COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
DIG – Digital Media
DIG 010 – Digital Media Skills Comprehensive: 0 credits
All Students must pass the Digital Media Skills Comprehensive exam by the end of the Junior year in order to successfully complete the program. Additional information is found in the Digital Media Department Handbook.
DIG 101 – Introduction to Ethical Generative AI: 1 credit
Introduction to generative AI platforms, ethics, interactions, and functions. Students will learn the fundamentals of generative AI, its potential benefits and drawbacks, and the ethical implications it poses. Students will also explore ethical case studies and consider ethical frameworks for using generative AI responsibly.
DIG 102 – Digital Media Information Literacy: 0 credits
We exist in an age of exponential increase in information sources and information output. Information literacy is the ability to effectively access information for problem solving and decision-making. The university seeks to prepare students to recognize the need for adequate information and be able to locate, evaluate, and effectively use the required information. The knowledge and skills developed in the course are essential to the lifelong learner. The course takes approximately six to eight hours to complete.
Corequisite: COM 136
DIG 201 – Introduction to Video Production: 1 credit
This course will cover basic video production from concept to completion. Emphasis will be placed on fundamental technical skills as well as a working knowledge of video acquisition and editing. Students will learn basic camera, capturing, editing, and media creation techniques.
DIG 203 – Generative AI Applications: 3 credits
Students will learn about the different types of generative AI models and how to use their outputs to create new and innovative content. Topics include prompt engineering, text generation, and multi-modal generation including image, video, music, etc. They will also explore the ethical implications of generative AI and develop frameworks ethical use.
DIG 213 – Principles of Photoshop: 3 credits
Rasterized images and graphics are prevalent throughout the media industry, learning to master content creation with these elements is essential in today’s workplace. Students will learn high-end photo editing skills. They will work with layers and blending modes to create designs for marketing material, learning how to adjust their work for multiple platform use. They will create illustrations using composite techniques adding lighting and realistic shadows and color grading. Each exercise and reading will help the student prepare for Adobe Certification.
Equipment Access Fee: $55 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 231 – Sports Broadcasting I: 1 credit
This course will cover various aspects of live video production of sporting events. Topics and experiences include directing a live broadcast, studio setup, and camera operation. Emphasis will be placed on fundamental technical skills as well as a foundational understanding of audience needs during a live production. This course is open to all Digital Media Majors.
DIG 243 – Introduction to Photography: 3 credits
An introduction to the techniques, technology and applications of digital photography. Students will demonstrate proficiency in camera use and manual exposure. Students will be introduced to fine arts photography, story-telling photography, studio photography as well as post-production processing using Adobe programs.
Prerequisite: COM 163 or Digital Media Chair approval Equipment
Access Fee: $60 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 252 – Sports Broadcasting II: 2 credits
This course will cover various aspects of live video production of sporting events. Topics and experiences include directing a live broadcast, studio setup, and camera operation. Emphasis will be placed on fundamental technical skills as well as a foundational understanding of audience needs during a live production. This course is open to all Digital Media Majors.
DIG 263 – Digital Design I: 3 credits
This course is an introduction to the fundamental principles of design. The course will cover topics such as color theory, typography, layout, and composition, and will provide students with a solid foundation in the principles of visual design. Students will also learn how to use industry-standard design software and will complete a series of projects that demonstrate mastery of course material.
Prerequisite: COM 163 or Digital Media Chair Approval.
Equipment Access Fee: $60 (non-majors/minors only).
The course may require purchase of Adobe Creative Cloud software.
DIG 264 – Typography and Layout: 3 credits
This course introduces students to the world of professional fonts. Students learn how to use typography as a critical part of page layout, as they continue to build upon the concept of design introduced in previous courses. This course also trains students to define how the printed or viewed page looks as an integrated graphic element.
Prerequisite: DIG 263 or digital media chair approval
Equipment Access Fee: $60 (non-majors/minors only).
The course may require purchase of Adobe Creative Cloud software.
