40-201-1
The Digital Media Arts Certificate prepares students to enter the digital media industry with solid technical, conceptual, and aesthetic foundations as capable and fluent creators of visual, time-based digital content for existing and emerging media. Students will learn to:
Anyone may enroll in this certificate, and it is especially valuable to those in the fields of graphic design, information technology, web design, mass communication, still photography, or journalism with the required skill sets.
The types of work certificate holders might undertake include:
10-201-185 Interactive Multimedia (3 credits)
10-201-184 Introduction to Digital Media (3 credits)
10-201-160 Digital Video (3 credits)
10-201-165 Compositing and Visual Effects (3 credits)
10-201-184 or 20-815-284 INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL MEDIA
Fall Semester
Introduces students to the concepts and theory behind the design and creation of digital media projects and to the fundamentals of concept development for digital media. Students will learn how to create and work from storyboards and animatics and their use in the digital media creation process. Students will study and explore narrative structures common for digital media; explore and use time-based graphic, typographic, and visual and aural transitional elements in the communication of concept and idea. Students will also explore the use of time and interactivity as an artistic or design element in the creation of digital content. Students are introduced to Flash and After Effects software. 3 credits.
Skills prerequisite: Basic computer skills, including file management and ability to upload content to websites. Basic Photoshop skills: can demonstrate a basic understanding of layers, selection tools, masking, clone stamp and brush tools and simple image compositing (the combining of two or more images to create a new image).
10-201-160 DIGITAL VIDEO
Fall Semester
Hands-on studio course in which students learn the basic tools of digital storytelling, using the digital video camera, and digital editing workflow from pre-shoot planning to final output. Course focuses on foundational principles in camera and editing basics common to most digital video cameras and non-linear editing suites. Students independently shoot and produce their own creative work. Topics include high definition digital camera operation, monitor calibration, camera-to-editor acquisition and workflow, tape and tapeless workflow, chromakeying, studio and location shooting, basic digital sound acquisition and editing, lighting basics, editing basics, principles and software, and compression and delivery for various media. Students will use Final Cut software. Course Pre/Co-requisites: Introduction to Digital Media. 3 credits.
10-201-185 or 20-815-285 INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA
Spring Semester
Explores the basics of information design, interactivity and interface design for digital media. Course covers both the design and production of interactive media as well as the underlying concepts and principles of information and interactive design. Students are introduced to Flash and After Effects software. Skills prerequisite: Basic computer skills, including file management and ability to upload content to websites. Basic Photoshop skills: can demonstrate a basic understanding of layers, selection tools, masking, clone stamp and brush tools and simple image compositing (the combining of two or more images to create a new image). OR Course Pre/Co-requisites: Computer Graphics or Advanced Computer Graphics. 3 credits.
10-201-165 COMPOSITING AND VISUAL EFFECTS
Spring Semester
Students learn basics of motion graphic design and post-production processes in a digital video workflow environment. Emphasis on creating independent animated pieces which visually communicate a message and creating effects and post-production corrections/modifications consistent with provided conceptual direction in a collaborative environment. Topics include color correction, basics and principles of motion graphic design and effects software, typography for screen, video compositing and image correcting, rotoscoping, basics and principles of visual effects, basics and principles of graphic animation (news and television graphics, lower thirds, animated logos, etc.), and compression and delivery for various media. Students will use After Effects and Shake software. Course Pre/Co-requisites: Interactive Multimedia and Introduction to Digital Media. 3 credits.
Students must have a grade of "C" or better to progress in core courses in the following semester and a grade of "C" or better in all core courses to graduate. A cumulative G.P.A. of 2.0 is required for graduation.