Course Descriptions

1030 Reasoning Skills This class develops critical thinking skills for analyzing information, facts, and situations used for personal, academic, and career life. Prerequisites: Required of first-year students who place into two or more Pre-College Communications courses.

1210 College Algebra This class is a study of intermediate algebraic operations. It includes solving equations and inequalities, factoring, rational expressions, radicals, systems of equations, and graphing. Prerequisites: C grade or better in 1205, or score of at least 10 on COTC Algebra Skills test, or score of at least 43 on COMPASS Elementary Algebra test.

1225 General Chemistry This class will help to prepare the student for further courses in advanced chemistry. Will study states of matter, solutions, kinetics, acids, bases, and chemical equilibrium with problem solving. Will also study basics in organic chemistry. Prerequisites: C grade or better in 1205 or equivalent, and high school chemistry or 1223.

1386 General Psychology Provides introduction to basic theoretical constructs, nervous system functions, perception, learning, memory, emotion, cognition, intelligence, personality theories, stress, social psychology and psychology. Prerequisites: ASSET score of 44 or higher or COMPASS score of 85 or higher and satisfactory completion of 1023 or permission of the instructor or Academic Director.

1506 Composition I Composition I introduces the student to college writing. The student will practice the writing process, including pre-writing, draft writing, editing and group revision. The course reviews spelling, grammar and punctuation, sentence and paragraph development, and introduces basic research skills. The student will read and write narrative, descriptive reports. Prerequisites: C grade (2.00) or better in 1400 (or a score of at least 75 on the COMPASS writing skills test or a score of at least 42 on the ASSET writing skills test); C grade (2.00) or better in 1413 and a grade of Satisfactory in 1423 (or a score of at least 85 on the COMPASS reading skills test or a score of at least 44 on the ASSET reading skills test).

1507 Composition II Composition II continues development of skills practiced in Composition I, including improvement of spelling, grammar and punctuation, as well as sentence, paragraph, and essay development. The student will read and write expository and argumentative reports and essays with an emphasis on research. Prerequisites: 1506.

1523 Small Group Communications Students practice the techniques of defining, researching, planning, and group decision making in a series of five conferences, stressing leadership, participation, and responsibility. Prerequisites: 1507 or 1514 or equivalent.

1525 Technical Writing Training in writing techniques used in business, industry, and public service is stressed. The student prepares, edits, and submits memoranda, letters, reports, and resumes. Prerequisites: 1507.

1600 Principles of Computing Introduces the student to basic computer uses. The course includes an understanding of computers and how they function. The student will identify and use hardware and software. Both operating systems and application software will be introduced. The student will become familiar with common application programs including word processing, data base, spreadsheet, graphics, presentation, web authoring, and email accounts. Prerequisites: None.

3026 General Physics This course will prepare the student for more complex courses in Forensic Science. The student will learn fundamental ideas of measurements, motion, energy, electricity, magnetism and heat. The student will be introduced to atomic and nuclear physics including basic protection. The student will apply these principles in a lab setting. Prerequisites: C grade or better in 1210.

3706 Introduction to CAD This is the first course in a series of Computer Aided Drafting courses. The students will gain familiarity with the system hardware, peripherals and software. They will learn to construct a basic dimensioned orthographic drawing with the CAD system. Prerequisites: Previous drafting experience preferred.

3707 Intermediate CAD The second class in a series of CAD courses building on a foundation of Introduction to CAD. Advanced concepts in CAD will be explored including symbol libraries, isometric and 3D constructions, using the block commands, creation of bill of materials and MS-DOS usage. Prerequisites: 3702

3718 Architecture History Survey This course provides a survey of architectural traditions from early civilization to the modern architecture of the 20th Century, including buildings, landscape and planning. Prerequisites: None.

3818 Graphic Design History A survey of the historical developments of graphic design communications including pivotal people and events that led to current methods and theories of digital media communication. Students will learn the rich history of graphic communications and how it relates to society. Prerequisites: None.

3819 Design for Print I This course focuses on the layout of printed materials using standard digital page layout software. Students will focus on illustration and layout software while they explore the creation of projects such as brochures, advertisements, newsletters and other printed promotional materials, with an emphasis on the pre-press process and final printed output. Prerequisites: 3831 or concurrent enrollment in 3831, 3820 or (3837 plus concurrent enrollment in 3820) or permission of the instructor or the academic director.

3820 Design Fundamentals Orientation to digital design with emphasis on the history and the basic principles of digital design using key computer graphics tools. Prerequisites: 3837 or concurrent enrollment in 3837 or permission of the instructor or academic director.

3821 Design for Print I Inactive (see 3819). 3822 Digital Photography I An introduction to the techniques and theories of digital photography, with an emphasis on the design of photographic images and learning to “see.” The course covers pre-visualization, composition, image capture, simple digital editing of the image and final digital output. Through group critiques, the student will learn to appreciate and use photography as part of the communication process of design. A digital still camera of at least 3 Megapixels is highly recommended. Prerequisites: None.

3823 Design for Print II This course continues with the exploration of designing for print using page layout and illustration software. Design projects will focus on the use of digital design to solve communication problems and client needs. Prerequisites: 3821.

3824 Fundamentals of Color An introduction to the theory and applications of color and color perception, including hue, saturation and value and both additive and subtractive color as used in design and digital output for screen and print. Prerequisites: 3820 or (concurrent enrollment in 3820 and 3837) or permission of the instructor or academic director.

3825 Digital Photography II This course continues the exploration of digital photography begun in 3822, expanding into uses of digital software tools to manipulate the image. The student will continue to hone his or her own creative vision in capturing and manipulating photographic images using digital technology. Students will focus on extending the photographic image beyond what the camera can see through the use of filters (physical and software), image compositing and physical deconstruction of the original image. Prerequisites: 3822.

