Major in Digital Media

Turn Creativity Into Opportunity with a Digital Media Degree

The interdisciplinary degree in digital media provides students with a core set of production skills and software proficiencies, a background in media history and theory, and knowledge of various narrative and story structures.

Within the degree, digital media majors will focus on one of three areas:

  • Digital Audio and Video Production
  • Digital Animation and Game Design
  • Writing for Film and Television

All students will take a core set of interdisciplinary courses grounded in knowledge, theory, and ethics in media and technology. They also will complete a digital media capstone, which includes a personal portfolio that will be hosted online.

The bachelor of arts in digital media is designed for students who wish to pursue a path that combines art and technology, allowing for artistic expression as well as preparation for a variety of careers in these rapidly expanding industries. Interested students can also explore the minor in digital media.

Major Requirements

Required Core Courses

  • ART 113 Introduction to Art Software
  • DM/CGE 205 Introduction to Digital Cinema
  • DM/ENG 298 Story Structures in Literature, Film and Media
  • DM 299 Digital Storytelling
  • DM/CS 312 Ethics in Computer Technology
  • CS 315 Web Design and Development
  • DM 499 Digital Media Capstone and Portfolio Development

Additional Required Courses

  • MUS 290 Digital Music I
  • DM/CGE 399 Introduction to Video Editing
  • MUS 332 Production of Sound Recordings
  • DM/CGE 497 Advanced Film and Media Production
  • One Audio Video Elective
  • CGE 250 Computer 3D Modeling
  • DM/ART 296 Digital Animation Principles
  • CGE 303 Computer Game Design
  • DM/ART 398 Game and Animation Concept Art
  • One Digital Animation and Game Design Elective
  • DM/ENG 295 Introduction to Film Studies
  • DM/CGE 399 Introduction to Video Editing
  • DM/ENG 417 Advanced Writing for Film and Television
  • One Writing for Film and Television Elective
  • One English Creative Writing Elective

Elective Lists (Choose One)

  • ART 218 Digital Imaging Studio

  • ART 226 Typography Studio

  • ART 250 or ART 350 Thematic and Selected Topics

  • ART 325 Visual Communication

  • BID 385 Exploring Conscious Capitalism through Documentary Film Analysis

  • COM 260 Media Writing

  • COM 411 Media Seminar

  • COM 420 Ethics in Communication

  • DM/ART 398 Game and Animation Concept Art

  • DM/ENG 295 Introduction to Film Studies

  • DM/ENG 417 Advanced Writing for Film and Television

  • MUS 291 Digital Music II

  • MUS 333 Audio Engineering

  • THE 238 Introduction to Design

  • THE 350 Play Analysis

  • PHL 309 Philosophy of Art

  • REL 252 Movies and God

  • WL 309 World Cinema

  • ART 216 Introduction to Graphic Design

  • ART 218 Digital Imaging Studio

  • ART 226 Typography Studio

  • ART 316 Graphic Design I

  • ART 318 Intermediate Digital Imaging

  • ART 325 Visual Communication

  • ART 416 Advanced Graphic Design

  • CGE 355 Computer Animation and Simulation

  • CGE 460 Computer Graphics

  • COM 420 Ethics in Communication

  • CS 220 Computer Science I

  • DM/CGE 497 Advanced Film and Media Production

  • DM/ENG 295 Introduction to Film Studies

  • DM/ENG 317 Introduction to Screenwriting

  • MUS 290 Digital Music I

  • MUS 291 Digital Music II

  • MUS 332 Production of Sound Recordings

  • MUS 333 Audio Engineering

  • PHL 309 Philosophy of Art

  • CGE 401 Three-Dimensional Computer Game Design
  • ART 218 Digital Imaging Studio

