Canisius College

The Communication Studies Department offers a bachelor of science degree through the Digital Media Arts program. As new and more powerful communication technologies in the digital age transform ways in which we communicate and interact, students will have a vast array of new career options. Students can position themselves to take advantage of these new opportunities by gaining cutting-edge practical and theoretical skills to create and design content using digital tools.

The Digital Media Arts degree in the Communication Studies Department focuses on multimedia design through technical and critical approaches in a 13-course, 39-credit major. State-of-the-art facilities are featured at the Digital Media Arts’ home in Lyons Hall.

Admission
Prospective Digital Media Arts majors must have a cumulative G.P.A. of at least 2.00, including a minimum grade of C- in all digital media arts courses taken to date. Because of the highly competitive nature of the program, the performance of all majors is subject to review relative to their continuation in the program. It is expected that students in the program must have a much higher GPA than 2.0 to continue as a DMA major.

Review of Prospective Majors
The Communication Studies Department has adopted a program to review the academic progress of prospective digital media arts majors.

Every freshman class will be evaluated for progress within the major when they are second-semester sophomores and have accumulated 45 credits. This evaluation reviews the overall GPA, the student’s GPA in DMA 201 and at least two other DMA courses, as well as a portfolio of the student’s work.

In regard to transfers, the department will review each after he/she has taken three DMA courses at Canisius.

The Digial Media Arts curriculum:
Digital Media Arts majors select an academic sequence within the major. They need at least 39 hours (or 36 hours for dual majors) but are limited to a maximum of 54 hours in digital media arts.

A minimum overall average of 2.00 in all coursework is required of all Digital Media Arts majors to be certified for graduation.

Digital Media Arts Curriculum

Recommended Schedule:

Additional Information
The Digital Media Arts program combines design, technical, and critical approaches with intensive instruction in the use of digital tools. Dual majors are available with the permission and guidance of both chairs.

Facilities
Four computer labs, digital video editing stations, an audio/music production studio and a television studio/control room are available for student use in Lyons Hall.

The Lyons Hall third-floor Mac Lab, in Lyons 312, features 26 Macintosh G5 iMac Flat Panel computers with DVD-RW drives, laser printer, and 1 Power Macintosh G4 tower with scanner and multimedia card reader. Software available includes Adobe Illustrator CS2 & Indesign, Imageready, Pagemill, Photoshop CS, Apple iMovie, iTunes, Appleworks 6, Realplayer, Macromedia Director, Dreamweaver, Flash, Fireworks, Microsoft Office 2004, Quark Express, Protools LE, After Effects 6.5, Cinema 4D. A scanner and a laser printer flank the room. A touch screen in an instructor’s bunker controls a VCR, DVD player and an Elmo documentation presentation system. Ports for plug-and-go setups, such as laptops and laserdisc players, are built into the bunker.

A web and imaging lab in Lyons 325, provides 3 Macintosh G5 iMac Flat Panel computers with DVD-RW drives, a Gateway Profile running Windows XP, 2 scanners, 3 drawing tablets, a large format color inkjet printer and a color laser printer. Software is identical to the software in LY 312.

The digital imaging lab, which is maintained by the Media Center in Lyons 413, houses: 3 Final Cut Pro non-linear editing stations (MAC); 3 i-movie non-linear editing workstations (MAC); 3 iMac computers for still imaging (MAC);1 scanner workstation (MAC); 1 Laser printer; 1 audio editing workstation featuring Digital Performer, GarageBand & ProTools LE (MAC) and an audio production studio.

An additional lab, Lyons 122, features 14 dual processor G4 Macs, a laser printer and a scanner. Software includes Maya and Final Cut Pro. This computer lab is primarily used for advanced Digital Media Arts electives.

A design production lab in Lyons 316, features mounting resources for presentations of printed digital work.  In the Media Center on the fourth floor of Lyons Hall, a 26’ x 30’ television studio features a hard cyclorama, lighting grid with dimmer control and three digital studio video cameras.

The control room has custom-built consoles to house the digital video switcher with special effects, a 16-channel audio mixing board, teleprompter, DAT audio recorder, character generator and an intercom/FB system. The digital video-mastering format is DVCAM with BetaCam SP, S-VHS and Hi-8 video transports. Four equipment racks and consoles house the audio/video distribution, including patch panels and routers.

The studio also has the capability to send video to the campus cable RF video system. The college’s Media Center provides the TV studio’s operational support. Across from the TV studio, a screening room provides comfortable tiered seating, a video and DVD projector, as well as a professional sound system.

Students can also sign out equipment (various digital cameras, camcorders, etc.) from the Media Center on the 4th floor of Lyons Hall. Check out /mediacenter/equipment.asp for a complete list of available resources.

COURSES: 2005 - 2007

Note: Some communication studies courses count as DMA courses. Please refer to the Communication Studies section in this catalog for descriptions. Additional courses may be offered each semester in both the day and evening. Students should consult the department.

DMA 201 (COM 211) Intro to Digital Media  3
Introduces the fundamentals of digital systems and technologies through class lecture and hands-on approaches. Software and hardware used for web design, multimedia, video production, graphics and audio production.

DMA 202 (COM 212) Digital Media Culture  3
Explores how digitization impacts our personal, business, cultural, institutional and international lives. Also examines the ways in which digital media transform communication and expression.

DMA 203 (COM 213) Digital Design Concepts  3
Introduces the conceptual, perceptual and manual skills in traditional design, as well as hypertext. Topics include typography and visual communication, color theory, the principles of form, structure, spatial design and photomanipulation.

