Digital Media Design

Why Digital Media Design?

This is a place to bring your passion. To gain knowledge about how to turn your ideas into significant works of art and/or design. To expand your range of technical abilities. To discover the expressive power of different media, from the radically new art of simulation to the ancient art of ceramics. This is a place to find your own voice, to learn how to share your vision and how to work with the visions of others. To become a professional in your chosen area(s) of interest. Most of all, this is a place where students have the opportunity to be creative wherever their excitement takes them.

Admissions

The Digital Media Design major is a Selective-Admission program. All prospective students interested in this major must both apply as an undergraduate student AND submit a successful application to the program before they can declare the major. This includes freshmen, transfers from other institutions, and students already enrolled at UK who wish to change their majors or add DMDE as a second major.  Admission into this program is competitive and takes into consideration academic performance and creative goals.

To apply, visit finearts.uky.edu/dmdapply

Careers

Art directors earn a median salary of $94,220.  There are currently 99,100 art director positions in the U.S.

Other career paths may include:

• Commercial Photography
• Documentary Videography
• Film Production
• Graphic Design
• Digital Illustration
• Web Design and Development
• Printmaking
• Animation
• Digital Fabrication
• Product Design

The required Industry Pathways and Practice and Digital Media Projects Capstone courses allow students to deepen their creative practices and prepare for the job market while completing the Digital Media Design degree.

Classes and Requirements

Students explore areas of interest, including:

• graphic design (print design, web design, typography, publication, packaging, experimental practices, interactivity/designed experiences)
• digital drawing and illustration (analog/digital approaches, vector, tablet drawing, mixed media, observation, editorial, comic, character design)
• photography (digital, lighting, large-format printing, post-production, 35mm and 4x5 film camera use, 19th century digital/analog hybrid processes)
• video (storyboarding, short film creation, color grading, editing)
• animation (storyboarding, digital drawing, motion graphics, stop-motion, compositing, sfx, audio, editing, post-production)
• digital design and fabrication (3D-printing, CNC Routing, 3D modeling, and laser-cutting)
• programming for the web and Internet Of Things (client-side and server-side programming, connecting to sensors in the physical world)
• printmedia (zine design, Risograph printing, screen printing, photolithography, laser-cut woodblock printing, letterpress, photogravure)

Our degree program is designed to give students the interdisciplinary thinking and making skills they need to become successful creative professionals. Our hands-on classes are led by accomplished faculty who are leaders in their fields. Within a supportive environment that presents exhibition opportunities and multidisciplinary initiatives, students are challenged through robust critiques to develop a well-rounded body of creative work.