious, which I like. We all see eye to eye. The bachelor's programme International Media and Entertainment Management was fairly broad-based, now we are getting into the depth. It is all about concept development and innovation. And that’s where my ambitions are.’
Tough pitch
‘What I like particularly about this master's programme, is that it is very practical. In the first semester, you mainly attend theory courses, such as media technology and the history of media, because it is important for you to be familiar with all the possibilities and to understand the technology. After that, you set to work on the development of a media concept which you have to sell to a professional jury. I think this pitch is going to be really tough, but also instructive. I am not yet sure what my new concept is going to be. I own a small business in web design and production, so I suppose it will be something along these lines.’
The ultimate idea
‘This master's programme will hopefully equip me with the right toolbox to conceive new concepts. I really don’t intend to reinvent the wheel, but I want to use existing media to create new concepts. Invent new phone or computer functions, based on a cross-media type of approach. Of course, I secretly hope to develop the ultimate idea this year, an idea that is going to bring me a lot of success. I don’t want to stir up a hype, but come up with a concept that will be useful to everyone many years from now.’
