Program Requirements
Typical Program - Web Production Track
Typical Program - Video and Audio Production Track
Degree/Certificate: Associate in Science
HEGIS Code: 5012
SUNY Code: 1599
Major Code: DIGM
The Career
Digital Media has become an integral part of life in the 21st century. Companies rely on the web, social networks, e-commerce and mobile devices to grow their markets and compete on a global scale. Practitioners in this field combine creativity and technology to produce media for sales, marketing, training, education and entertainment. Websites, blogs, podcasts, wikis, video and audio streaming, gaming systems, smart phones, tablets and other portable devices–digital media developers need the knowledge, skills, and creativity to create engaging content for all of these platforms.
The NCCC Digital Media associate degree program is the first step to prepare you for a career in this exciting field. With further education, you could find employment as a web designer, project manager, interactive media developer, animator, social media manager, video producer, director and editor or digital audio specialist, to name just a few of the career options.
The NCCC Approach
The associate in science degree program prepares students for transfer to a four-year college or university. A liberal arts-based program, the AS in Digital Media provides students with the general education they need for transfer. A core of digital media foundation courses gives students the technical skills they need to pursue a career in web production, video production and audio production. Students choose to follow one of two tracks: Web Production or Video and Audio Production, depending on their interests and career goals.
Students in the Web Production track gain practical experience in the planning, creation and managing of a website. This includes the design and layout of websites that incorporate graphic images, animation, forms and interactive multimedia components. Students learn to code websites using Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and Javascript. They also use Photoshop, Flash, After Effects, and Maya to create digital imagery, animations and interactivity.
Students in the Video and Audio Production track learn the practical skills and creative techniques to produce video and audio content for both traditional and new media platforms including TV, radio, web streaming, audio/video podcasts and mobile devices. Students use Apple Final Cut Pro and Avid ProTools to create sophisticated video and audio projects.
Admission
Students admitted in September and January.
Program Mission Statement
The Digital Media Program strives to provide students with the skills and knowledge to be successful in an ever-changing technology-based industry by emphasizing adherence to industry standards, encouraging creativity and developing students’ capacity for life-long learning.
Program Goals and Objectives
- To prepare students for successful transfer to four-year institutions in digital media-related fields
- To assist students in meeting all of the SUNY General Education requirements
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Associate in Science Degree or Certificate program in Digital Media, a graduate will be able to:
- Identify digital media technologies and their use in the creation of digital media content
- Demonstrate the application of design principles in the development of digital media content
- Edit and electronically manipulate digital audio, video, and graphic images
- Create a digital portfolio of his/her work
Depending on a student’s career track, he/she will be able to:
- Design and develop a website which includes interactive multimedia elements using current standards for coding
OR
- Produce, edit and package a video project for digital distribution
Transfer Information
Students should work closely with their academic advisor to ensure a smooth transition into a related four-year degree program such as New Media, Digital Media, Multimedia or Media Arts. Dual admission agreements are in place for Canisius College’s Digital Media Arts program and SUNY Fredonia’s Visual Arts and New Media program.
Facilities
Digital Media students have access to two state-of-the-art digital media computer classrooms. In addition, students have access to a fully digital, high-definition TV studio with green screen capabilities and digital audio recording/editing and video production/editing facilities.
Software
The following software applications are used in the Digital Media program:
Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks, Flash, and Dreamweaver; Apple Final Cut Pro X, Motion, Compressor; Apple iLife Suite including iMovie, GarageBand and iPhoto; Avid ProTools; Microsoft Word and PowerPoint; and a variety of Web 2.0 tools such as WordPress, Wix, Animoto, Jing, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook, blogs and wikis.
