Overview

Jeremy Sarachan (Communication/Journalism), Program Director

Monica Hodis (Management/Marketing), Elizabeth Leboffe (Mathematical and Computing Sciences), Farrokh Mamaghani (Accounting/Finance), Todd Sodano (Communication/Journalism)

Digital Cultures and Technologies equally embraces visual design (web, video, photography, data visualization), writing, and programming as crucial skills for creative media work, simultaneously embracing social media, information technology, the web, and locative media as venues for artistic expression, communication, and persuasion.

Specifically, the major in Digital Cultures and Technologies prepares students to analyze the changes that have arisen from the growth of digital technologies across artistic, sociological, psychological, economic, political, ethical, and legal disciplines, as well as how digital tools and social networks have altered written, oral, and visual communication. Students learn to use social media strategically and develop skills in producing digital media, including the creation of mobile applications, interactive web-based media, websites, computer games, and video.

Digital Cultures and Technologies students are prepared to apply the concepts of digital cultures and the study of information to a second discipline. To fulfill this objective, all DCT majors are required to complete a second major in another area in any school at the college. This prepares students for work in their chosen careers and prepares them to become leaders in applying technology to those areas. Students are also prepared to enter a variety of graduate programs, including communication, media study, information technology, information science, interactive telecommunications, video game design, law, and business.

The major in Digital Cultures and Technologies leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Minor

Notes on Minor Requirements

• Only one course from the student’s major may also be used to satisfy a requirement in the Digital Cultures and Technologies minor.
• No more than three courses from any one department may be applied to the minor.
• The minor may include no more than two courses at the 100 level and must include at least two courses at the 300 or 400 level.
• Students may select four core courses and choose two electives.

A grade point average of 2.00 is required for all courses taken in residence that may be applied to the minor.

Program Requirements

Digital Cultures and Technologies Major Requirements

In addition to the seven required Core courses, each DCT major chooses one four-course track in Content Creation, Social Media Analytics, Computer Science, Information Technology, or Learning Technologies. A substantial senior project is also required to use as a portfolio piece for a resume or graduate school application.

Digital Cultures and Technologies Tracks

Computer Science Track

*Presumes CSCI 161 taken for major core.

Note: Students should carefully consider prerequisites when planning for the two upper-level Computer Science classes.

Content Creation Track

Information Technology Track

Learning Technologies Track

Social Media Analytics Track

Special Topics Track

A student wishing to combine courses from the above tracks may propose prior to the first semester of the junior year a sequence of four courses that allows him or her to pursue an academic interest and/or professional career goal. Students are expected to write a 500-750 word proposal outlining the rationale behind the proposed track. (12 credits)

Notes on Major Requirements

• Only one of DIGC 265 or DIGC 267 may be used in the major core.
• When appropriate, unused core courses may substitute for track courses with permission of the DCT Program Director.
• The rule of only one course overlapping between the two majors will be strictly enforced.
  • Computer Science majors cannot choose the Computer Science track. Marketing and Management majors choosing Social Media Analytics will “double count” ECON 221 and take non-MKTG courses for the other selections.
  • Communication/Journalism and English: Writing majors must choose their track selections to take, at most, only one overlapping course with the approval of that discipline's Department Chair. As a result, they may take additional courses in their major department than is normally required by the major.

A grade point average of 2.00 is required for all courses taken in residence that may be applied to the major.

Recommended Progression

B.A. Digital Cultures and Technologies

Recommended progression of courses required for a B.A. Digital Cultures and Technologies major. Please note that a second major is required. Students should consult Core Requirements for a complete description of the College’s Core.