Computation & Media

Computation & Media

This program is an inter-disciplinary effort by the School of Media and the Department
of Computer Science & Engineering [Ecole Centrale School of Engineering].
Graduates will be able to plan, create, and critique new digital media forms for
entertainment, education, and business communication. Basic competencies will be
achieved in:

• Digital Media (including graphics and sound)
• Computational principles
• Software design
• Visual design
• Media
• Digital arts

The program spread over 8 semesters will work out to an estimated 170 credits.
Semester I
Course Credits
Maths I [Calculus & ODE] 05
Introduction to Computing 04
Environmental Sciences 02
Introduction to Experimental Research Methods 03
Electrical & Electronics Engineering 04
English 03
Introduction to Entrepreneurship 01
Media Project 1.5
French I 0.5
Sub Total 24
Semester II
Course Credits
Maths II [Linear Algebra & Complex Analysis] 04
Physics 04
Introduction to Media/Consumer Psychology 03
Data Structures 05
Discrete Mathematics 02
Entrepreneurship Practice 01
Professional Ethics 01
French II 0.5
Sub Total 20.5
Semester III
Course Credits
Maths III [Probability & Statistics] 04
OOPs 03
Programming Workshop 0.5
Psychology of HCI 03
Introduction to Films 03
DAA 04
Lean Start Up 01
Economics 1.5
French III 0.5
Sub Total 20.5
Semester IV
Course Credits
Maths IV [Numerical Methods] 04
Theory of Computation 03
Machine Learning w Python 04
Programming Workshop 0.5
Introduction to XR 03
Media Design Architectures 04
Design Thinking Lab 02
Financial Accounting 1.5
French IV 0.5
Sub Total 22.5
Semester V
Course Credits
Operating Systems 04
DBMS 04
Tangible Interaction Design & Technology 03
Visual Media & Online Content Development 03
Writing/Public Speaking Course 03
User-Centred Design Methods 04
Programming Workshop 01
Humanities/Management Elective I 02
French V 0.5
Sub Total 24.5
Semester VI
Course Credits
Computer Graphics 03
Mobile Computing 03
Film and/as Technology 03
Technical Elective I 03
Technical Elective II 03
Media/Design Capstone 03
Professional Development 02
Humanities/Management Elective II 02
French VI 0.5
Sub Total 22.5
Semester VII
Course Credits
Technical Elective III 03
Technical Elective IV 03
Distributed Systems 04
Computer Animation 03
Final Year Project I 03
Humanities/Management Elective III 02
French VII 0.5
Sub Total 18.5
Semester VIII
Course Credits
Technical Elective V 03
Technical Elective VI 03
Final Year Project II 09
French VIII 0.5
Sub Total 15.5
TOTAL CREDITS 168.5
TECHNICAL ELECTIVES (to pick at least 6)
Course Credits
Advanced & Applied eXtended Reality 03
3D Animation, Capturing, Modeling and Visualization 03
How To Make (almost) Anything 03
Computational Journalism 03
Advanced Research Methods and Data Analysis 03
Computer and Network Security 03
Digital Video Special Effects 03
Multimedia Networking Principles 03
Legal and Social Issues in Computing 03
Principles and Application of Computer Audio 03
Graphic and Visual Design 03
Video Production 03
Course Details

Media Content Theory & Design:: User-Centered Design Methods

  • User Research: Understand your user – Contextual interviews, focus
    groups, storyboarding, personas.

  • User Interface Design: Design to facilitate interaction –
    Consistency, Readability, Feedback and Focus.

  • Usability Testing: Iterate development and testing – Prototyping and
    wireframing, usability scales and user testing, playtesting

Medium and Message:: Mobile Computing

  • Design, development and testing of software applications for Android
    and iOS mobile operating systems

Medium and Message:: Tangible Interaction Design and Technology

  • Design, development of Tangible User Interfaces

  • Hardware sensors and systems

  • Design, development and testing of embedded systems

  • Rapid prototyping
    i. Additive manufacturing (e.g. 3d printing)
    ii. Subtractive manufacturing (e.g. Laser cutting/engraving)

  • Internet of Things (IoT),

Medium and Message:: Visual Media and Online Content Development

  • Image and Video editing software skills (Adobe Creative Suite)

  • Website creation and hosting (WordPress Engines)

  • Best practices for interactive online content creation

Medium and Message:: Introduction to eXtended Reality (XR) Software and
Technology

