Credits: 120
Official Program Site: World Campus
The Digital Multimedia Design program links courses from the College of Arts and Architecture, the College of Communications, and the College of Information Sciences & Technology at Penn State University. This entirely online interdisciplinary program introduces students to universal design concepts for creative problem solving. Learners will apply contemporary design methods to engage real-world issues in expressive and technical projects. Students will produce a digital portfolio over the duration of their studies and create a self-directed thesis project in their capstone semester.
Digital media generally refers to the storage and transmission of information in increasingly varied multimedia digital formats and devices, and within a changing array of modes of communication. Design is a means by which we respond to change in a purposeful way by focusing on issues, problems and opportunities and developing plans for taking innovative and strategic actions. Hence digital design shapes and impacts the physical and virtual spaces people inhabit.
Core courses are Prescribed (required) courses and aim to provide a wide base of knowledge from which to start exploring pathways. Two courses are contributed from each college, and three "spine" courses (DMD 100, 300, 400) link larger curricular ideas together.
Access to a camera, camera accessories, and an Adobe CC student subscription is required to complete COMM 215 coursework. Rental equipment available through the College of Communications.
This course introduces students to concepts, skills, language and principles of practice in art and design, communication, and information sciences.
Course website ⟶In this course students synthesize concepts, theories, and applications acquired in introductory courses and think critically about their professional objectives.
In this capstone, students develop portfolio projects by applying creative production concepts, tools, and approaches to a contemporary issue.
This is a course in which the students work with raster graphic, vector graphics and text layout programs. The purpose of the course is to give an introduction to how computer hardware and software can be used to produce works of art and design, which can be exhibited electronically, and also in print. It provides the first step for students interested in realizing their artwork using computers to develop and realize it.
Introduction to Digital Art and Design Criticism (3) An introduction to the language, aesthetics, and cultural impacts of digital art and design in contemporary society.
Access to a camera, camera accessories, and an Adobe CC student subscription is required. An introduction to photography as a means of visual communication in the digital age. Students will learn basic picture-taking principles, camera techniques, photographic aesthetics, and the use of digital imaging software. Students will be encouraged to explore photography as an aesthetic, expressive, and socially significant medium. This will be achieved through individual and group critique of each student's photographs, as well as through analysis of examples of the work of prominent photographers. Students will complete a series of assignments that help them learn to produce visual content for a digitally savvy audience. At the end of the semester, students will be able to produce story-telling images as well as write captions for their photographs. They will have a knowledge of the aesthetics of photography, will understand the importance of both form and content, and will have the ability to critically evaluate photographs.
This course is an introduction to writing for various kinds of mass communication media. Students will practice writing public relations news releases, public information announcements, print, television and radio advertisements, as well as news stories and editorials. Students will be given weekly writing assignments, some of which will be re-writes of earlier submissions. In-class exercises will include various writing exercises designed to get students more comfortable with writing for media.
This is a first course in application development. Applications are computer programs developed to support human activity in enterprise and other social contexts. Examples of applications might include programs to help run a business, manage personal information, or provide entertainment. The emphasis of this course is on learning to translate practical problems through domain analysis into software applications usable in a human or organizational context. It will focus on the knowledge needed to create applications that use high level programming languages, combining original code with existing code libraries and application programming interfaces (APIs).
This course provides an introduction to how the world wide web utilizes new media technologies. Students will acquire a sound conceptual understanding of how simple to complex web sites are constructed, and how this knowledge can be applied in their professional career.
Pathways are suggested Supporting, Additional, and General Education course clusters. They are meant as a starting point for your academic careers and will help guide a conversation with a DMD Program advisor.
Type: Additional General Education
Introduction to visual studies; pictorial space and the principles of visual organization.
Type: Additional General Education
Type: Additional General Education
An introduction to verbal commentary, both oral and written, about art. The development of critical and expressive skills given emphasis.
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
This course introduces students to foundational skills for producing images, videos, objects, and interactive real-time virtual spaces with 3D software.
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Introduction to Digital Art and Design Criticism (3) An introduction to the language, aesthetics, and cultural impacts of digital art and design in contemporary society.
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Supporting General Education
Explores the relationship between media and society through critical analysis of its role in social reality.
Type: Supporting General Education
Beginnings of human culture; economic life, society, government, religion, and art among traditional peoples.
Type: Supporting General Education
Introduction to intercultural communication. Focus on topics such as language, identity, prejudice, and intergroup relations on a domestic/ international level.
Type: Supporting General Education
This course examines the function and structure of communication in both formal and informal situations.