DIG 265 – Digital Design II: 3 credits
This course builds upon fundamental principles of design introduced in DIG 263 Digital Design I. Students will learn how to apply design principles to real-world problems and develop their visual literacy skills. The course will dive deeper into color theory, typography, layout, and composition, and will provide students with a fuller understanding of the principles of visual design. The course will also cover graphic design industry standards and best practices. Students will continue to learn how to use industry-standard design software and will complete a series of projects that demonstrate mastery of course material.
Prerequisite: DIG 263
Equipment Access Fee: $57 (non-majors/minors only)
Course may require purchase of Adobe Creative Cloud software.
DIG 272 – Introduction to Web Design: 3 credits
An introduction to basic Web page design that focuses on freely available tools and techniques. Students learn fundamental techniques, customizing and maintaining their own Web presence. Topics include: HTML formatting, hyperlink integration, and an introduction to Web graphic design.
Equipment Access Fee: $60 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 273 – Web Design and Implementation: 3 credits
An in-depth look at current coding practices for web pages and websites using HTML5 and CSS3. Students will learn back-end structures and front-end design techniques. Topics include site structure, form elements and industry practices. Course prepares students for HTML 5 & CSS3 certification exams (third party fee required).
Prerequisites: DIG 263, DIG 272
Equipment Access Fee: $57 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 303 – Fundamentals of Video Production: 3 credits
This course will cover basic video production from concept to completion. Emphasis will be placed on fundamental technical skills as well as working knowledge of professional video editing software suites. Students will learn basic camera, capturing, edit and media creation techniques in both live and on set environments.
Prerequisite: COM 163
Equipment Access Fee: $84 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 306 – Film Production – Assistant: 1 credit
Participants in this course will produce a short film over the entirety of the semester. Students will experience pre-production, production and post production as they would on an Independent/Hollywood style set. The skills learned in previous video courses will be applied and students will gain on-set experience. Pre-production will begin at the beginning of the semester, the production will be filmed over fall or spring break and the remainder of the semester will be post production. Students will be assigned roles based on their credit hours and experience. Students may register for this course for 1 credit for experience, or, for 3 credits as part of the main creative team. The story, creative team and overall production will be at the discretion of the instructor.
Prerequisite: DIG 303
Equipment Access Fee: $84 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 307 – Film Production: 3 credit
Participants in this course will produce a short film over the entirety of the semester. Students will experience pre-production, production and post production as they would on an Independent/Hollywood style set. The skills learned in previous video courses will be applied and students will gain on-set experience. Pre-production will begin at the beginning of the semester, the production will be filmed over fall or spring break and the remainder of the semester will be post production. Students will be assigned roles based on their credit hours and experience. Students may register for this course for 1 credit for experience, or, for 3 credits as part of the main creative team. The story, creative team, and overall production will be at the discretion of the instructor.
Prerequisites: DIG 303, DIG 313 and permission of instructor.
Equipment Access Fee: $84 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 310 – Media Leadership: 3 credits
This course will prepare students for leadership focusing on the unique challenges of the digital media field. Students will study key leadership theories, engage in leadership activities, as well as create processes for team building in digital media. Students will further explore how to generate and maintain creativity to accomplish specific goals and will learn to lead in the creation of media and its distribution.
DIG 313 – Advanced Video Production and Editing Techniques: 3 credits
This course will expand on the skills and concepts introduced in DIG 303. The students will be joined in teams to complete a variety of projects relative to course objectives. Students will demonstrate familiarity with core concepts in the areas of camera and lighting techniques, as well as proficiency in non-linear editing. Using new production techniques, students will concentrate on the creative and technical aspects of planning, shooting, and editing a video based on a personal vision. Students will produce projects in a variety of genres.
Prerequisite: DIG 303
Equipment Access Fee: $84 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 321 – Podcasting: 1 credit
Introduction to fundamentals of podcasting audio programs, and online webcasting and streaming on-demand audio and video. Students will produce a podcast and will be responsible for all production processes.
