Career certificate
Program overview
Create visual, written, and web-based media for community organizations, small businesses, and transfer portfolios.
Who this pathway serves
This certificate is designed for students interested in visual communication, content production, social media, web publishing, and portfolio-based creative work.
Program focus areas
- Visual production: Students work with layout, image selection, typography, video or audio basics, and consistent brand presentation.
- Audience and message: Projects require students to identify audience, purpose, platform, tone, accessibility, and ethical communication choices.
- Portfolio development: Students revise work through critique and prepare pieces that can be shown for transfer, freelance, or entry-level opportunities.
What students learn
- Build a digital portfolio
- Use design and production tools
- Plan audience-centered media
Courses in this pathway
| Course | Title | Units | Prerequisite | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ART 115 | Design Foundations | 3 | None | Explores composition, typography, color, image selection, and visual communication for print and digital work. |
| COMM 140 | Media Writing | 3 | ENG 095 or placement | Introduces audience, news writing, public relations, web copy, and ethical communication. |
| DM 101 | Digital Media Production | 3 | None | Introduces image editing, audio/video basics, storytelling, digital publishing, and portfolio development. |
| DM 210 | Portfolio Studio | 3 | DM 101 | Guides students through project refinement, critique, portfolio presentation, and client-style briefs. |
| WEB 130 | Web Design Fundamentals | 3 | CIS 105 recommended | Introduces HTML, CSS, accessibility basics, responsive layout, and web publishing workflows. |
Program and schedule planning
Students should complete foundation courses before the portfolio studio and plan time outside class for editing, critique, file organization, and project revision.
Applied work students may complete
Students may create a campaign package for a campus or community audience, including visual assets, web copy, social content, and a short explanation of design decisions.
Questions to discuss with advising
- Do you already have design, video, writing, or web experience?
- Which portfolio pieces do you want to build first?
- Can you schedule enough time for critique, revision, and file management?
Career and transfer direction
- Content assistant
- Social media coordinator
- Digital production assistant
Support for program students
Students in Digital Media should use advising before registration, tutoring or lab support when assignments become difficult, and library or technology help when projects require research, data, writing, or digital production.
Students should contact an instructor or advisor early if the pathway workload, schedule, language demands, field expectations, or prerequisite sequence becomes difficult to manage.