Academic Catalog 2023-2024

Digital Media Arts

Note: The Bachelor of Arts in Digital Media Arts is suspended.

Students are invited to apply to the Bachelor of Arts in Audio Engineering or the Bachelor of Arts in Film and Television Production.

College of Arts and Humanities
Department of Digital Media Arts

Program Description

Digital Media Arts at CSUDH is a hands-on, professionally-oriented B.A. Degree program geared for students who want marketable job skills for careers in the television, motion picture, music recording, sound design, and interactive media industries. Students major in one of the three DMA degree options:

  1. Audio Recording Option;
  2. Music Technology Option; or
  3. Television Arts Option.

In this program, students

  1. track, mix, and master their own original music recordings in stereo and 5.1 surround sound in our two Recording Studios that are available to students on a 24/7 basis;
  2. write, produce, direct, and edit their own music video, documentary, drama, public service announcement (PSA), TV commercial, and client-based video projects in our 10,000 square-foot Television Studio and twelve editing bays that are available to students on a 24/7 basis; and
  3. design and author their own interactive DVD, Blu-ray, and websites in our state-of-art computer lab facilities equipped with the latest software.

The mission of the Digital Media Arts Department is to

  1. provide an academic program that gives students a solid base in the theory and technology skills required for professional careers in the digital media industries;
  2. provide hands-on experience in the basic software and hardware tools utilized in digital media production;
  3. provide the opportunity for students to work in teams, applying their producing, directing, writing, composing, editing, and engineering skills to produce a variety of professional-quality digital media products; and
  4. develop interpersonal skills and professional demeanor that will enable students to work effectively and cooperatively as team players on collaborative projects in the industry.

The DMA curriculum emphasizes collaborative teamwork among the students in our three program options. For example, Television Arts students will write, produce, film, and edit a TV commercial or short movie that our Audio Recording students then take over to perform the sound design elements of ADR, foley, and sound effects editing, while our Music Technology students compose, arrange, and record original music scores for the film’s soundtrack. Conversely, our Audio Recording and Music Technology students record and produce a band’s song while the Television Arts students film and edit the music video for the song and the bonus material for the interactive DVD, Blu-ray, or website, such as interviews with the band and behind-the-scenes “making of” footage.

The Digital Media Arts curriculum is geared for students who want to have careers working as professionals in the digital media industry. These career goals include producer, director, sound engineer, writer, composer, editor, director of photography, camera operator, audio/video post-production, sound designer, disc authoring, MIDI composer/arranger, motion graphics and animation designer, webmaster, and freelance videographer. With Hollywood just 20 minutes from campus, our students have the opportunity to work for and serve internships at a variety of commercial TV stations, recording studios, motion picture studios, audio and video post- production houses, and cable networks. There are also internship and employment opportunities for our students in noncommercial media venues such as educational media at schools and colleges and in-house media production at major corporations.

The Certificate in Television Arts (21 units) and the Certificate in Audio Technology (24 units) are designed for students already holding a Bachelor’s Degree whose primary objective is immediate training in the field of television production or audio recording. These certificate programs allow students to concentrate exclusively on just the training in their selected field of study.

Features

Television Studio allows students to produce multi-camera projects in a 10,000 square-foot sound stage equipped with real time 3D virtual set creation for digital compositing on a 40x12 coved cyc, Grass Valley SEG, Inscriber CG, Leicht Still Store, Kino-Flo and Mole-Richardson studio lighting, Mackie 16 channel mixer, and Strand CD80 dimmer system.

Recording Studios equipped with Pro Tools 10 HD with HDX 24 In/Outs; SSL AWS-900+SE, 32x24x2 Console, 32x24x2 Sound Workshop Console, Furman HDS-6 and HR-6 headphone distribution system, Blue Sky monitors, various plug-ins by Sony, Oxford, Line 6, Digidesign, Native Instruments, Focusrite, Massenberg Design Works, M-Audio, and McDSP, and a variety of professional microphones such as Neumann U-87, TLM-170, KM-83/84, AKG C414, Audix DP-5 drum pack, Groove Tube MD-1, and Sennheiser MD421 for recording, mixing, and mastering in stereo and 5.1 surround. Avantone Reference Monitors are also available for composite soundtrack mixing of dialogue, foley, sound effects, and music score for television and film projects.

