What is NYU ITP? A Complete Guide to the Legendary Program
Everything you need to know about NYU Tisch's Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) — often called 'the art school for technology.'
Disclaimer: Information below is based on 2025-2026 data. Tuition, requirements, and policies may change. Always verify with official NYU sources before applying.
What is NYU ITP?
ITP stands for Interactive Telecommunications Program, a Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. The program is STEM-designated, qualifying graduates for 3-year OPT.
Their official tagline is:
“Recently Possible”
Meaning: Explore things that have only “recently become possible.”
ITP doesn’t teach mature technologies. It lets you explore the edges of what technology can do — things that just became possible and no one knows how to use yet.
Some call ITP “the art school for technology.” Others call it “the engineering school for artists.” Both are right, and both are wrong.
ITP’s Legendary Status
Founded in 1979, ITP is one of the world’s first programs exploring the intersection of technology and art.
What have ITP alumni done?
- Evan Roth — Graffiti artist, founder of Graffiti Research Lab
- Jeri Ellsworth — Hardware hacker, founder of Tilt Five AR
- Impressive alumni network — Google, Apple, IDEO, major museums all have ITP people
ITP’s Spring Show attracts massive industry and media attention every year.
Teaching Style
ITP’s style can be described in a few words: experimental, fast, chaotic, fun.
One Project Per Week
Many classes require you to make something every week. It doesn’t need to be perfect — the point is try fast, fail fast, learn fast.
No “Right Answers”
ITP won’t tell you “this is the correct way.” Professors are more like guides than authorities. You find your own direction.
Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration
A single project might have programmers, dancers, architects, and musicians working together. This chaos sometimes produces unexpected sparks.
Curriculum
ITP is a 60-credit master’s program, completed in 2 years.
Core Courses
- Applications — Interactive application development
- Introduction to Computational Media (ICM) — Programming basics (p5.js)
- Introduction to Physical Computing (Pcomp) — Physical computing basics (Arduino)
Popular Electives
| Course | Content |
|---|---|
| Live Web | Real-time web interaction |
| Designing Meaningful Interactions | Interaction design theory |
| Thesis | Master’s thesis production |
| Rest of You | Biosensing, body data |
| Intro to Fabrication | Digital fabrication |
| Understanding Networks | Network principles |
| Machine Learning for the Web | Web-based ML |
| Nature of Code | Natural simulations (Dan Shiffman’s classic!) |
Dan Shiffman Teaches Here
If you’ve seen The Coding Train YouTube channel, that super energetic teacher Dan Shiffman is an ITP professor. His Nature of Code and ICM courses are ITP signatures.
Facilities
ITP is located at 370 Jay Street, 4th floor — right above IDM (3rd floor). Each cohort has about 110-130 students.
- Open workspace — Come make things anytime
- Shop — Tools and materials
- Equipment lending — Cameras, VR headsets, sensors
- 24/7 access — Yes, you can come at midnight
Vibe: Like a mix of university lab + hackerspace + artist studio. Half-finished projects and experimenting people everywhere.
Who is ITP For?
ITP looks for “creative technologists” — creative people who understand technology, or tech people with creativity.
You might be a good fit if:
- ✅ You like asking “what if?”
- ✅ You’re not afraid to fail, willing to try fast
- ✅ You’re more interested in technology’s “possibilities” than “practicality”
- ✅ You enjoy cross-disciplinary collaboration
- ✅ You can handle exploration without clear direction
You might not be a good fit if:
- ❌ You want structured curriculum
- ❌ You expect to learn “industry standard” skills
- ❌ You don’t like making things with your hands
- ❌ You need clear career planning
Application Requirements
Basic Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree (any field)
- English proficiency (recommended, not strict minimums):
- TOEFL iBT: 100+ recommended
- IELTS: 7.5+ recommended
- ITP uses holistic evaluation — no hard cutoff
- GRE not required
Application Materials
- Portfolio — Extremely important
- Video interview — Answer questions, show personality
- Statement of Purpose
- Resume
- 2 Recommendation Letters
Portfolio Focus
ITP’s portfolio isn’t about “technical ability.” They want to see:
- Curiosity — What are you curious about?
- Thought process — How did you go from idea to project?
- Perspective — How do you see technology and creativity?
- Experimental spirit — Do you dare try weird things?
Your work doesn’t need to be impressive, but it needs to be interesting.
Tuition & Living Costs
Tuition (2025-2026)
ITP charges a flat rate per semester — same price whether you take 12 or 18 credits.
- ~$39,856 USD per semester
- 4 semesters (2 years) = ~$159,424 USD (tuition only, excluding fees)
This is significantly higher than IDM (~$68K) due to the flat-rate model and Tisch Arts School pricing.
Living Expenses (Brooklyn)
| Item | Monthly Estimate |
|---|---|
| Rent (Brooklyn area) | $1,500 - $2,500 |
| Food | $500 - $800 |
| Transport | $132 |
| Materials (for projects) | $100 - $300 |
Annual living costs: approximately $30,000 - $40,000 USD.
Financial Aid
- Tisch Scholarship — Evaluated at admission
- Graduate Assistantship — Work for professors, tuition reduction
- External scholarships — Find your own
ITP vs IDM?
| ITP (Tisch) | IDM (Tandon) | |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | M.P.S. | M.S. |
| Credits | 60 credits | 30 credits |
| Duration | 2 years | 1.5-2 years |
| Tuition Model | Flat rate (~$159K total) | Per credit (~$68K total) |
| English | Recommended (TOEFL 100+) | Strict minimum (TOEFL 90) |
| Location | 370 Jay St, 4F | 370 Jay St, 3F |
| STEM OPT | Yes (3 years) | Yes (3 years) |
ITP students can take IDM courses, but not vice versa — IDM uses letter grades (A/B/C/D) while ITP uses Pass/Fail, making credit transfer one-way only.
Career Paths
ITP graduates go in wide and often “atypical” directions:
| Direction | Examples |
|---|---|
| Creative Technologist | Ad agencies, R&D departments |
| Interactive Designer | Museums, exhibition design |
| Artist | Museum exhibitions, artist residencies |
| Entrepreneur | Own products, studios |
| Big Company R&D | Google ATAP, Microsoft Research |
| Education | Teaching creative coding, workshops |
| Keep exploring | Doing cool stuff no one can categorize |
The ITP trait: they usually don’t take the traditional path.
Summary
NYU ITP is a place to explore the edges of technology.
- Experimental spirit — Try fast, fail fast
- Cross-disciplinary — People from all backgrounds
- Legendary status — Top program in new media art
- Free but chaotic — No one tells you what to do
If you’re someone who “wants to do things no one has done before,” ITP might be your place.
Related Articles
- NYU IDM Guide - Compare with ITP’s sister program
- What is 3D Gaussian Splatting? - Cutting-edge 3D technology
Sources
- ITP Curriculum (NYU Bulletin) - Official course requirements
- ITP Course Requirements - Credit breakdown
- Tisch Tuition & Fees - Current tuition rates
- ITP FAQ (International Students) - English requirements
- NYU ITP Official Site - Program overview
- ITP Shows - Student work showcase
- The Coding Train - Dan Shiffman’s creative coding tutorials
Get in Touch
Have questions or want to collaborate? Feel free to reach out!