Skip to main content

Digital Art And Media

  • Bachelor of Arts
  • Minor

The digital art and media major prepares you for the evolving digital landscape you'll face post-graduation with a strong foundation in your field. Our visual arts and media design department’s goal is to lay a foundation for creative expression in classrooms, galleries, and online. The digital art and media major explores video production, drawing, animation, graphic design, photography, 3D modeling, and web design. You can tailor your education to discover your niche while gaining exposure to diverse skills and learning adaptability to meet workplace or client needs.

professor Ben Schachter assisting a student in class room at a table

Undergraduate Programs

Program Highlights

Careers After Saint Vincent

Earning a degree in digital art and media opens doors to a diverse range of career opportunities immediately upon graduation. The broad spectrum of topics covered in this major ensures skillfulness in various areas, enhancing your marketability. In this field, practical experience is crucial, and at Saint Vincent, we facilitate the creation of a robust portfolio through work-studies and internships. Students' achievements are showcased in annual exhibitions, displaying their unique paths through art studios, classrooms, and computer labs.

Alumni will go into successful careers as:
  • Art directors
  • Book illustrators
  • Character designers/modelers
  • Digital content creators
  • Digital media specialists
  • Graphic designers
  • Motion graphics designers
  • New media design coordinators
  • Photographers
  • Storyboard artists
  • Videographers
  • Web designers

Our students have secured jobs and internships at a variety of companies in their field.
  • Fred Rogers Institute
  • Pittsburgh Penguins
  • Sinclair Broadcasting
  • American Eagle Outfitters
  • Penguin Random House
  • Fallingwater
  • FedEx
  • Headspace Media
  • NFL Films
  • Skene 19 Films
  • UPMC

Student Success Stories

  • $item.image-alt

    Jenny Myers C’20

    “My senior year I was placed in a class far, far outside my comfort zone. My professor, Mr. Safin, was so helpful and understanding of the learning curve it would take to catch me up to the rest of the class. He was an awesome resource, and I was able to finish a project that I was incredibly proud of. Saint Vincent College taught me so much about hard work, dedication, sticking to my core values, communication skills and so much more. As a designer now, I am so thankful for the classes, teachers, and opportunities to grow professionally.”

  • $item.image-alt

    Tim Oxenreiter C’15

    “At Saint Vincent, I received a unique, well-rounded education that went well beyond just teaching me skills in my field. Through a diverse curriculum and one-on-one attention, I learned crucial life skills that were pivotal in my growth as an entrepreneur. Some of my best friends and closest professional colleagues are people I met at Saint Vincent. This is a testament to the tight, welcoming community that Saint Vincent offers.”

  • $item.image-alt

    Maddy Montefour C’22

    “The programs at Saint Vincent College provided me with a strong foundation of knowledge and skills which have been instrumental in helping me succeed in my current role. The hands-on experience, technical training, and mentorship I received at Saint Vincent College have been invaluable in preparing me for the challenges I face in my career.”

     

Curriculum Requirements

The digital art and media major is part of the School for Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and supported by our core curriculum, where students delve into diverse academic subjects at both foundational and advanced levels to explore how different disciplines connect, fostering deeper self-understanding and proficiency in their chosen field of study.

  • Required Courses

    Required Courses (24 Credits)

    • DA120 Digital Layout and Design
    • DA140 Introduction to Digital Photography
    • DA150 Digital Video Production
    • DA180 Before Disney: The Art and Science of Animation
    • DA190 Introduction to Interactive Media
    • DA220 Drawing and Illustration for Media
    • DA280 Animation and Compositing
    • DA410 Digital Media Portfolio

    Digital Art + Media Elective Courses (10-12 Credits)

    • DA240 3D Modeling for Art and Animation
    • DA250 Documentary Production
    • DA320 Storyboarding
    • DA340 Game Art and Advanced Graphics
    • DA350 Advanced Video Editing
    • DA380 Dynamic Typography and Motion Graphics
    • DA385 Branding and Logo Design
    • DA400 Open DA+M Lab (1-3 Credit Course)
    • DA550 Digital Art + Media Internship (1-3 Credit Course)

    Non-Digital Art + Media Elective Courses (6 Credits)

    • AR130 Drawing I
    • AR131 Point, Line, Plane, and Beyond
    • AR225 Painting I
    • AR135 Materials and Process
    • CA222 Broadcast Journalism
    • CA230 Writing for Media
    • CA304 Social Media Strategies
    • CA307 Media Literacy
    • CA325 Digital Remix and Deliberation
    • CA352 Visual Rhetoric
    • CS102 Fundamentals of IT & Computing
    • EL230 Small Press Publishing

    Digital Art + Media Minor Requirements (18 Credits)

    Required Courses (12 Credits)

    • DA120 Digital Layout and Design
    • DA150 Digital Video Production
    • DA190 Introduction to Interactive Media
    • DA220 Drawing and Illustration for Media

    Elective Courses (6 Credits)

    • DA140 Introduction to Digital Photography
    • DA180 Before Disney: The Art and Science of Animation
    • DA240 3D Modeling for Art and Animation
    • DA250 Documentary Production
    • DA280 Animation and Compositing
    • DA320 Storyboarding
    • DA340 Game Art and Advanced Graphics
    • DA350 Advanced Video Editing
    • DA380 Dynamic Typography and Motion Graphics
    • DA385 Branding and Logo Design
    • DA410 Digital Media Portfolio
  • Key Courses

    Documentary Production: You will explore camera, lighting, and interviewing techniques employed by acclaimed filmmakers like Ken Burns, Albert Maysles, and Michael Moore. Through readings and screenings, you’ll learn to effectively use a video camera to tell a story.

    Branding and Logo Design: You will design and execute a complete branding system for a sports team, retail, or corporate entity, including logos, print materials, environmental graphics, packaging, and wearables using Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop).

    3D Modeling for Art and Animation: You’ll dive into creating and shaping 3D objects and environments in digital space and learn how to build, move, texture, and light your creations. The class mixes professional examples with studio time and demos to help you master these skills.

Facilities and Resources


The Verotsko Art Center

Situated in the library, the Verotsko Art Center showcases rotating exhibitions of contemporary art and selections from Saint Vincent’s collection. It also serves as a venue for digital art and media students to display their final capstone projects.


The Mac Lab

Located in Prep Hall, the Mac lab features 16 Macintosh Apple computers equipped with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) necessary for video production and print design and production.