Curriculum

This certificate offers instruction on how to leverage AI technologies responsibly, ethically, and effectively within organizations and how to advocate for the responsible use of AI and mitigate risks associated with AI deployment,  while also understanding the human-centered aspects of AI development and implementation.

The minor in creative computing is designed to equip students to use code as a medium for art, design, and games, focusing on the expressive, aesthetic, and reflexive dimensions of programming. It introduces students to computational forms of creative and critical thinking, bolstering Northeastern University’s offering of humanics-centered courses.

Program Structure:

• Structure: 2 required courses, 2 electives
• Format: in-person
• Management: undergraduate program housed in department of Art + Design (Media Arts ARTD courses)

Courses:

• ARTD 2340: Introduction to Computational Creative Practice
  • Examines concepts of computational creative practices, focusing on the use of computational processes for the creation of interactive and generative experiences. Includes computational procedures and concepts for creative purposes such as automation, recursion, and data processing. Students use data and mathematical procedures to generate images, express ideas, and create meaning. Offers students an opportunity to gain practice-based experience with the benefits and limitations of using computational processes; make creative computational projects using code and/or other media such as photography, video, performance installation, etc.; and reflect on what computers can and cannot do well.
• ARTD 3490: Data Art and Hactivism
  • Explores the practices and politics of data collection and processing for creative and critical output. Studies how to collect online data with and without APIs and how to process textual data using Natural Language Processing techniques. Examines the practices currently used in social web technologies by making creative projects. Addresses the ethical issues of data collection and privacy, as well as the practical, technical, and social problems that can arise during the processing of social data.

The Minor in Creativity in Theory and Practice offers students the opportunity to get inside the mindset of creativity from a variety of angles and develop perspectives that foster persistently creative habits of mind and practice—as one of the most important ways of thinking valued for innovative work across all fields and disciplines.

The minor is built around three carefully crafted core courses that introduce design thinking and expression, the ethics of creative practice, and the science of creativity. Students will have the opportunity to put those theories and concepts into practice with a broad selection of “making” electives across a variety of disciplines.

This minor is intended to enhance all disciplines across the university, from art, design, and communication to business, engineering, computer science, and more.

Interaction design focuses on the creation of navigable interfaces and systems that allow audiences to achieve meaningful goals, connecting people to people and people to information and environments.

These courses deal directly with AI and incorporate it as a core topic throughout the course.

• AI and Media Frontiers (JRNL 3460)
• AI in Media Industries (JRNL 6460)
• Human-Centered AI (ARTG 6460)
• Critical Data Studies (MSCR 6310)

These courses deal with AI tangentially, or it is discussed during part of the course but not throughout.

Data Creation and Literacy Courses

• Data Storytelling (JRNL 3700)
• Social Networks (COMM 2105)
• Social Media Analytics (COMM 2510)
• Introduction to Computational Creative Practice (ARTD 2340)
• Data Art and Hacktivism (ARTD 3490)
• Digital Storytelling and Social Media (JRNL 3610)
• Data Visualization and Information Design courses (ARTG)

Critical AI and Historical Context Courses

• Cloud, Close, (Drop)Box (MSCR 2600)
• Digital Media Culture (MSCR 3420)
• 40,000 Years of Music Technology (MUSC 2320)
• Sounding Human (MUSC 3352)
• Visual Intelligence (ARTH 1001)
• Information Design History (ARTG 5110)
• Understanding Today’s News (JRNL 1150)
• The History of Journalism: How the News Became the News (JRNL 2350)

These courses deal with AI tangentially, or it is discussed during part of the course but not throughout.

Communication/MSCR:

• COMM 2105: Social Networks
• COMM 2510: Social Media Analytics
• MSCR 2600: Cloud, Close, (Drop)Box
• MSCR 3420: Digital Media Culture

Music:

• MUSC 2320: 40,000 Years of Music Technology
• MUSC 3352: Sounding Human

Art+Design:

• ARTH 1001: Visual Intelligence
• ARTD 2340: Introduction to Computational Creative Practice