DIGITAL MEDIA
MASTER OF ARTS
PROGRAM (33 CREDITS)
The Master of Digital Media Communications builds upon the strong foundations of the undergraduate degrees in Digital Media Communications. Students can expect a rigorous graduate-level learning environment where they will use current and emerging technologies to apply new media concepts and produce a variety of creative and strategic communications projects. Research, analysis, evaluation, and interpretation of current and trending topics, texts, and human interaction with digital media will advance critical thinking skills. Students will have the opportunity to more fully define their Christian worldview and functional leadership skills as part of the program, both in theory and practice.
The program is designed as a 33-credit hour online program. Some courses may require a one-week on-campus residency. Each course is 3 credit hours.
PROGRAM STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Apply new media concepts in the field of digital media and produce a variety of examples of creative and strategic communication.
2. Research current and trending topics to analyze, evaluate, and interpret communication, media products, and human interaction with, and use of, digital media.
3. Demonstrate leadership skills by leading teams in applied digital media settings.
4. Define and articulate a personal theology of service and leadership that incorporates a Christian worldview with an ethical approach to digital media.
5. Develop, produce, and publish advanced digital media products integrating information with high aesthetic value using a variety of computer applications.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
DIG | 510 | Qualitative Research Methodology | 3 cr |
DIG | 520 | Media Literacy, Culture, & the Christian | 3 cr |
DIG | 610 | Leadership Development in Digital Media | 3 cr |
DIG | 620 | New Marketing in Digital Media | 3 cr |
DIG | 630 | Law, Policy, & Ethics in Online Communication | 3 cr |
DIG | 640 | Multi-Platform Media Production | 3 cr |
DIG | 698 | Directed Project in Digital Media I | 3 cr |
DIG | 699 | Directed Project in Digital Media II | 3 cr |
ELECTIVES
DIG | 530 | Advanced Video & Audio Production Workshop | 3 cr |
DIG | 540 | Design & Aesthetic Development Workshop | 3 cr |
DIG | 541 | Graphic Design & Photography Workshop | 3 cr |
COM | 540 | Strategic Communication Theory | 3 cr |
DIG | 563 | Corporate Brand Communications | 3 cr |
DIG | 573 | Advanced Analytics for Social Media | 3 cr |
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
COM 540 – Strategic Communication Theory: 3 credits
This course will ground students in communication theory orienting them to theoretical and ethical issues involved in strategic discourse. Students will trace historical and contemporary issues in the development of communication study. The course examines meaning-making and its consequences in various contexts.
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