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Digital Media, Photography, and Design major

The Digital media, Photography, and Design Major prepares the next generation of media communicators with balanced skills in film, photography, graphic design, and media production.

Join award-winning faculty as mentors in hands-on studio settings with professional level equipment.

Learn creative and professional media skills such as:

  • Filmmaking (narrative and documentary)
  • Photography (studio, location, wildlife)
  • Audio Production
  • Graphic Design
  • Web Design
  • Illustration
  • Ethical storytelling and visual theory

Graduate with a senior exhibition and professional portfolio ready to show to employers and grad schools.

VACA grads run local design business
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VACA grads run local design business

Rhoda Miller, Jon Styer, and Lindsey Kolb run local design business 'At Ease,' providing services including graphic design, web design, brand identity, photography, illustration and more

  • Distinctives
    • Be prepared for the job market. In a changing media landscape, a skillset that blends photography, film and graphic design makes graduates competitive.
    • Jump right in with small class sizes. Students have the opportunity to immediately take Digital Media, Photography, and Design courses their first semester (with access to our extensive system of professional video and photo gear).
    • Work with faculty mentors who are active professionals in their fields: creating Oscar-qualifying documentary films, photographing cover photo stories for national magazines, appearing in Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and screening at numerous, prestigious film festivals across the country.
    • Live your values through creative exploration. For example, EMU's unique conservation photography course allows student to explore environmental sustainability though photography.
    • Showcase your portfolio. Project-based classes set students up to graduate with professional portfolios that highlight their photography, film, and design work, giving them material to showcase to future employers.
  • Internships and student opportunities

    Step out and challenge yourself in real-world, professional internship settings including:

    • Digico in motion graphics (Harrisonburg)
    • Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance
    • Thorn Hill Vineyards
    • Explore More Discovery Museum (Harrisonburg)
    • O. Winston Link Museum
    • Regional newspapers

    At the EMU Washington Semester in Washington D.C., opportunities have included photographing for

    • The Hill
    • The Washington Ballet
    • Capital Area Food Bank

    Graphic design internships have included:

    • Washington Life Magazine  
    • Bread for the World.

    Connect with professionals and build your portfolios through professional conferences and volunteer opportunities.

    Get involved with the EMU Center for Innovation and Leadership (CIL) to launch your innovative ideas for business, engineering, creative design and leadership. 

  • Affordability
    • 99% of undergrads receive financial aid
    • The average assistance package is over $37,000
    • Over $21 million in aid is awarded each year

    Financial aid packages often include:

    Learn more by contacting  EMU's Financial Assistance Office or checking out our net price calculator.

Equipment, student with camera
Facilities and Equipment
alumni hanging photos in the Gehman Gallery
Margaret Gehman Gallery
Faculty, gallery, cyndi gusler
Faculty
News, gallery, seniors
News about Students and Alumni

Career Options

Graduates have also continued education at Savannah College of Art and Design, James Madison University, Virginia Tech and a variety of other graduate schools.

The above data was drawn from and is intended for informational purposes only.

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Organizational Leadership
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Recreational Leadership

Curriculum

The major in digital media and communication consists of 50 SH.

Core Courses

  • VACA 121 Drawing - 4  
  • VACA 141 Foundations of Design - 4  
  • VACA 151 Photography I - 2  
  • VACA 142 Graphic Design I - 2  
  • VACA 381 Cinema and Visual Theory - 2  
  • VACA 382 Contemporary Art - 2  
  • VACA 481 Junior/Senior Thesis and Exhibition - 2  

Additional Courses

  • VACA 252 Photography II - 4  
  • VACA 262 Video Production - 4  
  • *VACA 263 Audio Production - 2  
  • VACA 344 Web Design and Social Media - 4  
  • VACA 345 Advanced Photoshop - 4  
  • VACA 364 Motion Graphics/After Effects - 2  
  • VACA 367 Hybrid Storytelling - 4  

Choose one pair of classes (6 SH):

  • HUM 200 Foundations in Humanities - 2    AND *VACA 465 Visual Storytelling: Non-Fiction - 4  
  • OR *THR 361 Screenwriting - 2     AND *VACA 466 Visual Storytelling: Fiction - 4  

Choose one of the following courses:

  • VACA 242 Graphic Design II - 2  
  • VACA 243 Graphic Design III - 2  
  • VACA 434 Advanced Drawing - 2  
  • VACA 435 Advanced Painting - 2  
  • WRIT 210 News and Feature Writing - 3  

Recommended Course:

  • VACA 491 Internship - 1-4