To search for a course at UCSB, or obtain a list of courses by department, use the online Schedule of Classes.
MAT 200A
Arts & Technology
4 units
Instructor: G. Legrady
Description
Overview of the digital media arts field with an emphasis on technological developments and their integration in art research and production. Students are introduced to contemporary and historical directions and methodologies through seminar lectures, research presentation, and a final project.
MAT 240A
Digital Audio Programming
4 units
Instructor: K. Yerkes
Description
Audio programming can take many forms. We require different tools and practices for artistic projects versus scientific research versus commercial applications. This course will present an overview of many audio programming languages and systems, exploring what they have in common and what makes each unique. We cover selected aspects of programming language design, domain-specific languages, metaprogramming, and software development environments as they relate to audio. We compare and contrast a curated set of languages and systems, including SuperCollider, Max, Puredata, FAUST, ChucK, Gibber, Python, C++, Rust, etc. Each student proceeds through stages of development such as sketching, research, prototyping, and implementation and then demonstrates their open-source software / creative project.
For the first 5-7 weeks I will assign programming homework and readings. After that, each student will work on a final project while lectures refocus on challenges that come up in projects. Learn an audio programming language!
MAT 240A is a part of a three-quarter series of practical programming courses. Students develop audio apps using state-of-the-art methods and tools such as c++, Max, SuperCollider, javascript, and rust. See also MAT 240B and MAT 240C.
MAT 255
Concepts and Aesthetics of the Computational Image
4 units
Instructor: G. Legrady
Description
Interdisciplinary course to analyze the digital computational image, its history, the theoretical, conceptual, philosophical underpinnings, issues of aesthetics, and critical analysis of simulation and representation. Course bridges arts, engineering, humanities. Assignments include reports and possibly projects.
MAT 261A
Transvergence Seminar I
4 units
Instructor: M. Novak
Description
Artistic, philosophical, scientific, and technical foundations of transdisciplinarity, transmodality, and Transvergence. New conceptions of actual, virtual, and informational space and form. Trans-Euclidean geometry, from Gauss to present. Emergence and immanence in algorithmic poetics and information aesthetics. Models of physical, biological, and social complex systems. Worldmaking and epistemology.
MAT 261B
Transvergence Studio I
4 units
Instructor: M. Novak
MAT 276IA
Direct Digital Synthesis - Processing and Composition
4 units
Instructor: J. Kuchera-Morin
Description
First quarter of general purpose computing for computer music applications. Topics include: music synthesis using computer programs, and score input programs.
MAT 276LA
Digital Audio Montage
2 units
Instructor: J P Oliveira
Description
First quarter of a three-quarter sequence course concentrates on multi-track recording, mixing, digital signal processing, and studio based composition
MAT 293
Internship in Industry
1-4 units
Instructor: Use specific instructor code
Description
Special projects for selected students. Offered in conjunction with selected industrial and research under direct faculty supervision. Prior departmental approval required.
MAT 299
Independent Study
4 units
Instructor: TBD
Description
Independent research under the guidance of a faculty member in the department. Offers an opportunity to qualified students to undertake independent research or work in a group laboratory in digital media arts and technology.
MAT 502
Teaching in MAT
1-4 units
Instructor: TBD
MAT 594CE
CREATE Ensemble
1-4 units
Instructor: K. Yerkes
Description
Hands on practical approach to composition, improvisation, critique, refinement, and research dedicated to live performance.
Open to laptops, new interfaces for artistic expression, audiovisual art, live coding, local and/or wide area networked performance, interactive dance, music for acoustic and electronic instruments, performance art, trans-categorical live performance, etc.
Prerequisite: graduate standing in MAT or Music or consent of instructor; students are expected to contribute some combination of technical development, composition, and/or performance skills. Optionally, take in conjunction with independent study for related research.
We will prepare one structured improvisation for the entire group and several smaller pieces according to our resources. Will discuss many potential venues on and off campus for events.
MAT 594P
Special Topics in Multimedia Engineering, Visual Arts or Electronic Music.
1-4 units
Instructor: J. Kuchera-Morin
Description
MAT 594P is a studio-based course in media composition for making media art works for MAT grads working on their portfolios. We will deal with the compositional process with regard to multimodal content that unfolds over time and space. The object of this seminar is to make, and also to discuss our compositional processes as we build our portfolios. Each student will work on their individual or group project and will present work each week. We can meet as a group and individually as well. During the class/lab sessions, students can also bring in various works and readings from artists and researchers from which their philosophy of making is being drawn.
594P is a place where students can work on their media arts/tech/science projects. You can sign up for as many units that you are putiing in to work on your portfolio. It is open ended. It is modeled after private lessons in studio. I work with each student individually and then we meet as a group to share our work with one another and share with each other. All of the MAT sudents are welcome. Media works can be whatever your area and interests are. These can be visual sonic and or interactive and also material. This also includes making computational systems as some students come from the engineering side and some from the arts side. It depends on the area that a student is pursuing. It is a way to begin integrating both sides of the MAT. So its really about deisgn and craft. I do not teach software or systems so one can work on whatever platform they wish.
Description
A weekly writing, theory and guest lectures seminar, focused on research topics of interest to the wide fields at the intersection of media arts and technology. The seminar is organized in topical modules, covering writing methodologies, media theory, philosophy and critique.
MAT 596
Directed Research
2-12 units
Instructor: Use specific instructor code
MAT 597
Individual Study, PhD exams
1-12 units
Instructor: Use specific instructor code
MAT 598
Master's Thesis/Project Research
1-12 units
Instructor: Use specific instructor code
MAT 599
PhD Dissertation Research and Preparation
1-12 units
Instructor: Use specific instructor code
M - Monday, T - Tuesday, W - Wednesday, R - Thursday, F - Friday.
Choose your electives from Art, Computer Science, ECE, and Music, then have them approved by the instructor.
Instructor Codes: T. Höllerer (27), J. Jacobs (02), J. Kuchera-Morin (33), G. Legrady (09), M. Novak (03), F. Offert (12), M. Peljhan (11), C. Roads (08), K. Yerkes (21).