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Digital Media Arts

The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Digital Media Arts is designed for the student who wishes to develop skills in the area of graphic design, imaging, photography, animation, time-based, interactivity, and media production. The program emphasizes critical thinking, written communication, and teamwork by challenging students to develop their own design method, production workflow, and conceptual aesthetic. The program provides students with a broad understanding of media design and its place in society as a means to communicate. It allows for the development of an individual's personal interest in this area, prepares students for employment, and upgrades skills of those already employed in this field. Upon completion of the program, students will have compiled a professional portfolio. Employment opportunities include, but are not limited to, graphic design, animation, web design, and video production. Based on course selections, students may also pursue transfer opportunities.

Details

Field of Interest
Visual and Performing Arts
Degree Type
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
Academic Plan
Digital Media Arts (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
3567
Total credits required
66-74
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

What You'll Learn

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

  1. Create media designs to project specifications demonstrating professional competence in research, planning, production, and presentation.
  2. Apply critical thinking skills, the design process, and historical and media literacies to solve design problems.
  3. Critique media designs to evaluate their effectiveness.
  4. Research and apply industry standard tools to develop effective media, designs, and workflows.
  5. Demonstrate professional and collaborative practices, such as communication, time management, organization, and legal and ethical considerations, in diverse settings.
  6. Communicate design ideas and solutions that recognize diverse opinions and cultural and individual differences.
  7. Create a portfolio of work that reflects current industry practices.
  8. Contribute to a client-based comprehensive project for industry, organization, or community use.
  9. Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.

Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based annual median wages* for this program. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information.

Art Directors

$83,430

Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

$64,680

Graphic Designers

$50,740

Special Effects Artists and Animators

$81,310

* Wage information sourced from the . Updated May 2022.

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Pathway Planner tool in your to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
  • Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
 or Critical course FYC or FYC 3
Any approved general education course from the Mathematics area;
recommended for students planning to transfer to a four-year university 		3–6
SB 3
1
Critical course Gateway course 3
3
or
 or 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
or
or
 or or or SB or SB or L or SB 3
OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
or
 or 3
3
3
3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
 or FYC or FYC 3
or
or
 or or Students who intend to transfer should choose either or HUM/ to fulfill the HU requirement for transfer H, HU or None or HU 3
3
3
RE Restricted Elective 3
RE Restricted Elective 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
 or SG or SQ 4
3
or
 or 3
RE Restricted Elective 3
RE Restricted Elective 3

Restricted Electives

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Critical course Gateway course 3
1
or
 or Critical course FYC or FYC 3
or
 or 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
3
OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
or
 or FYC or FYC 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
 or 3
Any approved general education course from the Mathematics area;
recommended for students planning to transfer to a four-year university 		3–6

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
3
3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
3
or
or
or
 or or or SB or SB or L or SB 3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
or
 or or Students who intend to transfer should choose either or HUM/ to fulfill the HU requirement for transfer H, HU or None or HU 3
3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
3
RE Restricted Elective 3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
RE Restricted Elective 3
or
 or SG or SQ 4

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
3
RE Restricted Elective 3

Term 10

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 10
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SB 3
RE Restricted Elective 3

Term 11

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 11
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
 or 3

Restricted Electives

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

  • FYC = First Year Composition
  • H = Historical Awareness
  • HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
  • L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
  • SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
  • SG = Natural Sciences General
  • SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s for additional details regarding the requirements of this award .

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.