  • ART 226 Typography Studio

  • ART 250 or ART 350 Thematic and Selected Topics

  • ART 325 Visual Communication

  • COM 260 Media Writing

  • COM 329 Media and Cultural Identity

  • COM 411 Media Seminar

  • COM 420 Ethics in Communication

  • BID 385 Exploring Conscious Capitalism through Documentary Film Analysis

  • DM/ART 398 Game Animation and Concept Art

  • DM/CGE 497 Advanced Film and Media Production

  • MUS 290 Digital Music I

  • MUS 291 Digital Music II

  • MUS 332 Production of Sound Recordings

  • MUS 333 Audio Engineering

  • PHL 309 Philosophy of Art

  • REL 252 Movies and God

  • THE 350 Play Analysis

  • WL 309 World Cinema

What careers do digital media majors land in?

Explore Careers

Minor in Digital Media

The minor in digital media is designed for students who wish to learn tools, techniques and skills for the creation of digital media.

Students can then customize their studies through a comprehensive set of electives. The coursework provides them with opportunities for artistic expression while broadening their career options by teaching them to be critical and effective content creators.

Recent studies have shown that possessing digital media skills increases employability in non-media fields, especially in the humanities.

Required Courses

  • DM/ENG 298 Story Structures in Literature, Film and Media
  • DM 299 Digital Storytelling
  • DM/ENG 295 Introduction to Film Studies

  • DM/ENG 317 Introduction to Screenwriting

  • DM/CGE 399 Introduction to Video Editing

  • DM/ART 296 Digital Animation Principles

  • DM/ART 398 Game and Animation Concept Art

  • DM/ENG 417 Advanced Writing for Film and Television

  • DM/CGE 497 Advanced Film and Media Production

  • CGE 205 Introduction to Digital Cinema

  • CGE 250 Computer 3D Modeling
  • CGE 303 Computer Game Design

  • GE 355 Computer Animation and Simulation

  • CGE 401 Three Dimensional Computer Game Design

  • CGE 460 Computer Graphics

  • CS 315 Web Design and Development

  • MUS 290 Digital Music I

  • MUS 291 Digital Music II

  • MUS 332 Production of Sound Recordings

  • MUS 333 Audio Engineering

  • ART 113 Introduction to Art Software

  • ART 216 Introduction to Graphic Design

  • ART 218 Digital Imaging Studio

  • ART 226 Typography Studio

  • ART 316 Graphic Design I

  • ART 318 Intermediate Digital Imaging

  • ART 325 Visual Communication

  • ART 416 Advanced Graphic Design

  • BID 385 Exploring Conscious Capitalism through Documentary Film Analysis

  • PHL 309 Philosophy of Art

  • REL 252 Movies and God

  • WL 309 World Cinema

Minor in Film Studies

How many minutes a day do people spend watching content on screens of various sizes? The minor in film studies will help students become critical consumers of the media that saturate our daily lives.

Students will study the history of film, including its evolution from earlier forms of media as well as the impact other art forms have had on its development. They will consider multiple critical and theoretical approaches to film and media analysis, and how film has both impacted and been impacted by advances in technology.

Other areas of exploration include various narrative structures used in film and television, the ever-changing role that cinematic storytelling plays in contemporary society, and cinema’s role in local and international cultures.

Required Courses

  • DM/ENG 295 Introduction to Film Studies
  • DM/ENG 298 Story Structures in Literature, Film and Media
  • WL 309 World Cinema
  • DM/ENG 317 Introduction to Screenwriting

  • ENG 220 Principles of Literary Study

  • ENG 230 Readings in Race, Class and Gender

  • ENG 330 Epics and Stories, Ancients and Modern

  • ENG 335 Women Writers

  • ENG 336 Contemporary Literature: Designated Genres

  • ENG 350 Special Topics

  • ENG 415 Literary Theory

  • CGE 205 Digital Cinema

  • COM 329 Media and Cultural Identity

  • COM 331 Language, Identity and the Rainbow

  • REL 252 Movies and God

  • PHL 309 Philosophy of Art

  • BID 385 Exploring Conscious Capitalism through Documentary Film Analysis

Connect with #elmhurstu