Digital Design Courses
MDAR 1010 Introduction to Media Arts
This course explores the basic issues of Digital Design as a career path. The course examine the role of digital designers and their work through various media including illustration, graphic design, photography, animation, web design, surface decoration, video and other multi-media. The course also covers legal and ethical issues in design, priding and trade customs for various media within digital design, and the use of contracts and negotiation.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 1020 Introduction to Digital Design
This course explores the basic issues of Digital Design as a Career Path. The course examines the role of Digital Designers, their work and best business practices through various career paths including Illustration, Graphic Design, Photography, Animation, Web Design, Surface Decoration, Video and other multi-media.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 2010 Ethical Issues in the Media
This course discusses traditional moral theory and ethical philosophies while applying them to current-day issues, including truth in media, privacy, social justice, stereotyping, advertising, communications law and the Internet. Students are presented with case studies of events and issues surrounding various media as they focus on a systematic approach to making ethical decisions.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 2050 Media and the Law
This course provides historical survey and analysis of the current and future trends in the development of the media-related law in America. Students explore media-related ethical theories and the law in current issues, case studies, and problem-solving scenarios. Students explore the moral philosophies that govern such concerns as royalties, copyright infringement, libel, and intellectual property. (Satisfies humanities requirement for SoPA students).
credit hours: 3
MDAR 2100 Visual Communication
This course provides an introduction to visual literacy with the fundamentals of Visual Communications. Class discussions and assignments will demonstrate how these tools are used to communicate visually to an audience. The value, ethics, and methods of visual communicators will be explored and analyzed by discussing examples from graphic art, print, film/video slides, and computer graphics.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 2200 Digital Illustration
This course explores basic issues of illustration, using the computer as a drawing tool. Students are introduced to both creative and professional applications of technology to drawing, color theory and systems, and computer-based artistic production with design software. The course examines the role of digital illustration in art history and addresses the application of classroom knowledge to solving problems in desktop publishing. (Satisfies humanities requirement for SoPA students)
credit hours: 3
MDAR 2300 Digital Imaging
This course provides students with the knowledge and skills needed for computer-based photo manipulation, including the basics of drawing and painting. Students learn Photoshop software and desktop skills to produce and edit bitmap images. The course also provides instructions in the application of classroom knowledge to solving problems in desktop publishing, including an overview of preparing Photoshop projects for pre-press productions.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 2350 Graphic Design I
This course introduces the field of graphic design to students who have little or no design knowledge. Learning through manual techniques, students develop proficiency in the principles of design, the technical vocabulary, and professional application. Topics include color theory, typography, advertising techniques, and poster and logo design. To complete the class, students are introduced to contemporary industry standard software to coordinate applications of graphic design to desktop publishing.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 2400 Screenwriting I
This course introduces students to the art and technical demands of contemporary screenwriting. Students explore the concepts of character, story, and dramatic structure of the screenplay while studying transformation of an idea into a finished script. Students are acquainted with strict standards of the screenwriting format and discuss the realities of professional screenwriting. Students will begin writing a full-length film script to demonstrate their skills in these areas. (This course is a prerequisite to MDAR 4200).
credit hours: 3
Screenwriting I
MDAR 2450 The Art and Craft of Film
This course goes beyond critical and theoretical perspectives of film to explore the practical aesthetics of film from the viewpoint of filmmakers. Students learn to recognize the various technical, stylistic, and narrative options available to filmmakers in any given work, and to evaluate the aesthetic merit of the choices made by the artists. Course objectives include promoting insightful cinematic experiences and building skills by which students can articulate those insights. The course also explores various career options in the film industry.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 2500 The Art and Craft of Television
Students race the roles of television in the American lifestyle: surveillance, authority, communicator, entertainer. The class analyzes the art and craft of television from how it works, to content and programming trends, as well as its business operation.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 2610 Principles of Public Relations
This course focuses on the communication between an individual or organization and the public to promote public acceptance and approval. Students explore traditional and emerging components of the public relations process through mass media, as well as the needs of different types of businesses, such as corporations, nonprofit organizations, and government offices.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 2810 Web Design I
This course teaches students how to become discerning users of the Internet and create efficient, useful, and usable Web pages. Students develop Internet and online searching and researching competencies in addition to Web design and information management skills.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 3200 Animation I
This course provides students with the knowledge and the skills needed to expand upon skills learned in Intro to Computer Illustration. Students will create sequential images and animations based upon a story or theme for both print and the web. Students will continue to develop skills through concept-based assignments. Students will get hands on experience with a variety software packages while learning terminology as well as an overview of the history of illustrative animation to the present.
