Technology Requirements
The School of Emerging Media and Technology now requires that incoming students purchase a laptop computer that can be used in their major classes. We strongly recommend students purchase either an Apple or Windows laptop computer that meets or exceeds the standards listed below.
Minimum Approved Hardware
Contact the Kent State University Bookstore at (330) 672-2762 for education pricing and special offers.
- 13+" Display
- Intel Core i5 processor
- 8 GB Ram, 16GB is recommended for video majors
- 256 GB Hard Drive
- The Solid State Drives that come with the Retina Display also are acceptable.
For students who want to transport their media files: ie. Video & Audio, the School of Emerging Media and Technology also recommends an external hard drive that works with both Apple and Windows computers.
It is recommended that parents/students take advantage of Apple back-to-school specials. For more information regarding back-to-school specials, contact the Kent State University Bookstore at (330) 672-2762 or visit their website at https://kent.bncollege.com/. It is also strongly recommended that students purchase an upgraded three-year computer warranty.
Portable computers are subjected to more wear and tear than desktop computers. The upgraded warranty also includes three full years of 24/7 telephone technical support. Computers can be purchased at low education prices through the Flash Technology Center.
Microsoft Office is now free to all Kent State students. To obtain your copy please visit http://support.kent.edu/office
We also recommend creating a free account on Dropbox, Box.com or Google Drive. This is a nice place to keep all of your files. In the event of a computer malfunction, your files will be backed up in the cloud.