Type: Supporting
This course is a survey of theory, research, and practice related to processes by which individuals in groups and organizations exercise influence, independently of whether or not they occupy positions of acknowledged leadership. During the course, you will become acquainted with a variety of perspectives on the study of leadership, research dealing with its functions, and practices that contribute to effective group and organizational performance.
Type: Supporting General Education
Introduction to general psychology; principles of human behavior and their applications.
Type: Additional General Education
Introduction to visual studies; pictorial space and the principles of visual organization.
Type: Additional
This course introduces students to foundational skills for producing images, videos, objects, and interactive real-time virtual spaces with 3D software.
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional General Education
Type: Supporting General Education
Explores the relationship between media and society through critical analysis of its role in social reality.
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Supporting General Education
Beginnings of human culture; economic life, society, government, religion, and art among traditional peoples.
Type: Supporting General Education
Introduction to intercultural communication. Focus on topics such as language, identity, prejudice, and intergroup relations on a domestic/ international level.
Type: Supporting General Education
This course examines the function and structure of communication in both formal and informal situations.
Type: Supporting
This course is a survey of theory, research, and practice related to processes by which individuals in groups and organizations exercise influence, independently of whether or not they occupy positions of acknowledged leadership. During the course, you will become acquainted with a variety of perspectives on the study of leadership, research dealing with its functions, and practices that contribute to effective group and organizational performance.
Type: Supporting General Education
Introduction to general psychology; principles of human behavior and their applications.
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Supporting
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Supporting General Education
Beginnings of human culture; economic life, society, government, religion, and art among traditional peoples.
Type: Supporting General Education
Introduction to intercultural communication. Focus on topics such as language, identity, prejudice, and intergroup relations on a domestic/ international level.
Type: Supporting General Education
This course examines the function and structure of communication in both formal and informal situations.
Type: Supporting
This course is a survey of theory, research, and practice related to processes by which individuals in groups and organizations exercise influence, independently of whether or not they occupy positions of acknowledged leadership. During the course, you will become acquainted with a variety of perspectives on the study of leadership, research dealing with its functions, and practices that contribute to effective group and organizational performance.
Type: Supporting General Education
Introduction to general psychology; principles of human behavior and their applications.
Type: Additional General Education
Introduction to visual studies; pictorial space and the principles of visual organization.
Type: Additional General Education
An introduction to verbal commentary, both oral and written, about art. The development of critical and expressive skills given emphasis.
Type: Additional General Education
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Supporting General Education
Beginnings of human culture; economic life, society, government, religion, and art among traditional peoples.
Type: Supporting General Education
Introduction to intercultural communication. Focus on topics such as language, identity, prejudice, and intergroup relations on a domestic/ international level.
Type: Supporting General Education
This course examines the function and structure of communication in both formal and informal situations.
Type: Supporting
Theories and strategies important for conceptualizing, developing, and managing conflict negotiation, mediation, and third-party intervention.
Type: Supporting
Written exercises in, and a study of, the principles of article writing; practice in the writing of specific articles.
Type: Supporting
This course is a survey of theory, research, and practice related to processes by which individuals in groups and organizations exercise influence, independently of whether or not they occupy positions of acknowledged leadership. During the course, you will become acquainted with a variety of perspectives on the study of leadership, research dealing with its functions, and practices that contribute to effective group and organizational performance.
Type: Supporting General Education
Introduction to general psychology; principles of human behavior and their applications.
Type: Supporting General Education
Critical perspectives on the relationship between social difference and power, emphasizing gender, race, sexuality, class, and disability.
Type: Additional General Education
Introduction to visual studies; pictorial space and the principles of visual organization.
Type: Additional General Education
An introduction to verbal commentary, both oral and written, about art. The development of critical and expressive skills given emphasis.
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional General Education
Type: Supporting General Education
Explores the relationship between media and society through critical analysis of its role in social reality.
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Additional
Type: Supporting General Education
Beginnings of human culture; economic life, society, government, religion, and art among traditional peoples.
Type: Supporting General Education
Introduction to intercultural communication. Focus on topics such as language, identity, prejudice, and intergroup relations on a domestic/ international level.
Type: Supporting General Education
This course examines the function and structure of communication in both formal and informal situations.
Type: Supporting
This course is a survey of theory, research, and practice related to processes by which individuals in groups and organizations exercise influence, independently of whether or not they occupy positions of acknowledged leadership. During the course, you will become acquainted with a variety of perspectives on the study of leadership, research dealing with its functions, and practices that contribute to effective group and organizational performance.
Type: Supporting General Education
Introduction to general psychology; principles of human behavior and their applications.