Interactive Media Minor
Design experiences that work — user interfaces, interactive media, and front-end tools — to complement majors in art, game design, business, or marketing.
Program Overview
The interactive media minor at Shawnee State University provides students with a foundation in digital design and user-focused media creation. Blending art, design, and programming, this minor enhances majors in fields such as art, game design, digital simulation, business, and marketing. Students develop creative and technical skills in user interface design, media interactivity, and front-end development tools.
At A Glance
Interactive Media Minor
Degree
Minor
Format
On campus
Length
Complete alongside your major
Credits
18
Class Size
12:1
Location
Main Campus, Vern Riffe Center for the Arts
Why Study Interactive Media Minor at Shawnee University
You'll blend design and technology — UI design and interactive media on the art side, programming and web tools on the technical side.
Electives let you choose your angle. JavaScript, data modeling, server-side publishing, or more advanced interactive media — pick the ones that fit your major and goals.
The minor is built for cross-disciplinary majors — game design, simulation, business, marketing, and the arts all benefit from interactive design skills.
You'll leave with portfolio work that shows real interaction, not just static design.
What you'll study The Interactive Media Minor requires 18 credit hours — 12 hours of core courses and 6 hours of electives chosen from design and business programs.
- Core (12 credits): ARTS 1101 Two-Dimensional Foundations; ARTS 1105 Digital Foundations; ARTS 3641 User Interface Design; ARTS 4641 Interactive Media 1
- Choose two electives (6 credits): ARTS 4642 Interactive Media 2; BUIS 2350 JavaScript Programming; BUIS 2400 Data Modeling and Relational Databases; BUIS 2500 Web Software Tools; BUIS 3500 Server-Side Web Publishing
The Interactive Media Minor is a strong fit for students majoring in:
- Graphic Design or Studio Arts
- Game & Simulation Arts
- Computer Science or Information Systems
- Business or marketing
- Communication
- Any student aiming for UI/UX, front-end development, or interactive content work
Classes meet in the design studios and computing labs on the Shawnee State campus in Portsmouth, Ohio.
Interactive Media Minor Frequently Asked Questions
No. The core is design-focused, and the electives let you decide whether to lean further into design (Interactive Media 2) or pick up programming and web tools.
Graphic Design focuses on print and visual identity work. Interactive Media is built around screens, interaction, and front-end tools. Some students take both.
No — studio and lab courses meet on campus. Some sections may be available online or hybrid depending on the term.
Yes. UI Design for Games overlaps cleanly with Interactive Media work — talk with your advisor about how the credits line up.