Design Labs equipped with 20 Mac Pro stations and 25 iMAC stations allow students to design disc cover packaging, motion graphics, television titles, websites, and green screen effects using Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, and Dreamweaver.

Video Editing Suites allow students to edit projects using Avid, Final Cut Pro, and Premiere in rooms equipped with Encore for Blu-ray and DVD authoring.

Field Production Camera Systems equipped with Panasonic HD camcorders; Nikon full-frame cine-rig DSLR’s with prime lenses, Tascam PCM audio recorders, and DP-4 professional monitors; Sachtler tripods; Cobra crane and dolly systems; LED light kits by Dracast, Fiilex, and Ikan; Lowel lighting kits with Rifa softboxes; Chauvet ellipsoidal spots; Reflecmedia portable green screen system; GoPro cameras with helmet, handle bar, and suction cup mounts; steady trackers; sliders; Matthews C-Stands and Road Rags; Sennheiser boom microphone systems with PCS carbon fiber poles; and Ikan HD field monitors allow students to shoot professional-quality video on location.

Mackie Station consists of a Mackie 16x8 Mixing Console and a Roland A90 full-weighted controller equipped with ProTools M -Powered, Digital Performer, Reason, Tassman, Logic, MOTU Symphonic, and VocAlign for ADR, foley, music scoring, walla-walla, and sfx drop-ins.

Live Sound Reinforcement System equipped with QSC power amps, JBL speakers, Yamaha stage monitors, Audix DP-7 drum mike package, Shure SM57/58 mikes, and Atlas stands.

Students receive hands-on instruction on the proper use of the equipment in these production facilities. Once students pass their Proficiency Exams, they can schedule access to these facilities on a 24/7 basis to work on class production projects outside of class time.

Graduation with Honors

Undergraduate students may be candidates for graduation with honors in Digital Media Arts if they meet the following criteria:

  1. A minimum of 45 units in residence at CSU Dominguez Hills.
  2. A minimum grade point average of 3.7 in all courses used to satisfy the requirements for the Digital Media Arts major.
  3. A cumulative grade point average of 3.7 in all courses taken at CSU Dominguez Hills.

Academic Advisement

It is crucial that students meet with the appropriate advisor of their selected degree option before enrolling in or planning a course schedule in Digital Media Arts. (Television Arts, George Vinovich gvinovich@csudh.edu); (Audio Recording, Mark Waldrep mwaldrep@aixmediagroup.com); (Music Technology, Joshua McKendry jmckendry@csudh.edu). These advisors assist students in selecting appropriate courses and staying on track in their selected degree option in Digital Media Arts.

Digital Media Arts courses are offered in a specific sequence that requires prerequisite and co-requisite courses. Consulting with the appropriate advisor ensures that students complete their program in the most expedient and efficient manner possible. As such, students do not waste time and energy by completing unnecessary courses and units. Advisors also serve as career counselors and concerned mentors to help bridge the gap between the world of the university and the world of the working professional.

Preparation

Students entering the Digital Media Arts program who wish to focus on Audio Recording or Music Technology should have a demonstrated interest and/or background in music, composition, audio production, and current uses of personal computers in the field. Additionally, students familiar with the internet and other online information services will find these skills essential in the rapidly changing world of digital media production and delivery. Students interested in pursuing professional careers in the highly-competitive television and film industry should be aware that those who succeed in establishing a career in the industry are characteristically hard-working, disciplined, focused on a career, and most of all, resilient to persevere in the face of continuous rejection. Strong writing, interpersonal, and computer skills are a definite advantage in this field.

Recommended Lower Division Electives

ART 1702-D Design3
COM 100Media & Society3
COM 206Photojournalism3
COM 250Newswriting For Media3
MUS 110Music Fundamentals3
MUS 111Intro. To Music Theory3
Total Hours18

Student Organizations

DMA students can enhance their academic studies and involvement in the industry by joining the DMA Success Club on campus or by becoming student members of professional organizations such as the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), the Media Communicators Association- international (MCA-i), or the local student chapter of the Audio Engineering Society (AES). Student membership in these professional associations allows students to network with industry executives and working professionals regarding internships and job opportunities in the field. The proximity of the campus to the center of the media and entertainment industry of Hollywood, Burbank, and Los Angeles allows students to attend major trade show conferences such as ShowBiz Expo, Post L.A., Musicom, DV Expo, SMPTE, NAB and SIGGRAPH.