Collaborative Specialization Requirements

The Collaborative Specialization in Knowledge Media Design offers an interdisciplinary specialization to a regular departmental degree program.

Students wanting to apply to the collaborative specialization must be enrolled, or anticipate being enrolled, in a participating degree program. They must apply separately to the collaborative specialization and the home graduate unit.

The KMD Collaborative Specialization cannot be conferred if the home unit degree has not been completed.

Master’s Students

Students must meet all the requirements of their home program.

For specific specialization requirements, please select your degree below:

Students must attend two KMDI Speaker Series Lectures during one academic year of their degree program. Attendance will be monitored and appear on the transcript as KMD 2100Y (Credit/No Credit). A 250-word written reflection on the highlights from each seminar or lecture is required.

Master’s students must submit a portfolio that includes completed student research in knowledge media design. The Collaborative Specialization Committee will review all portfolios for their quality and contribution to the area of knowledge media design. Students’ portfolios will be a component of their thesis or major research project.

Collaborative specialization courses may be taken as electives for the purpose of satisfying home program requirements.

MA, MArch, MASc, MEng (Project Option), MHSc, MLA, MMSt, MSc, MUD, and MVS

Students must successfully complete a total of 1.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs):

  • KMD 1001H (0.5 FCE);
  • 0.5 elective (FCE) related to knowledge media and design. Courses are subject to availability.

The thesis or major research project in the participating degree program should be relevant to the area of knowledge media design, as approved by the home graduate unit and the collaborative specialization committee.

MEd, MEng (Coursework-Only Option)

Students must successfully complete a total of 1.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs):

  • KMD 1001H (0.5 FCE);
  • 1.0 elective (FCE) related to knowledge media and design. Courses are subject to availability.

MI (Coursework-Only Option)

Students must successfully complete a total of 2.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs):

  • KMD 1001H (0.5 FCE);
  • 2.0 elective (FCE) related to knowledge media and design. Courses are subject to availability.

MI (Thesis Option)

Students must successfully complete a total of 1.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs):

  • KMD 1001H (0.5 FCE);
  • 0.5 elective (FCE) related to knowledge media and design. Courses are subject to availability.

The thesis in the participating degree program should be relevant to the area of knowledge media design, as approved by the home graduate unit and the collaborative specialization committee.

Doctoral Students

Students must meet all the requirements of their home program.

Students must successfully complete a total of 1.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs):

  • KMD 1001H and KMD 1002H if not already taken in the Master’s program, and
  • 0.5 FCE from the KMD series or a list of recognized affiliate courses

Students must attend four KMDI Speaker Series Lectures during one academic year of their degree program. Attendance will be monitored and appear on the transcript as KMD 2200Y, (Credit/No Credit). A 250-word written reflection on the highlights from each seminar or lecture is required.

Students must submit a portfolio that includes completed student research in knowledge media design. The Collaborative Specialization Committee will review all portfolios for their quality and contribution to the field. Students’ portfolios will most often be connected with their dissertation proposal.

The dissertation topic must be in the field of knowledge media design. The thesis advisor and at least one other committee member must be from participating units.

The home graduate unit and the student’s supervising committee will determine further requirements. The participating graduate units cooperate in jointly developing a program that is tailored to meet the needs of each student.