Program of Emphasis
What is a Program of Emphasis?
Alma College is unique among liberal arts schools in that it allows its students to craft their own majors. With one of these custom degrees, called a Program of Emphasis (P.O.E.), a student can tailor his college experience to better equip him with the skills necessary to find success in the job market if his desired degree is overbroad or not offered.
In my case, I was looking to find the niche where I could hone my computer programming skills and exercise my artistic sensibilities as well. I met with three advisors to discuss the prospect of building a program that was suited to my particular needs and submitted my proposal in November of 2003. After receiving feedback from the college P.O.E. committee, I revised my proposal, resubmitted it, and was finally given the Alma seal of approval in April of 2005.
Effectively, I combined my computer science background with several core classes in Communications, New Media, Graphic Design, and Music Technology to build my personal Program of Emphasis, which I called "Digital Media Technologies." I see this program as the equivalent of a Telecommunications degree, which Alma College does not offer, and am very pleased that I was allowed the flexibility to pursue my specific course of study at my institution of choice. As the degree I will hold is non-traditional, I have included my P.O.E. proposal in this portfolio for those who wish to see exactly what courses comprise it.
Digital Media Technologies
P.O.E. Proposal
Outline of the Program of Emphasis
for Kacie Schaeffer
- Title of POE: Digital Media Technologies
- This POE is designed to provide me with experience and knowledge in the field of digital technology and its applications in a rapidly evolving world. Digital technologies have infiltrated many aspects of our daily lives, and hence I will need to investigate several departments on campus in order to attain the experience I will need to find success in my chosen field. While digital media encompasses a broad spectrum, from graphic design to MIDI composition to streaming live video feeds over the World Wide Web, I intend to emphasize the visual and performing arts portion of the technology as I hope to pursue computer graphics animation in graduate school upon my graduation from Alma College.
- Several departments will merge to successfully create this POE. The core of this major will consist of art, communications, computer science, music courses, and at least two upper-level independent studies as listed:
- ART 232
- COM 110, 210, and 303
- CSC 114
- MUS 201, 214, and 215
- *MUS 399 and / or COM 399 and / or NMS 499 (8 credits of upper-level independent study)
ART 232: Digital Art Studio (Upper Division Course)- This course is important in developing refined pieces of art through digital means. While aesthetic appreciation is developed in this course, particular emphasis is placed upon the appropriate use of design elements, color, balance, and elegance to create interesting and meaningful works of art. With a solid understanding of the concepts taught in this class, a student will be able to understand and evaluate art, a skill companies will appreciate when seeking creators of website splash pages.
COM 110: Understanding Mass Communication
COM 210: Introduction to Digital Media
and COM 303: Communication, Technology, and Society (Upper Division Course)- These communications courses which form the core of the related New Media Studies minor will provide invaluable information regarding modern communication with the masses through digital means. While COM 210 is more a hands-on course in designing persuasive messages, COM 110 and 303 will investigate the theory behind such practices and evaluate the effects of digital media on modern society.
CSC 114: The Web: Technology and Technique- A fundamental course in digital media, CSC 114 explores the creation of Web pages through the use of HTML and JavaScript programming. The Internet is a hotbed of activity in digital constructs and the ability to interact with others and make media readily available across the World Wide Web is of superlative importance.
Since a fundamental know-how of computers is imperative in any technical field, an additional 12 credits of CSC 120, 220, 230, 240, 310, or 335 are required for the proposed degree. These courses will familiarize the student with the theory behind the organization of computers and the logic behind the languages that operate them.
MUS 201: Music and Sound for Digital Media
MUS 214: MIDI Composition and Arranging
MUS 215: Music and Computers- These three courses represent the meat of the POE, with MUS 201, 214, and 215 allowing for hands-on applications of music through digital means. MUS 201, 214, and 215 are extremely heavy in the production and manipulation of digital media, culminating in projects that are displayed over the World Wide Web. These courses are invaluable to learning how to use modern technology to alter and enhance digital information in the form of pictures, audio clips and video footage before placing them in the view of a global audience.
*MUS 399 and / or COM 399 and / or NMS 499 (Upper Division Courses)- Alma College boasts powerful media production tools but unfortunately has few classes that teach the student how to utilize these programs. In order to familiarize myself with the technology that is required to land a job in today's media industry, eight credits in at least two upper-level independent study courses (designated MUS 399, COM 399, or NMS 499, depending upon the department granting independent study) will be required to complete this POE successfully. In these courses, advanced digital technologies such as sound and film editing will be explored, and media tools such as Apple's Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack, Reason, Digital Performer, or other programs may be utilized. Providing the course content varies, credit may be given for multiple courses with the same designation (for example, 8 upper-level credits total given to two MUS 399 courses, one in the study of Soundtrack and one in the study of Digital Performer). This hands-on experience will prove invaluable and provide me with the skills necessary to become an asset to companies in the modern media industry.
Other requirements for a POE in Digital Media Technologies include:
4 credits of ENG 190, 200, 201; or COM 327.
This is because a field with any emphasis on communications requires that its practitioners have a thorough grasp of the English language, and can use it to present ideas clearly and concisely.
8 credits of MTH 120, 121-122, 210, 220, or 223.
Due to the fact that computer science requires the application of advanced mathematical principles, the courses designed for computer scientists (MTH 120, 220, and 223) are highly recommended. However, since computer graphics animation requires a mastery of general physics, a firm understanding of calculus is also necessary.
NMS 499: Advanced Independent Study (Upper Division Course).
As with the New Media Studies minor, this POE will culminate in the production of a large-scale digital media project. This project will be supervised by at least one faculty member who teaches a course in the NMS minor and will likely take the form of a short animation of aesthetic and/or educational value. It will utilize the techniques gleaned from the courses defined in the major and form the focal point of the final Web portfolio that will be used as the comprehensive senior examination.
In the proposed POE, the core courses consist of 36 credits, 20 of which are upper division. A minimum of 12 additional upper level credits must be taken from the pool of required courses outside of the core structure. In all, this POE defines a major that consists of 62-64 credits (depending upon the number of credits given the NMS 499 capstone project), a minimum of 32 of which are upper level. - Due to the lack of a standardized test in Digital Media and the fact that the profession emphasizes samples of projects over test scores, I suggest that this POE focus upon the development of a portfolio that may be displayed on the World Wide Web. This portfolio should exhibit appropriate Web design techniques and functionality and include projects completed in the classes within the major. The project completed in the NMS 499 capstone independent study should be the main focus of the portfolio and should demonstrate the cumulative application of material learned in the courses defined by the POE.