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Program Map

Design and Digital Media

Associate of Applied Science Degree

About the Program

This program is for students interested in visual communication and digital arts and prepares them for entry-level employment in graphic design, Web design and advertising design positions within organizations. Courses cover principles of design, creative problem solving, art/design history, drawing, typography, and portfolio building. With core instruction based in aesthetic concepts and computer graphics applications, students learn to develop and integrate strong design technique with computer skill sets. These include instruction in digital imaging, graphic illustration, publication design, and Web authoring, as well as opportunities for instruction in video production, social media, 3D modeling, digital animation and digital photography.

Program Learning Outcomes

The curriculum in RCC courses is derived from a set of identified learning outcomes that are relevant to the discipline. Program learning outcomes for Design and Digital Media programs are:

Problem Solving: Solve communication problems and carry projects from creation through to the production process; including the skills of problem identification, research and information gathering, analysis, generation of alternative solutions, prototyping, user testing, integration of feedback and the evaluation of outcomes.

Communication. Describe and respond to the audiences and contexts, which communication solutions must address, including recognition of the physical, cognitive, cultural, and social human factors that shape design decisions.

Demonstration. Create and develop visual concepts in response to communication problems, including an understanding of the principles of visual organization, information hierarchy, symbolic representation, typography, aesthetics, and the construction of original meaningful forms.

Technique. Operate tools and technology, and recognize their roles in the creation, reproduction, and distribution of visual messages. Relevant tools and technologies include drawing, offset printing, photography, and time-based and interactive media.

Application. Determine the mode(s) of production required to achieve a specific product and to demonstrate level-appropriate mastery of skills, manual and/or digital, necessary to achieve those products. Apply the principles of color, composition, hierarchy, typography as they relate in the various media—digital, print, motion, 3-D, etc.—that exist in design.

Aesthetic Fluency. Recognize and apply aesthetic principles of design history, theory, and criticism from a variety of perspectives, including those of art history, linguistics, communication and information theory, technology, and the social and cultural use of design objects.

Professionalism. Employ basic business practices and trade ethics related to graphic arts, including the ability to organize design projects and to work productively in client-designer and team relationships in the implementation and evaluation of projects.

Portfolio. Organize and present a portfolio of work that gives evidence of the skills, knowledge, and abilities to begin a graphic design career or transfer to a four-year college for additional study.

Entry Requirements

Students are required to complete the Placement Process to determine skill level and readiness in math, reading, and writing. As part of their training program, students must begin with the courses within their skill level as determined through the Placement Process. In addition, students may also be required to enroll in classes that would increase their employability and success.

Advanced Standing

Coursework from accredited colleges and universities will be accepted in accordance with college policies and the Design and Digital Media Coordinator’s approval. In order to ensure that coursework is current, program courses over five years old must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate department chair before being accepted toward core requirements. Each College Now credit student must meet with the department chair to determine placement.

If students intend to transfer to SOU's Bachelor of Applied Science degree program, transfer courses should be chosen from the list of electives where possible. See an advisor for more information or visit www.sou.edu/degreecompletion.

Graduation Requirements

Students completing the required credits in this program with a grade of “C” or better will receive their degrees. Certain prerequisite and required courses are graded on a pass/no pass basis only. A grade of "P" for these courses indicates a student earned the equivalent of a "C" or better grade.

Program Map

This guide lays out an optimal path to graduate. Where zero credits are listed in the prerequisites, students may place into a higher level(s) based on designated placement score(s). Note, some prerequisites may be required for graduation. Please consult an advisor with any program completion questions.

¹ Approved Computer Information Science or Computer Science class, CIS120/CS120 or above, or documented computer proficiency within the past ten years.

For more information, contact the Visual Arts and Design Department.

Visual Arts and Design Department faculty and staff can also be reached by:
Phone: 541-956-7500
Email: vad@roguecc.edu
Web address: www.roguecc.edu/vad
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