DMA 204 (COM 326, PSC 326) Digital Media Law/Ethics  3
Introduces a wide range of legal and ethical issues in cyberspace, including: the First Amendment, copyright, libel, hate speech, pornography/obscenity, privacy, commercial speech and national security.

DMA 205 (COM 215) Digital Graphics  3
Examines digital graphics and how they are created and used in web design, multimedia and desktop publishing. Software packages such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator will be used. Prerequisite: DMA 201 or permission of instructor.

DMA 206 (COM 216) Interactive Multimedia  3
Examines the types, processes and applications of multimedia content. Emphasis will be on the production and manipulation of video, sound and animation files to create interactive computer presentations using Macromedia Director. Prerequisite: DMA 201 or permission of instructor.

DMA 207 Digital Media Programming  3
Explores the structure of the Internet, its software and different programming languages. Covers XHML, Javascript, CSS as they apply to web design. Prerequisite: DMA 201 or permission of instructor.

DMA 308 (COM 362, FAM 310) Digital Audio Production  3
Learn fundamental techniques of digital audio and music production using current technologies in digital recording, software and audio post-production. Discuss current trends in audio production and the tools used for composing and producing electronic music. No music background required.

DMA 309 (FAM 309) Music Technology  3
Explore music sequencing, midi, audio plug-ins and other tools used by professional musicians, sound designers, and multimedia specialists. No music background required.

DMA 339 (COM 343, FAS 131) Digital Photography  3
This course covers the basic methods used to capture, record, manipulate and exchange images both on film and through digital files. A workflow designed to merge film-based photography into editing software will be presented.

DMA 340 Writing for the Digital Media  3
Intensive writing assignments employing message-design principles/style guidelines for writing for the web, CDs, DVDs, etc.

DMA 359 Criticism and Evaluation  3
This course explores criteria for judging aesthetic quality, functionality, usability and effectiveness of digital media projects. Students will combine selected theoretical topics and research with hands-on work intended for review by real-world clients, design competitions, and digital media festivals. Prerequisite: DMA 201 or permission of instructor.

DMA 384 Digital Typography  3
Principles of typography will be presented, including popular and classic typefaces. Students can design their own typefaces for both print and screen.

DMA 386 Real-time 3D Modeling  3
The course explores the complexities of low-polygon, real-time 3D graphics. Students will produce real-time graphic projects for use on-line or within a game engine such an Unreal Tournament.

DMA 387 (COM 387) Digital Video Production  3
Focuses on the technical and creative processes involved in digital video field production and post-production. Topics include scripting, lighting, camera operation, audio, non-linear editing and video streaming for the web. Prerequisite: DMA 201 or permission of instructor.

DMA 389 2D Computer Animation  3
Introduction to the history and techniques of traditional animation, including storyboarding, object creation and manipulation through time and space using the twelve principles of animation. Discussion of motion analysis in conjunction with advanced timing, acting, scenes, secondary actions, image synthesizing and special effects in relation to the modern computer. Prerequisite: DMA 201 or permission of instructor.

DMA 390 Beginning 3D Modeling  3
Introduction to the complexities of 3D design using Alias’ Maya to create photorealistic imagery and 2D models. Students will also learn the basics of animation and real-time 3D modeling for use with Demicron’s Wirefusion software. Prerequisite: DMA 201, DMA 205 or permission of instructor.

DMA 391 Advanced 3D Modeling  3
Students will push their modeling, animation, texturing and rendering skills to the next level in order to complete a real-time design, video, or other high-end 3D project. Prerequisite: DMA 390 or permission of instructor.

DMA 393 Advanced Digital Design  3
Advanced course demanding innovational, intellective, design and technical skills in multimedia and cyber-communication projects. Authoring, video and sound editing computer applications, animation, as well as cyberspace file transfer and programming are emphasized. Prerequisite: DMA 203 or permission of instructor.

DMA 394 Advanced 2D Computer Animation  3
Expanding upon 2D Computer Animation, this production course will develop an entire animated feature from start to finish. Processes involve creating detailed storyboards, character design, background and stage imaging, and motion studies. The project will be broken into a series of smaller scenes and re-assembled with animated titles and credits resulting in a complete 2D animated short. Prerequisite: DMA 389.

DMA 408 Capstone  3
Students will develop a portfolio helpful for an entry-level position in digital media. A professional-level project will be required of all majors to demonstrate specific strengths in visual communications, web-based research, interactive CDs, DVDs,
web site design, traditional print materials and the like.
Service learning option.

DMA 480 Advanced Digital Media Programming  3
In this course students explore advanced server and client side programming using PHP, MySQL, XML, AS, and DHTML in order to create complex database-driven on-line systems and interactive art works. Examples include content management engines and procedural epoetry.

DMA 487(COM 487) Advanced Digital Video Production  3
This course focuses on advanced techniques in non-linear editing, motion graphics and digital video production. Critical analysis of micro-media digital films, important avant-garde breakthroughs, streaming video and the development of graphic design in motion will be covered. Software: Apple Final Cut Pro HD and Adobe After Effects.

DMA 488 Internship I Seminar  3-12
Student experientially learns communication and digital media functions in compatibly matched professional setting, locally or out-of-town. Faculty and on-site supervision. Seminar required. Pass/fail. May be repeated as DMA 498; 12-credit limit for DMA 488/498 combined. Prerequisite: Open to junior and senior majors with G.P.A. of at least 2.50 and DMA average of 2.70 and approved by department faculty. Applications on Communication Studies Department website.

DMA 498 Internship II Seminar  3-9
Sequel to DMA 488 for students taking a second internship. Each student is limited to a combined total of 12 credit hours for DMA 488 and 498. Prerequisite: Same as for DMA 488.