Pre-requistites: MDAR 2200.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 3350 Graphic Design II
This course continues the skills developed in MDAR 2800 in design, grid systems, advertising techniques, and electronic publication by providing students with in-depth proficiency in design principles and vocabulary. With QuarkXPress and Photoshop software, students learn advanced techniques in traditional graphic design and desktop publishing.
Pre-requistites: MDAR 2350, Graphic Design 1.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 3400 Intermediate Screenwriting
This course further develops students’ screenwriting skills, including the application of advanced techniques in character, story, and dramatic structure introduced in MDAR 2400, particularly as regards consistency, development, and resolution. Emphasis is placed on revision techniques and professional polish. The course also covers the marketing of the completed script.
Pre-requistites: MDAR 2400 (Screenwriting 1) or instructor's permission.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 3550 History of Radio
This course examines the past one hundred years of radio and how it has shaped our culture and us as individuals. Also, conversely, we will see how cultural forces have shaped, and reshaped, radio. Through reading, discussion, and critical listening of various formats of radio we will address questions such as: How has radio changed to address cultural voices? How has radio dealt with the building of audiences? How do people listen to or interact with different types of radio? In discussions and writing assignments we will also address these questions in the context of how radio figures into New Orleans as a community. We will also discuss the future of radio broadcasting via the Internet and otherwise.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 3610 Public Relations Campaigns
This course studies real-life public relations cases with a view to understanding why some campaigns succeed while others fail. Special attention is given to contemporary cases and to development of the tools necessary for effective campaigns. Using contemporary campaigns as models, the course examines the development of public relations strategies and communications for employees, the media, the community, the consumer, and other relevant groups. Students also practice the elements of public relations research and writing.
Pre-requistites: MDAR 2610.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 3650 Internet Public Relations
This course explores the opportunities and special demands of digital media in the business and promotion of public relations and PR campaigns. Students are taught the techniques of using blogging, social networking and advanced web technology in the promotion and publicizing of public relations clients.
credit hours: 3
Internet Public Relations
MDAR 3810 Designing Websites
This course explores advanced concepts in Web design with an emphasis on Visual communication and animation for the web including web 3D design and concerns. Students are introduced to both the creative and professional applications of technology towards visual impact, identity, clarity, narrative, organization and presentation of information for the interactive environment of the web. The course will also examine the role of the web designer and addresses the application of classroom knowledge to solving problems alone and in a team for desktop web publishing.
Pre-requistites: MDAR 2200, 2300, 2350 and 2810 or instructor's permission.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 4300 Animation II
This course provides students with the knowledge and the skills needed for computer based photo manipulation, 3D design and gives an introduction to 3D animation. Using state-of-the-art object, figurative, and landscape based 3D software, students learn to think in 3D and develop skills through concept based assignments. Students will get hands on experience with a variety of 3D software packages while learning terminology as well as an overview of the history of animation to the present.
Pre-requistites: MDAR 2200 and 3200.
credit hours: 3
MDAR 4320 Digital Portfolio Development
Digital Portfolio Development
credit hours: 3
MDAR 5010 Media Arts Practicum
Students complete a minimum of 100 hours field experience in a Media Arts-related organization. Students also attend classroom sessions that focus on career choices and job searching skills. This course is to be taken during the student’s last semester of study or with approval of program director. All internships must be approved by program director or internship instructor.
credit hours: 3