Digital Media Design Major

PREPARES YOU TO UNDERSTAND AND APPLY THEORETICAL, ARTISTIC, AESTHETIC, AND EXPERIENTIAL PRINCIPLES ASSOCIATED WITH DIGITAL MEDIA DESIGN

Computer-generated imagery is transforming communication — from educational software and motion picture special effects to architectural simulations and medical visualizations. With these new technologies come new questions about the creation and design of virtual environments and their impact upon society.

To address these questions, Penn Engineering, in collaboration with the University's Annenberg School for Communication and the School of Design, created the Digital Media Design (DMD) program, an elite BSE degree program for a limited number of students.

The curriculum gives students a foundation in three areas: 1) computational basis for the creation of digital media imagery, including simulation of 3D environments; 2) informed understanding of the aesthetic aspects of digital media design; and 3) theory and research concerning viewers' psychological responses to, and uses of, visual media as well as broader sociocultural effects. Students in the program are expected to participate in one or two summers of real-world experience in a major multimedia industry.

Educational Objectives of the DMD Program

The undergraduate program in Digital Media Design strives to prepare to:

• use their superior technical expertise and communication skills to bridge the barriers that currently exist between artists and engineers in the world of computer graphics;
• excel in influential industry positions such as technical directors, project directors, creative directors, and animation supervisors; and
• excel in graduate studies and research careers.

DMD Sample Curriculum