IAT 499 Graduation Project

Course details

'IAT 499 Graduation Project – Spring 2026’ is an opportunity for you to complete one large detailed project over an entire term.

The course will be taught by SIAT faculty member Gillian Russell and is aimed at students interested in completing a ‘capstone’ project’ of significant size and scope that employs methods and strategies drawn from across SIAT's disciplines.

The course will consist of several interlinked activities: Studio-based lectures and creative exercises; supervised student-led studios; weekly crits; and guest crits. Working individually or as part of a small team, students will learn how to manage a major project, and articulate the concepts behind their work, which includes portfolio and final exhibition preparation and presentation.

Completed projects will be presented publicly (either digitally or physically) at the end-of-term graduation showcase. The format will be decided by the class.

Mentorship

IAT-499 will be lead by Gillian Russell who will coordinate and guide students through their projects. It is strongly recommended that students find a faculty mentor or industry partner to further support their work's specific context. This is encouraged, but not required.

Contact

For general course questions, contact siat_advising@sfu.ca.
To discuss project proposal ideas, please contact Gillian Russell at gillianr@sfu.ca.

How to apply

To apply for this course, students must download and complete the application/project proposal form (link below) and submit the completed form to SIAT's advising team at siat_advising@sfu.ca.

For Spring 2026 priority will be given to group projects in IAT 499.

Application form

Deadline to apply

Deadline to apply is Friday, September 12 (2025) for the Spring 2026 semester. Successful applicants will hear back by October 1 (2025).

Types of projects

There is a lot of freedom in project choice as long as it relates to what we do at SIAT, is of significant scope, depth and contribution, and can clearly showcase your learning. This might include:

a critical/speculative/fictional design project in a variety of media
a novel narrative environment (interactive storytelling experience) or research/development project)
a documentary or creative film
a novel and well-developed/researched game
a novel user experience design project
and more!

Your final project should represent a high degree of proficiency.

Past Projects

Prerequisites

The course is aimed at senior IAT students, and the prerequisite is 90 units complete, including 18 upper division IAT units, plus IAT 309W.

School of Interactive Arts & Technology