The Digital Arts program at Iowa Central prepares students for a wide range of exciting, distinguished careers as creative, innovative leaders in emerging industries. Working at the intersection of technology, culture, and society, this program exposes students to new media and methods of digital creation, including 2D/3D graphics, photography, video, sound production, coding, interactive design, and mass media writing. The program provides the knowledge and experiences required for creating innovative visual communication projects that are technically sound, conceptually rich, visually powerful, and meet industry standards. Students combine artistic abilities with complex technological skills to craft expressive and intelligent stories, messages, and graphics, while developing a unique voice for digital content and social media.

Focus is placed on building a strong foundation of these skills, knowledge, and artistic vision in a variety of traditional, modern, and emerging technologies, while also stressing creative intelligence, positive work habits, and the development of an authentic personal brand. Students will also utilize a wide range of business and marketing strategies, helping them to set and achieve their career goals. Along their learning pathway, students will engage in an intense and practical blend of classroom studies and hands-on experiences, collaborating with fellow students and industry professionals through work-based learning, gaining valuable experience and networking opportunities. Upon completion of this program, graduates can expect employment opportunities in today’s ever-changing and in-demand digital arts industry.

NOTE: This program utilizes courses from four current programs: Photography, TV and Radio Production, Graphics Technology, and Engineering Design and Technology and one discontinued program: Digital Mass Communications (see 2019 catalog). 

Enrollment Date: Fall, Spring, or Summer Semester
Minimum Required Credits: 60
Campus: Fort Dodge and Online
Department: Career and Technical Education
CIP#: 50.01020200

Program Outcomes:

1. Execute curiosity, creativity, intellectual risk-taking, critical thinking, effective oral and written communication skills, and employ industry standard digital and analog media hardware and software, to design and generate media projects and presentations utilizing a variety of media, digital media and multimedia platforms, based on effective principles and practices of media aesthetics for a target audience by understanding the media critically and recognizing how media shapes and is shaped by politics, society, culture, economics, and daily lives of the target audience. 
2. Demonstrate the ability to observe events, gather information, and construct effective messages/stories using the foundations, process, and practices to exhibit proficiency in writing in one or more professional media applications. 
3. Utilize the power of persuasion and ethical responsibilities of communicators in communication at all levels by surveying the complex relationship between media communication and a diverse set of individuals, social, and professional practices. 
4. Comprehend the foundations, process, and practices of the media, and demonstrate proficiency in writing and producing both scripted and live production in one or more professional media applications. 
5. Express broadcast media as a system of interrelated forces, including technological advances, economic dynamics, complex organizational structure, regulatory constraints, and ethical concerns with a sense of self-confidence and self-efficacy and an awareness of their responsibilities as professionals in their field with knowledge, skills, and values that prepare for future careers in broadcast and digital media.