About Our BFA Program

School of Digital Arts & Communications

About Our BFA Program

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The Digital Arts and Communication Bachelor of Fine Arts Program will provide the fundamentals necessary for entry-level career opportunities. Students completing the Bachelor of Fine Arts program will have acquired the basic knowledge and practice needed to perform:

• User Interface (UI) Design
• User Experience, Information Architecture (IA)
• Development, Visual Interface Advertisement, Icon Design
• Multimedia Design, Motion Graphics
• Digital Imaging, Movie Title Design
• Creative Direction
• Art Direction
• Production Coordination for Client Side
• Server Side Web Coding
• Project Management

Students completing the Associate of Arts program will have acquired the basic knowledge and practice needed to perform:

• User Interface (UI) Design
• User Experience, Multimedia Design
• Digital Imaging
• Production Coordination for Client Side
• Server Side Web Coding
• Project Management

Digital Arts & Communications students will be prepared to enter the job market and obtain professional employment in art and design.

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Graduates of the School of Digital Arts & Communications will meet the following student performance criteria:

1. Final Portfolio

   • Ability to produce a creative yet competitive final portfolio that demonstrates specialized understanding and practice of information architecture of interactive products from concept development, through the construction process, to the final look and feel, based on supportive documentation that outlines the purpose and goals, research, user testing approach and analysis.

2. Technical Skills

   • Ability to employ new tools and adopt as an artist front and backend internet languages (HTML, Javascript, PHP, MySQL, XML, Actionscript, CSS) confidently and reliably for both prototyping and publishing interactive products.
   • Facility to assimilate the methods and practices of various software designed for project planning, documentation and creative content creation.
   • Ability to work with signal flow for the audio effort.
   • Ability to apply a working knowledge of both MAC and PC operating systems.
   • Ability to monitor screen legibility and ensure that projects are compliant to various internet browsers, for both MAC, PC, handheld devices, and so on.
   • Knowledge of differentiation and preparation of documents for print (CMYK) resolution and screen resolution (RGB).

3. Usability Emphasis

   • Ability to produce functional and memorable user experiences by adopting tried and tested methods determined from trusted usability study resources.
   • Ability to layout the groundwork for individual projects by attending to the appropriate resources that identify a specific audience’s learning style.
   • Understanding of usability testing principles and techniques through learning and practice.
   • Ability to address the scope of small to large interactive products based on a product’s goals and requirements, audience needs, and user access.
   • Ability to develop paper prototypes as well as translate them into working interactive mockups.
   • Ability to conduct requirement analysis, including marketing and knowing what to build.

4. Aesthetics

   • Ability to organize relevant information to be conveyed into a logical structure and hierarchy.
   • Ability to establish a grid for design and layout.
   • Understanding of the parameters and limitations of design for the screen.
   • Ability to produce aesthetically appropriate design that addresses balance, typography, color, screen legibility and composition, to optimize expression and communicate message.
   • Ability to use scripting as artistic form, such as typographical treatments in HTML.

5. Professional Practices

   • Ability to provide oral and visual evidence of rationales and justifications for design decisions based on project objectives.
   • Ability to estimate realistic project delivery schedules and deliver on time, on schedule, with respect to budget allowances.
   • Ability to market services through portfolio presentation, resume, personal website, business cards, viral marketing and follow-up letters.
   • Ability to be a good team player with a positive attitude.

Academy of Art University Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Academy of Art University will demonstrate the ability to:

1. Produce a body of work suitable for seeking professional opportunities in their chosen field of art and design.
2. Solve creative problems within their field of art and design, including research and synthesis of technical, aesthetic, and conceptual knowledge.
3. Communicate their ideas professionally and connect with their intended audience using visual, oral, and written presentation skills relevant to their field.
4. Execute technical, aesthetic, and conceptual decisions based on an understanding of art and design principles.
5. Evaluate work in their field, including their own work, using professional terminology.
6. Recognize the influence of major cultural and aesthetic trends, both historical and contemporary, on art and design products.
7. Learn the professional skills and behaviors necessary to compete in the global marketplace for art and design.

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