  • Concepts: Cyber sickness, presence, rotation, rendering

  • Tools: Unity/Unreal game engine

  • Basic design, development and testing of single user immersive
    experiences

Technical Electives :: 3D Animation, Capturing, Modeling and Visualization

  • 3D Modelling software skills (Maya and Blender)

  • 3D Capturing software and hardware

  • Animation modeling (Blender and MotionBuilder)

  • Visualization (2D and 3D visualization, 3D user interfaces)

Technical Electives:: Advanced & Applied eXtended Reality

  • Introduction to immersive storytelling,

  • Advanced design, development and testing of single user immersive
    experiences

  • Design, development, and testing of multi-user social immersive
    experiences

  • The metaverse

Technical Electives:: Advanced Research Methods and Data Analysis

  • Collecting usage data and user feedback

  • Understanding user data

  • Drawing insights from user data – text processing, data mining and
    analysis

  • Cloud-based data collection, storage, and analysis

Technical Electives:: How to make (almost) anything

  • Additive and Subtractive fabrication methods (3D printing, laser cutting)

  • Design thinking for 3D modeling and fabrication

  • Analysis of material and fabrication processes

OTHER COURSES

Theory & Design of Media Content

  • Introduction to Media/Consumer Psychology

  • Introduction to Experimental Research Methods

  • Psychology of Human-Computer Interaction

  • User-Centered Design Methods
    a. User Research: Understand your user – Contextual interviews, focus
    groups, storyboarding, personas.
    b. User Interface Design: Design to facilitate interaction –
    Consistency, Readability, Feedback and Focus.
    c. Usability Testing: Iterate development and testing – Prototyping and
    wireframing, usability scales and user testing, playtesting

Technical Electives:: Advanced Research Methods and Data Analysis

  • Collecting usage data and user feedback

  • Understanding user data

  • Drawing insights from user data – text processing, data mining and
    analysis

  • Cloud-based data collection, storage, and analysis

Technical Skills & Development of Media Content

  • Algorithms & Data Structures
    a. Introduction to algorithms: Complexity, Searching and Sorting,
    Recursion and Iteration, Dynamic Programming, Number Theory and
    Network Flow
    b. Basic Data Structures: Graphs, Trees, Heaps, Linked Lists,
    Dictionaries
    c. Advanced Data Structures: Red-Black Trees, Tries, BD Trees
    d. Database Systems: Relational databases, SQL and noSQL databases

  • Software Engineering
    a. Introduction to software engineering
    b. Agile Development Process
    c. Lean Development Process

  • Human-Computer Interaction
    a. Human Factors and their influence on media content design
    b. Interaction techniques
    c. Graphical User Interfaces (GUI)
    d. Natural User Interfaces (touch-based, speech-based and movementbased)

  • Computer Architecture and Organization
    a. Computer Architecture and Organization
    b. Basic principles of Operating Systems

  • Software Programming
    a. Introduction to programming language principles
    b. Object-oriented programming language principles
    c. Learn programming through C++, Java or Python – beginner’s level
    d. Learn programming through C++, Java or Python – advanced level

Mobile Computing

  • Design, development and testing of software applications for Android
    and iOS mobile operating systems

Embedded Systems

  • Hardware sensors and systems (Digital Logic),

  • Design, development and testing of embedded systems

  • Design, development of Tangible User Interfaces

  • Rapid prototyping
    i. Additive manufacturing (e.g. 3d printing)
    ii. Subtractive manufacturing (e.g. Laser cutting/engraving)

  • Internet of Things (IoT),

Visual Media and Online Content Development

  • Image and Video editing software skills (Adobe Creative Suite)

  • Website creation and hosting (WordPress Engines)

  • Best practices for interactive online content creation

3D Animation, Capturing, Modeling and Visualization

  • 3D Modelling software skills (Maya and Blender)

  • 3D Capturing software and hardware

  • Animation modeling (Blender and MotionBuilder)

  • Visualization (2D and 3D visualization, 3D user interfaces)

Introduction to eXtended Reality (Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality)

  • Introduction to eXtended Reality (XR) software and Technology
    i. Concepts: Cyber sickness, presence, rotation, rendering
    ii. Tools: Unity/Unreal game engine
    iii. Basic design, development and testing of single user immersive
    experiences

Applied eXtended Reality

  • Introduction to immersive storytelling,

  • Advanced design, development and testing of single user immersive
    experiences

  • Design, development, and testing of multi-user social immersive
    experiences

  • The metaverse

Data Analysis

  • Collecting usage data and user feedback

  • Understanding user data

  • Drawing insights from user data – text processing, data mining and
    analysis

  • Cloud-based data collection, storage and analysis