DIG 344 – Photojournalism: 3 credits
An in-depth look at the world of story-telling photography from news and conflict photography to humanitarian documentary work for non-profits. Students will learn to craft a true and balanced story for their audience no matter if it is breaking news or documenting an event. Emphasis will be in photography, however students will delve into caption writing, social media applications and adding multi-media elements for true story-telling convergence.
Prerequisite: DIG 243
Equipment Access Fee: $84 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 345 – Studio Photography: 3 credits
This course explores the creative and technical aspects of studio photography, including basic principles and application of light in the creation of photographs. Topics covered include techniques in the areas of professional portraiture, product photography, and exploration of themes bound by concept, subject, and technique.
Prerequisite: DIG 243
Equipment Access Fee: $84 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 352 – Drone Cinematography: 3 credits
A course that introduces the student to the new world of UAV cinematography. Topics include: piloting, regulation, licensure options, camera operations, and vehicle options.
Prerequisite DIG 303 and DIG 243
Specialized Technology Fee: $145
DIG 362 – Creative Photography: 3 credits
This course will give students an in-depth look at the language and theories of fine art photography. As it delves deeper into visual literacy students will develop a critical eye and increase their artistic expression. Students will gain greater knowledge of in-camera techniques as well as post-production processes.
Prerequisite: DIG 243
Equipment Access Fee: $84 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 363 – Motion Graphics: 3 credits
A study of motion graphics and animation with topics that include timeline development, basic scripting, graphic communication, aesthetics, and other subjects related to motion graphic productions. The course also includes a survey of various software.
Prerequisite: DIG 265
Equipment Access Fee: $60 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 365 – Digital Publishing: 3 credits
Students will learn about the publishing industry and how to produce quality publications. Course begins with the basic elements of digital publication: color, typography, the grid, & spacing. Also, specific publication types: small publications, newspaper, magazines, books and finally ePublications. Students will learn to affectively use Adobe InDesign. Projects will mirror professional graphic design industry workflow models where students work in teams taking on an editorial position and using Adobe Acrobat in the document review cycle format.
Prerequisite: DIG 265
Equipment Access Fee: $60 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 366 – Vector Art and Industry: 3 credits
The Vector Art & Industry course builds upon the concepts learned the Digital Design and Typography and Layout courses. Students will be exposed to the work of notable graphic designers and will learn the advanced techniques used in creating these pieces of visual poetry. Students will also explore what makes a logo or symbol effective and instantly recognizable. The design concepts reinforced in this course can be used across all types of media. Students will learn how to create vector-based design as opposed to raster-based, discover the advantages of vector-based design implementation, and will apply these skills and techniques in the creation of logo design for the industry.
Prerequisite: DIG 265
Equipment Access Fee: $60 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 370 – Mobile Application Development: 3 credits
A course designed to explore the design, function, and deployment of mobile applications. Students will explore current apps and develop their own.
DIG 385 – Video Systems and Engineering: 3 credits
An in-depth study of technical systems, formats, and troubleshooting video equipment. Students will learn how to budget, design, and implement video systems for various applications and scenarios. Students will also develop a working knowledge of vector scopes, waveform monitors, cameras, lights, file formats, format conversion devices, and editing workflows.
Prerequisites DIG 313
Equipment Access Fee: $84 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 407 – Senior Video Seminar: 1 credits
A project based course designed to specialize and create specific individualized projects for a student’s Senior Video portfolio. Students will dive deep into pre- production for their capstone project, write a short film script and formulate a plan for filming. Students will also revisit the technical skills within video to raise the bar on their skill level.
Prerequisite: Senior class standing and permission of instructor.
DIG 412 – Corporate Branding: 3 credits
The corporate branding course teaches students how to assess the goals, initiatives, missions and values of a client and communicate the essence of their business visually through symbology, typography, color and design. In addition to creating a corporate identity, students will learn to apply this identifier to create a brand. Students will also learn about the impact of branding in which the company’s visual identity is placed in various environments in ways that communicate the characteristics of the organization.
