Alliance for Technology, Learning and Society (ATLAS)

The Alliance for Technology, Learning and Society (ATLAS) Institute is campuswide initiative in education, research, creative work and  outreach in which information and communication technology is the enabling force. ATLAS  programs bring together students, educators, artists, writers, scholars and leaders from the  academy, industry, non-profits and government to create a multidisciplinary environment that contributes to the understanding of the interaction of ICT and human society and to the  realization of the full potential of that interaction.   The ATLAS Institute is affiliated with the University of Colorado Boulder College of Engineering & Applied Science and Graduate School.  

ATLAS is distinguished by its efforts to:

Establish collaborative multidisciplinary partnerships and programs
Prepare, attract and recruit a highly qualified and diverse student population
Help prepare students for lives and leadership careers  in the networked information age.

Current ATLAS Programs

Technology, Arts and Media (undergraduate major, minor and certificate)
Technology, Media and Society (MS, PhD)
Assessment Research Center  
(BDW) advanced digital communications and design programs 
Center for Media, Arts and Performance 
National Center for Women and Information Technology headquarters
Outreach partnerships with K-12 schools, including the Digital CUrrents summer workshop program

The ever-expanding landscape of the digital age requires new and adaptable skill-sets, within both academic and commercial paradigms. In order to address this need, the Technology, Arts and Media Program, based within the ATLAS Institute, offers several undergraduate programs. The minor is intended for students who wish to pursue research and careers related to digital media, whereas the certificate is intended for students who are interested in the fundamentals of digital media production.

The course code for this program is ATLS.

Bachelor's Degree Program(s)

Minor in Technology, Arts and Media

The minor in Technology, Arts and Media provides a broad multidisciplinary perspective that integrates technological skills with a critical, theoretical and historical understanding of technology, media and the arts. The curriculum includes creative production courses, as well as classes that impart foundational knowledge and critical perspectives on the role of technology in society. Students from a wide range of majors receive instruction in digital media production, design, art criticism, computer programming, information technology, data visualization, media and societal analysis and project development.

Minor Goals

to prepare the next generation of artists, designers and media producers for the digital age
to give students the necessary technical, theoretical and historical backgrounds so they can contribute to the development of new functionalities and aesthetics for computer media
to facilitate the exploration of the intersection of technology and other specific disciplines
to produce active and critically aware participants and producers of technology

Minor Requirements

A minimum of 21 credit hours:
ATLS 2000 The Meaning of Information Technology
ATLS 3010 Digital Media 1
ATLS 3020 Digital Media 2
ATLS 3030 Fundamentals of Digital Design
Critical thinking in technology elective*
Invention and practice elective*
ATLS 4010 Capstone

Students must maintain a 2.00 GPA within all minor courses.
Students must earn a minimum grade of C in all courses counted for the minor.
Course work used to satisfy requirements cannot be taken pass/fail.
ATLS core courses cannot be substituted (ATLS 2000, ATLS 3010, ATLS 3020, ATLS 3030, ATLS 4010).
A minimum of 15 credit hours must be taken on the Boulder campus.
Failing to meet the minimum grade for any individual ATLS core course twice will result in administrative withdrawal from the program.

*See tam.colorado.edu for a current listing of approved elective courses.

Course Substitutions

Course work not on the approved elective list (including course work from another University of Colorado campus, another institution, Study Abroad or Semester at Sea) must be approved by the Minor Faculty committee. Students must complete a Course Substitution Request Form and attach supporting documentation (syllabus).
Substitution requests will not be considered if the student has already satisfied the requirement with an approved elective course.

Graduate Degree Program(s)

MS in Technology, Media and Society

  The MS degree prepares students for careers to advance people and communities in developing nations and underserved or impoverished regions. Students are trained to address issues of access, social equity, sustainability, appropriate design and distribution.   The two-year program includes three semesters in residence and a one-semester practicum: an internship or service project with a relevant organization. Organizations participating in the practicum may be public or private sector, international development agencies, foundations and/or non-governmental organizations.

PhD in Technology, Media and Society

Developed in response to the profound impact of the convergence of information and communication technology that has created what is called the "networked information age," this convergence is:

the major driver behind the wave of globalization, outsourcing and off-shoring leading to a large and lasting transformation of the global economy 
changing the nature of governmental and political control of societies by making it increasingly possible for people in all parts of the world to have access to a wide spectrum of communications and information
creating profound impacts on national and global security and on the privacy of individuals
redefining the media and entertainment industries in terms of content and delivery, and having a significant impact on literature and the arts
changing the nature and patterns of human interaction at the family level and beyond 
impacting attention spans and learning modes, fundamentally affecting the design and delivery of education

Students admitted to the program are self-directed, highly motivated students who enter the program having demonstrated high achievement and a strong understanding of the interdisciplinary education and research that they wish to pursue. Each PhD degree plan is structured to include a unique mix of foundational courses in technology, social sciences and digital media. In addition, each student is required to take at least one qualitative and one quantitative methods course. Each student is required to take the ATLAS PhD Seminar.

Certificate Program(s)

Certificate in Digital Media

The Certificate in Digital Media provides a fundamental understanding of information technology and digital media production. The program will motivate students to think critically about technology and its impacts upon society.

Certificate Goals

to equip students with a basic digital media skill-set
to transform students from passive users of technology into active producers of technology

Certificate Requirements

A minimum of 12 credit hours:
ATLS 2000 The Meaning of Information Technology
ATLS 3010 Digital Media 1
Critical thinking in technology elective*
Invention and practice elective*

Student must maintain a 2.00 GPA within all certificate courses.
Students must earn a minimum grade of C in all courses counted for the certificate.
Course work used to satisfy certificate requirements cannot be taken pass/fail.
Core ATLS courses cannot be substituted (ATLS 2000, ATLS 3010).
Invention and Practice elective must be an ATLS course.