IMPORTANT NOTICE
Admissions to the Interactive Media Design program will be paused for two years (2023-2024 and 2024-2025). Currently-enrolled students are not affected. We are reevaluating a program delivery model that will best serve our students and community. Please check back for updates as they become available.
Need assistance?
First Year or Pre-Major Students
If you are a current UW Bothell pre-major student, please contact a Pre-Major Advisor.
Transfer Students
If you are a transfer student (this includes students studying at UW-Seattle, community colleges, and universities), please contact the Admissions Office.
1. Application
The IMD application cycle is closed for Autumn 2022 admissions.
2. Official College transcripts
You must submit an official transcript from regionally accredited institutions you have ever attended. Current UW Bothell students can submit an unofficial copy of their UW Bothell transcript. If a current UW Bothell student has taken courses outside of UW Bothell as a UWB pre-major student, then official transcripts from other institutions must be submitted.
3. Official High School transcript
An official high school transcript is required for transfer applicants who completed the minimum UW admission requirements such as Intermediate Algebra or/and World Language.
4. Personal Statement
Update on 3/29/2022: The maximum word count listed on the IMD website for the personal statement has been adjusted from 250 to 500 maximum words. This aligns with what is listed on the application. Students are welcome to submit a statement with 250 words but the official limit will be 500 words.
The IMD admissions committee looks for candidates who clearly articulate their interest in and capacity to learn to work with digital tools, to engage with art and design thinking, to think critically about interactive media, and to work collaboratively with others in a diverse cohort. Applications that ground claims about these interests and capacities in materials included in their design portfolio (see below) are preferred. If you have any poor grades or gaps in your educational progress, you may include a short explanation.
You are required to write the following two pieces for this part of your application:
- The personal statement can provide context for your application by discussing how your background has been shaped by your diversity of race, gender, sexuality, ability or personal hardships, and/or your statement can describe how you see your role in using interactive media to create positive social change. (500-word max - updated 3/29/2022)
- A short essay that demonstrates the ability to think critically about interactive media design. You should choose a specific example of interactive media, and analyze it through the lens of a specific social dynamic such as race, class, gender, sexuality, ability, nationality or environmental impact. (Note: This essay can be based on or derived from work completed in other courses.) (500-word max)
5. Design Portfolio
The IMD admissions committee will review individual samples of creative and/or interactive media work and experience. A portfolio of work samples is useful since it gives the committee a sense of the range of an applicant’s interests, skills, and capacities. Work samples may include graphic art/design, digital/media art, website development, video/film, games, apps, etc. They may come from previous coursework relevant to the IMD degree, including prerequisite courses, and/or from other non-academic (work or volunteer or artistic) contexts. If you submit work produced collaboratively, please describe your specific contribution. (Please note that we do not accept original artwork, thumb drives, or DVDs. Please include a website address on the application.) Learn more about the Design Portfolio and how to put one together.
6. Resume
This is optional, but strongly recommended for students who have an existing resume.