Prerequisite: DIG 263, DIG 265 Design I and II
DIG 413 – Non-Linear Editing Certification: 3 credits
Students will work through professional editing courseware in preparation to become a certified user. Courseware includes content from UVF’s designated learning partner. Students will have the opportunity to pass the associated certification exam. Students will demonstrate a familiarity with both basic and advanced editing terminology and program specific techniques. Students will obtain a firm grasp of the core skills, workflows, and concepts of non-linear editing.
Equipment Access Fee: $84 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 426 – Experimental Media: 3 credits
An advanced workshop to develop projects in experimental media, including video, audio, design , and photography. The course will explore the structures of sound, color, visual emotion, and creative editing while exploring study, design, production, and implementation. Students will seek to create works of art through the medium they choose.
Prerequisite: DIG 243, DIG 303 and MTN 263
Equipment Access Fee: $84 (non-majors/minors only)
DIG 431 – Directing and Producing for Live Broadcast: 3 credits
This course helps students develop skills using technical storytelling tools and personnel management techniques. Emphasis will be placed on coaching and directing teams, as well as basic systems and organizational structures. Course topics will also include time budgeting, resource management, and working under pressure.
Prerequisites: DIG 313
DIG 432 – Senior Video Capstone: 3 credits
An independent and in-depth exploration of advanced video production techniques, this course is designed for the student to demonstrate professional competence and creativity in video production. Students will develop a cohesive body of work while refining their technical skills. Students in the DM – Video Production major must take this course after successfully completing all required video-related coursework.
Prerequisite: DIG 407
Equipment Access Fee: $175 (all students)
DIG 441 – Senior Design/Photography Seminar: 3 credits
This is a project based course designed to specialize and create specific individualized projects for a student’s Senior Show and portfolio. Students will dive deep into research for their particular discipline, write a senior paper and create a senior design or photography project to reflect the nature of their research. Students will learn about series work and creating a personal style. They will also revisit the technical skills within their discipline to raise the bar on their skill level.
Prerequisite: Senior class standing and permission of instructor.
DIG 444 – Senior Design/Photography Portfolio: 3 credits
Students will bring together a cohesive body of work for professional presentation. Students will learn to evaluate their work with a discerning eye and create public display in a Senior Show. Students will also research and create two portfolio formats targeted to their intended job market. They will create an artist statement as well as learn to articulate and defend their work.
Prerequisite: Senior class standing and permission of instructor
Equipment Access Fee: $175 (all students)
DIG 463 – Advanced Motion Graphics: 3 credits
The Advanced Motion Graphics Course teaches students advanced techniques of motion graphics creation by building on concepts learned in the Motion Graphics and Media Deployment. This course emphasizes design from a problem-solving point of view, and continues the production timeline and graphical requirements of a multimedia project by demonstrating the manipulation of digital images in a studio environment. Students receive a thorough understanding of advanced techniques in continuing exploration of special effects, image compositing, and motion graphics.
Prerequisite: DIG 363
DIG 483 – Media Production Team: 3 credits
The Media Production Team is a group of students assembled via an established selection process that work in live production in real-world environments both on and off-campus. Requires significant time for off-campus live production events. By permission of instructor.
DIG 491 – Topics in Digital Media: 1-3 credits
Special topics of varied interest are offered as needed and as resources permit.
DIG 510 – Qualitative Research Methodology: 3 credits This course will train the student in the advanced skills of research methodologies within media studies, reviewing literature and various resources . Students will develop a media research proposal, create a literature review, form research questions, and study various research methods. An emphasis will be given to research techniques in traditional and new media.
DIG 520 – Media Literacy, Culture, & the Christian: 3 credits
In this course, students critically examine media projects from the real world, analyzing them through the perspective of modern culture and Christianity . Students will assess bias, stereotypes, and sources, as well as how categories of race, class, gender, and religion are represented in mainstream and independent media.
DIG 530 – Advanced Video: 3 credits
This workshop gives students the opportunity to build skills while producing projects in a variety of mediums, using multiple platforms. Students gain advanced experience and understanding of the latest emerging hardware and software technologies.
