Digital Media Technology

Digital Media Technology Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree

About Digital Media Technology

Design your future at PennWest California.

In our digital world, we receive information through printed material such as packaging, signage, vehicle wraps and publications, and through digital displays on smartphones, tablets, computers and digital signs.

A bachelor’s degree in digital media from PennWest California prepares you to design and deliver exciting visual content using print technologies such as lithography, flexography, screen printing, digital presses and wide-format printers, or through the use of motion graphics, websites, video, digital animation and videogames.

Build a career in a diverse and growing industry. 

More than 3 million people are employed in the field of digital media, and the industry is growing as new technologies emerge and evolve. The print industry also remains strong, with annual U.S. sales exceeding $84 billion.

PennWest California’s accredited dmt technology degree provides technical, hands-on laboratory courses that give you a foundation in both print and multimedia technology. After completing a set of core courses, you’ll choose a concentration and develop specialized skills in the area you prefer. 

Whether you choose the print or multimedia concentration, the bachelor’s degree program in digital media technology includes 20 credits of free electives, so you can personalize your learning and reach your full potential within a particular area of interest.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: DIGITAL MEDIA TECHNOLOGY

Top Accreditation: This bachelor’s degree program at PennWest California is one of just 13 in the country with national accreditation for graphics from the Accrediting Council for Collegiate Graphic Communications (ACCGC). An advisory board of representatives from the printing, gaming and omni-channel industries guides PennWest California’s digital media program to assure that it aligns with market demands. 

Expert Faculty: Learn from professors who are among the best in the field and have years of professional and teaching experience in multimedia and print. PennWest California’s faculty members support your learning with real-world scenarios and insights, so you can graduate with the knowledge, technical skills and confidence you need to launch a successful career. 

Learn by Doing: As a digital media major at PennWest California, you’ll gain technical experience in print manufacturing, design, graphics and multimedia technology by working in a hands-on laboratory environment. PennWest California’s five on-campus graphics and multimedia labs are equipped with the latest multimedia design hardware, Adobe Creative Suite and other software, and industry-standard printers, presses, screen imaging facilities and more.

Learn more about applying

5 
Number of on-campus graphics and multimedia labs with the latest multimedia design hardware, software, printers, presses, screen imaging facilities and more.
$65K 
Median salary for multimedia artists and animators. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.)
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Degree Benefits

Students who earn a PennWest California bachelor’s degree in digital media technology:

  • Learn to think critically as they use practical projects to prepare for careers in the print and digital/multimedia communications fields.
  • Master leading software solutions, including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Premiere, After Effects and InDesign.
  • Gain experience with flexography, screen-printing and lithography presses, as well as output devices including a wide-format printer, digital press, vinyl cutter, dye sublimation printer and color laser printer.
  • Prepare for the workplace through a capstone that includes a senior seminar and an internship experience. Students have completed internships in family-owned businesses and large corporations, at locations near California and across the country.
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Graduate Outcomes

This program has seen a 92% placement rate in recent years. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in digital media technology at PennWest California qualify for a wide variety of positions in the print and digital/multimedia industries, including:

  • Print production supervisor.
  • Photography or video producer.
  • Website designer or producer.
  • Screen printer.
  • Digital advertising manager.
  • Electronic marketing designer.
  • Social media assistant.
  • Multimedia designer.
  • Production manager.
  • Digital content developer.
  • User experience (UX) consultant.
  • Design or presentation specialist.
  • Account executive or sales coordinator.
  • Production artist or color technician.
Graphics and Multimedia Technology Bachelor's Degree
A media student works in a lab.

Industry Standards

Courses in this bachelor’s degree program require students to complete assignments using the same hardware and software utilized in the industry. For example, you might develop a package design using Adobe Illustrator, design and screen-print T-shirts or other textiles, design and publish a website, or shoot and edit photographs for a marketing campaign.

DMT students at PennWest California.

After Class

Hone your skills, make contacts and have fun! Students can join the Screen Printing Student Association, where they receive orders, determine costs, schedule jobs and print customer orders while working as a team.

graphics

Scholarship Options

The Kenny Hager Memorial Scholarship and the Kurt Nordstrom Memorial Scholarship are offered exclusively to digital media technology majors at PennWest California. Scholarships also are available from organizations such as the Specialty Graphic Imaging Foundation, the Electronic Document Scholarship Foundation, the Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute Inc., and others.

Digital Media Technology Bachelor's Degree - Courses, Curriculum and Related Programs

Curriculum

Course Credits
General Education Courses 40 or 41
Building a Sense of Community
UNI 100  First-Year Seminar
1
Composition
ENG 101  English Composition I
3
Public Speaking
Any Public Speaking Course
3
Mathematics and Quantitative Literacy
MAT 181  College Algebra
3
Health and Wellness
Any Health and Wellness Course
3
Technological Literacy
DMT 100  Foundations of Print Media
3
Humanities
Any Humanities Course
3
Fine Arts
DMT 101  Time-Based Media
3
Natural Sciences
Any Natural Sciences Course
3
Social Sciences
Any Social Sciences Course
3
Ethics and Multicultural Awareness
Any Ethics and Multicultural Awareness Emphasis Course
3
General Education Options
  • BUS 100  Introduction to Business
  • Any Other General Education Options Courses
9
   
Required Major Courses 60
DMT 180  Foundations of Digital Media 3
DMT 200  Print Media Production Processes 3
DMT 220  Digital Photography 3
DMT 225  Digital Page Layout 3
DMT 240  Vector Based Graphics 3
DMT 250  Digital Imaging 3
DMT 302  Commercial Print Techniques 3
DMT 312  Specialty Graphics Print Techniques 3
DMT 320  Digital Video 3
DMT 330  Package Printing Processes 3
DMT 331  Web Publishing 3
DMT 340  3D Computer 3
DMT 342  Cost Analysis for Digital Media 3
DMT 350  Motion Graphics 3
DMT 406  Digital Workflow and Print Technology 3
DMT 445  Digital Media Project Planning 3
DMT 485  Senior Seminar 3
DMT 495  Internship 3
MGT 300  Principles of Management 3
MKT 300  Principles of Marketing 3
   
Free Electives 20
   
Total 120

Additional requirements, not counted toward the General Education requirements, include:

  • Special Experience Course (1 course required): DMT 495 GCM Internship
  • Writing-Intensive Component Courses (2 courses required): DMT 445 Digital Media Project Planning AND DMT 485 Senior Seminar
  • Laboratory Course (1 course required): DMT 180 Foundations of Digital Media

Program Notes: Required Courses: If the courses are not completed as part of the student’s general education, they must be completed within the electives category.

Related Programs
  • A.S. in Digital Media Technology
    Students who complete this two-year, 61-credit associate degree program are prepared for entry-level positions in the printing and multimedia industries. In addition, the associate degree program leads directly to PennWest California’s four-year Bachelor of Science in Digital Media Technology degree.
  • Digital Media Technology Minor
    Learn core skills in digital media technology by adding a minor to an undergraduate degree. Majors that complement this minor include marketing, business, journalism, liberal arts and many others.