3826 Fundamentals of Typography An introduction to the history of type and the use of the letterform in digital design. The student will use software tools to develop a creative understanding of and a technical competence in using type as both a holder of content and an integral part of digital design. Prerequisites: 3837 or concurrent enrolllment in 3837.

3828 Digital Video Production I This course is an introduction to the creation and editing of digital video. The student will examine the history of film and video and explore the various forms of the medium. Students will learn the basic underlying technology of digital video and create their own projects from motion studies to complete non-linearly-edited video stories. Prerequisites: 1600, 3831, 3822 or concurrent enrollment in 3822 or permission of the instructor or academic director.

3829 Digital Video Production II This course continues the exploration of digital video production, and the focus of this course in on non-linear editing and special effects. Topics covered include audio, video, transitional effects, 2-D animation and compositing, and video compression for digital media. Prerequisites: 3828.

3831 Fundamentals of Drawing This course explores the basic techniques of drawing, focusing on composition, proportion, perspective and the basic fundamentals of line, shape, contrast, texture, balance, and unity. Projects include studies of figures, nature and interiors with the purpose of developing an understanding of how to rapidly communicate with basic analog tools before using digital media. Prerequisites: None.

3832 Multimedia Production I This course is an exploration into the design and programming of interactive media, with an emphasis on Flash. The student will explore both hand-animated graphics and more complex Actionscript projects. Prerequisites: 1600, 3820, 3831 or permission of the instructor or academic director.

3833 Multimedia Production II This course continues the exploration of interactive media, integrating audio, video, text, graphics and animation into a single program under interactive control. Topics covered include interactive databases and integration with other Web technology. Prerequisites: 3832.

3835 Digital Media Design Project The Digital Media Design Project course completes the study of digital media design with a quarter long project focused on a non-print digital media of the student’s choice. The student will choose a project, preferably in partnership with a community business or association, to produce production quality work for his or her portfolio. The student is expected to work closely with the instructor and the project client. Prerequisites: 3823, 3824, (3825 or concurrent enrollment in 3825), 3826, 3828, 3836, and 3838.

3836 Mass Media Communication This course is an introduction to the history and development of mass media, from print to the interactive future. Students will study how communication, in partnership with advertising, has developed. The course will integrate theory with practical exercises in developing communication strategies and implementations. The student will gain experience in creating copy and content for various digital media. 3837 or concurrent enrollment in 3837 or 3820 or concurrent enrollment in 3820 is recommended. Prerequisites: None.

3837 Digital Software Fundamentals This is an overview course covering the background of digital media and an introduction to digital media software tools. The student will explore the layout of the interface for digital software programs most commonly used in digital media in preparation for further classes. This course should be taken before any digital media design course requiring the use of digital software. Prerequisites: None.

3838 3-D Design and Animation I An introduction to the construction of three-dimensional models and environments with animated movement through those environments. This course builds on the knowledge of 3-D space gained in 3706, and examines methods of building complex objects from simple tools. Textures, lighting and rendering are explored. Prerequisites: 1600, 3706 and 3837 or concurrent enrollment in 3837 or permission of the instructor or academic director.

3839 Web Design and Development I This course is an introduction to Web site design and development. The student will be introduced to XHTML, page markup, page layout including tables, frames and layers, and the use of scripting languages. Prerequisites: (1600 or concurrent enrollment in 1600) and (3837 or concurrent enrollment in 3837) or permission of the instructor or academic director.

3840 Web Design and Development II Building on the concepts and skills learned in 3839, the student will continue to examine website design, using interactive tools. Emphasis switches in this class from the basics of construction to an understanding of the Web visitor. Beginning with usability, the course will alternate with human-centered design and dynamic XHTML/XML development, including Cascading Style Sheets, Layers, and Javascript. Prerequisites: 3839.

3841 3-D Design and Animation II Continuing the design of 3-D models in software begun in 3838, the course expands on advanced rendering techniques such as radiosity and advanced animation, including inverse kinematics and bones. Prerequisites: 3838.

3842 Digital Media Portfolio Capstone This is a capstone course structured to give the student experience in real world design problem solving. The student will apply skills learned in previous course work to develop several portfolio-level print pieces. Prerequisites: 3823, 3824, (3825 or concurrent enrollment in 3825), 3826, 3828, 3832, 3836, and 3838.

3850 Web Design & Development III This project-based course continues the exploration of Web development, expanding from XHTML with client-side languages such as Javascript, with an introduction to server-side programming, such as CGI or PHP. The actual programming and scripting languages will remain flexible to reflect the latest industry standards. Emphasis is not on the syntax of programming, but on problem solving, specifically as a course for Web designers. Prerequisites: 3832, 3840.

3851 Information Design This course provides an overview of information architecture through static and dynamic projects that emphasize visual problem solving. Students will learn to translate sometimes complex data into clear, visually compelling solutions. Prerequisites: 3823.

3852 Motion Graphics This course will focus on advanced projects in video compositing and motion graphics. Building on non-linear editing, the course explores compositing computer graphics and live video, special effects, and design of titles and animated graphics. The work of professional animators will be used to demonstrate techniques. Prerequisites: 3828.

3855 Digital Media Internship This course provides students with the practical application of skills in graphic design, Web design, digital video production, interactive development, and/or other digital media design production at a business or agency. The internship correlates academic preparation with professionally supervised work experience. (Sixty clock hours total) Prerequisites: completion of all basic and level I technical coursework in the first four Plan quarters, plus a gade of "B" (3.00) or better in 1506 and 1507.