DIG 535 – Digital Media Special Topics – Graduate: 1-3 credits
Special topics of varied interest are offered as needed and as resources permit.
DIG 540 – Design & Aesthetic Development Workshop: 3 credits
This course will explore various ways to develop and measure the success of design and aesthetics. Students are encouraged to examine outside research and apply persuasive and creative techniques to compelling presentations. Objective principles of design are applied to a variety of finished projects, with students demonstrating effective use of words and visuals in conjunction with critical thinking and reasoning.
DIG 541 – Graphic Design & Photography Workshop: 3 credits
This workshop provides the opportunity for students to build skills in photography and graphic design in a variety of mediums . Students will expand on their previous experience using professional grade hardware and software technologies available in the university labs . Students will have the benefit of interaction with peers with a variety of skills and experiences.
DIG 563 – Corporate Brand Communications: 3 credits
Study how employees are brand icons and evangelists. Explore how professional communicators understand the dynamics cultivating and maximizing potential employees in the brand development process. Precedents include: Starbuck’s Coffee baristas, Apple Store geniuses, Southwest Airlines flight attendants, Ritz Carlton doormen, and other organizational employees as an integral dimension of the brands of those organizations. Examine how these employee’s sincere belief and support of brand attributes and claims is a strong motivator of quality production.
DIG 573 – Advanced Analytics for Social Media: 3 credits
This course explores the measurement of social media efforts through the collection of data from across the web, applying advanced text-mining techniques and exploring the latest analytics technologies. Students will learn how to acquire, analyze and summarize data from social platforms including but not limited to: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, GitHub, email, websites, and blogs.
DIG 610 – Leadership Development in Digital Media: 3 credits
This course will prepare students to lead teams and to develop and equip other leaders. Students will demonstrate leadership skills, as well as create processes for team building in digital media environments. The course will include examples of creative approaches to leadership and how leaders can generate and maintain creativity to effectively develop and lead a group of people to accomplish outstanding goals and products.
DIG 620 – New Marketing in Digital Media: 3 credits
This course addresses current and developing digital media marketing strategies, theories, and principles in both traditional and new media environments. Identification and engagement of target audiences in social media, online video, mobile and location-based media, and emerging technologies are discussed. Other topics include establishing marketing goals and assessment of new trends of internet advertisement.
DIG 630 – Law, Policy, & Ethics in Online Communication: 3 credits
This course addresses topics relating to historical and current law and policy of the internet, and ethical considerations from a Christian perspective. Topics include internet censorship, intellectual property, copyright, and appropriate conduct in developing online content. Through the use of case studies and independent research, students explore the internet’s impact on, and the role of media and communication in the development of our culture’s—and their own—worldview.
DIG 640 – Multi-Platform Media Production: 3 credits
This course helps students produce and prepare media for deliverables across a variety of possible platforms. New technology is explored in relation to audience experience with story . Students will explore of the three phases of production— funding, production, and distribution—as approached in both old (terrestrial and broadcast) and new (interactive and user-generated media) models.
DIG 698 – Directed Project in Digital Media I: 3 Credits
The Directed Project is the capstone project of the program where the student will explore and develop a technologically immersive and practical project that reflects graduate-level aesthetic, technical, and research skills. The project will be agreed upon and under the direct supervision of a digital media professor. The student will:
1) Select an appropriate project within the student’s area of interest.
2) Complete initial research and writing of the research paper exploring the overall purpose and process of the project.
3) Strategize and begin execution of project work. The Directed Project will be completed in DIG 699.
Digital Media Capstone Project Fee: $800
DIG 699 – Directed Project in Digital Media II: 3 Credits
Students will continue work on the Directed Project that was initiated in DIG 698. Students will focus on production and/or research and writing to bring the project to successful completion. The project will reflect graduate-level digital media skills within the student’s area of expertise. Directed Project will be presented to faculty for approval in order to successfully complete the course.
Digital Media Capstone Project Fee: $800