Professional Overview
The Digital Media Art programme is oriented towards the digital intelligent society. Building on East China University of Science and Technology's distinctive strengths in engineering and its comprehensive humanities foundation, the programme leverages the School of Art Design and Media's expertise in creative design and communication. Established on a decade of experience in advertising studies, it focuses on creative visualization and integrated media communication in areas such as science popularization, public welfare, and regional culture. The programme has progressively formed interdisciplinary alliances, developing a new educational model that integrates industry-academia collaboration and merges science with art. This programme takes Design, Computer Science and Technology, and Communication as its core, absorbing knowledge, methods, and perspectives from disciplines such as Theatre and Film. It centers on two research directions: Digital Media Brand Planning and Digital Imaging and Applications. From the four stages of media creativity, media content, media expression, and media communication, it cultivates students' full-process design innovation and engineering practical abilities.
Centered around the above purpose and educational philosophy, the Digital Media Art programme has systematically advanced its development across multiple fronts: curriculum design, faculty development, practical teaching enhancement, academic management systems, and research capacity support. With a strong emphasis on industry-academia-research collaboration, the programme actively leverages social resources to strengthen its distinctive characteristics. It has implemented a studio-based teaching model that proactively aligns with and serves industrial development. Through establishing industry-academia cooperation bases and adopting a dual-supervisor system with both academic and industry mentors, the programme has steadily and profoundly advanced its professional talent cultivation. These concerted efforts culminated in its recognition as a National First-Class Undergraduate Programme Construction Site in 2021.
This programme does not admit candidates with colour blindness or colour weakness.
The programme is a four-year course, and upon satisfactory completion of all requirements, graduates will receive an undergraduate diploma and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree.
TEACHING STAFF
The Digital Media Art programme is supported by a highly qualified and robust faculty team. The current full-time teaching staff includes 1 professor, 2 associate professors, and 4 lecturers, with 4 of them qualified as Master’s supervisors. Professors and associate professors account for 43% of the faculty, 86% hold doctoral degrees, and 71% have international academic experience through overseas study or visiting scholarships. Faculty members have graduated from renowned universities in China and abroad, including Fudan University, Shanghai Normal University, Soochow University, Shanghai University, Macau University of Science and Technology, École nationale supérieure d'arts de Paris-Cergy (ENSAPC), and Dongseo University in South Korea. The teaching team has successfully completed multiple national and provincial-level research projects, demonstrating strong academic capability. Their extensive experience in both teaching and professional design practice, both domestically and internationally, has cultivated a global perspective. In addition, the program regularly engages well-known scholars and industry experts in the field of digital media art as adjunct professors and corporate mentors, laying a solid foundation for the program’s continuous development and excellence.
Core Modules
Creative Programming, Intelligent Hardware and Sensors, Fundamentals and Applications of Artificial Intelligence, Photography Basics, Illustration and Creative Expression, History of Digital Media Art, Design Psychology, Design Graphics, Design Principles, Typography and Layout Design, Spatial Information Processing, User Interface Design, Creative Copywriting, Digital Sound Synthesis, Digital Creative Imaging, 3D Imaging Fundamentals, Virtual Reality and Digital Entertainment, Digital Media Planning and Production, Media Brand Planning, Professional Foreign Languages, etc.
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
The Digital Media Art programme is built upon a core foundation of Design, Computer Science and Technology, and Communication Studies. It integrates the knowledge, methodologies, and perspectives from disciplines such as Drama, Film, and Television. Guided by the principle of synergizing science with art and deeply integrating industry with education, the programme focuses on two primary research directions: Digital Media Brand Planning, and Digital Imaging & Applications. From a global perspective, it comprehensively addresses the four key stages of media creation: ideation, content development, expression, and dissemination. This holistic approach cultivates students' capabilities in full-process design innovation and engineering practice.
ACADEMIC EXCHANGE
To e academic innovation within the field of Digital Media Art and inspire new ideas, perspectives, and creative spirit among faculty and students, the Digital Media Art programme has established two flagship lecture series: Digital · Media · Art and Media & Imagery. These initiatives regularly bring renowned professors and experts from both China and abroad to the university for in-depth exchanges with our academic community.
The Digital Media Art programme actively encourages and organizes students to participate in various competitions. In recent years, students have consistently achieved outstanding results in both domestic and international design contests, reflecting the high-quality education and professional standards. Notably, faculty and students from the programme earned a National First Prize in the 16th Challenge Cup National Undergraduate Students Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Works Competition.
