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Digital Media (B.A.) with Interactive Design Concentration

Program Overview

Students completing this program will be able to work effectively in a broad range of fields associated with Digital Media, bringing a Christian perspective to bear on the digital world they will be helping to create. Digital Media is a broadly defined field and the program is designed to familiarize students with that breadth. All students will take a core of courses, which introduce digital interactive design, digital video, introductory computer programming, and digital sound design. The concentrations give the program depth in one specific area, and the free electives give students the option of exploring digital media in still greater depth, or combining their studies with another discipline. Each concentration is housed in its own department: Art and Design, Communication, Computer and Information Science, or Theatre and Dance. At the same time, all aspects of the program will focus on interactivity whether in video, animation, gaming, web design or other software applications.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates from Messiah’s Digital Media program can:

  1. Explain foundational concepts of visual design, narrative, and computing.
  2. Apply analytical and research skills needed to place digital media works in their social, historical, and cultural settings, and to understand and evaluate their effectiveness
  3. Design and create successful projects in visual and sound design, and programming.
  4. Effectively communicate through digital media using technical and narrative skills.
  5. Design and produce a successful collaborative digital media project.
  6. Articulate their own strengths and weakness related to the field of digital media; identify their aptitude for specific digital media careers.
  7. Articulate how their faith connects to the study of digital media, and how faith connects to potential career options in the field of digital media

Major Requirements

Complete the following for your major:

DIGM 105Foundations in Creative Digital Media

3
DIGM 210Video and Church Media Seminar

1
DIGM 215Game and Art Design Seminar

1
CIS 180Introduction to Computer and Information Science

3
CIS 181Computer Programming I

3
CIS 191Web Development: Client Side

3
COMM 203Basic Video&Editing Techniques

3
COMM 217Introduction to Film

3
COMM 382History and Theory of Digital Media

3
DIGM 490Senior Seminar and Project

4
MUCM 353Sound Design

3
Six credits of Digital Media Electives (see list)

6

COMM 382: Writing in the major requirement.

Digital Media Electives: Courses taken to fulfill a major requirement cannot also count towards the six credits of Digital Media electives requirement.

Nine credits from the following:

ART 121Form, Space, and Media

3
ART 171Drawing I

3
ART 182Color and Composition

3
ART 217Digital Imaging

3
ART 251Darkroom Photography

3
ART 336Interactive Design

3
ART 352Digital Photography

3
ART 431Motion Design

3
Total Credit Hours:9
Three of the nine credits may be fulfilled by one of the following Art History courses: ARTH 151 Art History: 1400-21st Century, ARTH 205 Design History and Theory, or ARTH 209 History of Modern Art.

Three credits from the following:

ARTH 210Topics in Non-Western Art

3
COMM 321Global Indigenous Media

3
COMM 327/IDNW 200Latin American Cinema

3

Interactive Design Concentration (15 credits)

Courses used in the core may not count towards the concentration.
ART 237Typography

3
Total Credit Hours:3

Six credits from the following:

ART 217Digital Imaging

3
ART 337Graphic Design and Professional Practice

3
ART 338Digital Illustration

3
ART 347Service Centered Design

3
ART 352Digital Photography

3
ART 386Typography II

3
ART 420Designer as Author

3
Total Credit Hours:6

Six credits from the following:

ART 336Interactive Design

3
ART 345Interactive Design II

3
ART ART 382Topics in Graphic Design

3
ART 431Motion Design

3

Digital Media electives

List of approved Digital Media Electives

ART 171Drawing I

3
ART 182Color and Composition

3
ART 217Digital Imaging

3
ART 236Design Thinking & Visual Culture

3
ART 237Typography

3
ART 251Darkroom Photography

3
ART 336Interactive Design

3
ART 337Graphic Design and Professional Practice

3
ART 338Digital Illustration

3
ART 347Service Centered Design

3
ART 352Digital Photography

3
ART 386Typography II

3
ART 420Designer as Author

3
ART 431Motion Design

3
ARTH 150Art History: Prehistory-1400

3
ARTH 151Art History: 1400-21st Century

3
ARTH 205Design History and Theory

3
ARTH 209History of Modern Art

3
ARTH 309Contemporary Art: 1945 - Present

3
CIS 284Computer Programming II

3
CIS 287Introduction to Game Design

3
CIS 291Web Development: Server Side

3
CIS 315Introduction to Mobile Application Design

3
CIS 332Database Concepts

3
CIS 381Information Systems and Managers

3
CIS 385Data Structures and Algorithms

3
COMM 205Principles of Strategic Public Relations

3
COMM 218Mass Media and Society

3
COMM 220Advanced Cinematography & Lighting Techniques

3
COMM 251Film History I 1895-1960

3
COMM 252Film History II 1960-Present

3
COMM 254Screenwriting I

3
COMM 255Screenwriting II

3
COMM 310Fundraising Principles and Strategies

3
COMM 317Advanced Editing & Effects

3
COMM 328Methods and Issues in Film Studies

3
COMM 341Communication Theory

3
COMM 342Intercultural Communication

3
COMM 353Crisis Communication and Media Relations

3
COMM 357Event Planning

3
COMM 363Documentary and Promotional Film

3
COMM 380Advanced Topics in Film Production

3
INTE 391Internship

1-3
INTE 394Internship

4-12
THEA 115Production Practicum

1
THEA 150Introduction to Technical Theatre and Design

3
THEA 250Stage Management

3
THEA 350Scenographic Techniques

3

COMM 220, COMM 251, COMM 252, COMM 317, COMM 328, COMM 380: This course requires prerequisite(s), which may increase the total credits required for the major.

INTE 391 and INTE 394 must be taken for a letter grade to fulfill major.

QuEST Requirements

Experiential Learning requirement 0
QuEST requirements Credits
First Year Seminar 3
Oral Communication 3
Created and Called for Community (W) 3
Mathematical Sciences (CIS 180, CIS 181, or CIS 191) met/major
Laboratory Science 3 or 4
Science, Technology & the World waived
Two of the following (6 credits total):
   Social Science
   European History
   United States History 		6
Literature 3
Philosophy and Religion 3
Arts  waived
First Semester of Language 3
Second Semester of Language 3
Third Semester of Language or Cross Cultural 3
Non-Western Studies (ARTH 210, COMM 321 or COMM 327) met/major
Bible 3
Christian Beliefs 3
Wellness course 1
Ethics, World Views or Pluralism 3
QuEST requirements 43-44
Major requirements (inclusive of concentration) 63
Free electives 17-16
Total credits 123