Media Design School at Strayer is now in Atlanta.
MDS brings more than 25 years of award-winning creative education from New Zealand to the U.S., with graduate programs built around real-world creative work, industry professionals, and portfolio-ready outcomes—starting with Screen Scoring & Music Design.
Let’s Get
To Work
25+
YEARS OF MDS
Educating the next generation of creative talent
2
CAMPUSES
Atlanta, GA and Auckland, NZ
15
PROGRAMS
Spanning creative disciplines and emerging industries across 2 campuses
Start Your Journey
Start Your ApplicationRequest more information about our program
Programs
In Person – Atlanta, Georgia
MFA In Screen Scoring & Music Design
Chart your path with a 15-month MFA in Screen Scoring & Music Design from Media Design School at Strayer
ONLINE
Graduate Certificate in Screen Scoring & Music Design
A flexible, six-month online program for composers ready to sharpen their skills, strengthen their portfolio, and take their work further.
News & Updates
Get Ready for
your SoundTrek
Experience
Both the on-ground MFA program and the online Graduate Certificate program feature the SoundTrek live recording experience where you’ll work with top-notch conductors and crews and experience the unparalleled thrill of hearing your music performed by world-class orchestras. Develop your personal voice while building the technical and collaborative skills it takes to turn story, image, and emotion into compelling music.
Student Spotlight
Carson Zuck
Carson Zuck is an Atlanta-based, BMI-affiliated film composer with an undergraduate degree from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee & Berklee College of Music. His scoring philosophy centers on letting each score grow organically from a story's own emotional logic across drama, horror, documentary, and animation.
Full Profile
MDS US – EST. Alanta 2026
Media Design School at Strayer's new home in the U.S. is located in Midtown Atlanta. Our current programs in Screen Scoring & Music Design bring together industry-led instruction, hands-on creative work and real-world experiences designed to prepare composers for what comes next.
MDS New Zealand – EST. Auckland 1998
Media Design School at Strayer is New Zealand's leading tertiary institution for creative and digital technology qualifications. We offer industry-endorsed courses in Game Art, Game Programming, 3D Animation & Visual Effects, Creative Advertising, Graphic Design, Information Technology, Interactive Design, Motion Design and Software Engineering.
Visit MDS NZAccreditation & Institutional Recognition
Strayer University is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE or the Commission) www.msche.org. Strayer University’s accreditation status is Accreditation Reaffirmed. The Commission’s most recent action on the institution’s accreditation status on March 12, 2026 was to reaffirm accreditation. MSCHE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to conduct accreditation and pre-accreditation (candidate status) activities for institutions of higher education including distance, correspondence education, and direct assessment programs offered at those institutions. The Commission’s geographic area of accrediting activities is throughout the United States. Strayer is not a “University” for the purposes of the Education and Training Act 2020 (New Zealand) or for New Zealand law purposes. Media Design School at Strayer is a New Zealand Private Training Establishment (PTE) under the New Zealand Education and Training Act 2020 (New Zealand).