Hosted by SAIC Motor and guided by the Organizing Committee of the China Pavilion for Expo Dubai and the World Expo Foundation, the Wandering Journey · China Tour Animated Short Video Competition saw outstanding achievements from our Digital Media Art programme. 6 students and 2 faculty members were awarded the First, Second, and Third Prizes in the Student Category, along with the Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award. The winning works were screened and exhibited for global visitors at the Dubai World Expo China Pavilion.
TEACHING ACHIEVEMENTS
The Digital Media Art programme actively encourages and organizes students to participate in various competitions. In recent years, students have consistently achieved outstanding results in both domestic and international design contests, reflecting the high-quality education and professional standards. Notably, faculty and students from the programme earned a National First Prize in the 16th Challenge Cup National Undergraduate Students Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Works Competition.
Hosted by SAIC Motor and guided by the Organizing Committee of the China Pavilion for Expo Dubai and the World Expo Foundation, the Wandering Journey · China Tour Animated Short Video Competition saw outstanding achievements from our Digital Media Art programme. 6 students and 2 faculty members were awarded the First, Second, and Third Prizes in the Student Category, along with the Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award. The winning works were screened and exhibited for global visitors at the Dubai World Expo China Pavilion.
CAREER PROSPECTS
The Digital Media Art programme is dedicated to cultivating innovative and versatile professionals who are well-rounded in moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education. Graduates are equipped to meet the demands of national modernization and development, possessing a high level of artistic and humanistic accomplishment, a strong sense of social responsibility, and sound ethical character. With an international perspective and contemporary design thinking, they master relevant knowledge and methodologies in areas such as animation, game design, film and television post-production and visual effects, online video production, internet product development, and web interactive design. Built on a multidisciplinary knowledge structure, graduates demonstrate outstanding design creativity and engineering practical abilities. They also possess commercial awareness and a collaborative team spirit, enabling them to pursue careers in animation, gaming, film and television, advertising, and media-related sectors. Potential roles include planning, creative development, production, communication, operation, and management.
FURTHER STUDIES
Graduates of the Digital Media Art programme have been admitted to graduate programs at world-renowned art and design institutions such as University of the Arts London: Central Saint Martins, University College London (UCL), University of Dundee, Loughborough University, Teesside University, Kyoto Seika University, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Kingston University, University of Leeds, University of Edinburgh, and Tokyo Polytechnic University in Japan. Their professional capabilities have been recognized by many prestigious international institutions.
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
The Digital Media Art programme is a practice-oriented discipline that emphasizes the practical application of advanced theories, engineering implementation, and a dual focus on operational feasibility and forward-thinking innovation. The programme has established a comprehensive infrastructure, including the Digital Media Art Laboratory, Digital Graphics and Imaging Studio, Digital Broadcasting Hall, VR Experimental Teaching Center, and the Digital Media Specialized Studio. These facilities provide a solid academic foundation for exploring the core domains of Digital Media Art: digital imaging and digital interaction.
The Digital Media Art programme is committed to the philosophy of integrating science with art and bridging industry with education, ensuring that its teaching initiatives proactively align with and serve the development of the industry. To date, the program has established industry-academia collaboration bases with over 40 leading enterprises, including: Shanghai Film Group, SAIC Innovation Research and Development Center Design Center (SAIC Design Center Visualization Laboratory), First Media, Tezign Technology, Labor News Agency, Shanghai Animation Film Studio, Shanghai Miming Information Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Magic Video Digital & Creative Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Vision Orange Media Co., Ltd., Giant Network Group Co., Ltd. Shanghai Branch, Shanghai Dianqing Information Technology Co., Ltd., TEA New Media Education Community/Digital FUN Interactive Effects Studio, Shanghai Qianen Education Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Manna Network Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Qiku Network Technology Co., Ltd., and others.
Upon entering the third year of specialized studies, students will be assigned a dual-mentorship system with guidance from both academic faculty and industry professionals. Building on a well-established curriculum framework, the program actively aligns with the development of the cultural and creative industries by adopting flexible course structures that integrate theoretical knowledge, design principles, and hands-on practice. These components are interwoven organically, progressing from foundational to advanced levels, to facilitate a series of industry-academia-research collaborative initiatives, including the ECUST-MANA Sci-Tech Art Lab and the ECUST–OF COURSE Future Interaction Workshop. In response to the demands of socioeconomic growth and the evolving digital media sector, the program emphasizes practical training through engineering-oriented projects. This approach enhances students' comprehensive competencies, equips them to keep pace with disciplinary advancements and societal needs, and strengthens their practical skills, social adaptability, and innovative capabilities.
Follow the official account for Digital Media Art: Digital Media Space
