List of Approved Electives

You only need 3 credit hours of approved electives. This list contains the pre-approved electives. If you have an alternative elective in mind, please discuss with Dr. Wildermuth, cris.wildermuth@drake.edu.

Important note: The courses below are controlled by the departments where they are taught. Course offers depend on enrollment and may change.

JMC 031: Multimedia Lab (1 credit - Fall and Spring)

• Course Description: The goal of this class is to make sure you are comfortable shooting and editing photos, recording and editing audio, and recording and editing video.
• Contact mallory.quinn@drake.edu for permission.

 
JMC 055: Digital Media Strategies (3 credits - Fall and Spring)

• Course Description: Digital technology is constantly evolving. While the web has grown into a hub of innovation, and social media has allowed the world to communicate in new ways, it’s extremely difficult to attract and retain a loyal audience across a bevy of digital platforms. The noise can be deafening. Digital Strategies will introduce students to the tools and best practices to cut through the din. Students will understand how to grow, engage and maintain a digital audience, creating effective native social content and email newsletters while also using analytics to drive and adapt a multi-platform plan. Students will also delve into the complexities of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), data journalism, and data visualization, as well as investigate the latest tech advances popping in Silicon Valley, on the Silicon Prairie, and from the world at large.
• Open to all majors

 
​JMC 059: Introduction to Visual Communication (3 credits - Fall and Spring)

• Course Description: Introduction to Visual Communication helps students master the fundamental principles of good design, color, balance and contrast using different media to convey a message. Photography, print, and web will be explored. Instruction on using digital cameras, PhotoShop, InDesign and other softwares will illustrate the elements of design and communication for each medium.
• Contact mallory.quinn@drake.edu for permission to override prerequisite.

 
JMC 105: Web Page Design (3 credits - Fall and Spring)

• Course Description: Introduces students to the basics of designing pages for the web. Students will learn to write HTML and CSS. They will create a website using a content management system (Wordpress). Topics explored include search engine optimization, social media, web analytics and current trends in digital media.
• Contact mallory.quinn@drake.edu for permission to override prerequisite.

 
Art 021: Digital Media (3 credits - Fall and Spring)

• Course Description: An introduction to Macintosh OS based computer applications for design and production providing students with the basic technical knowledge and skills necessary for a contemporary artist or designer. This course will focus on the development of visual thinking skills while learning current raster-based image-editing and vector-based drawing applications. Students will be expected to develop professional working habits and skills while being supervised in the classroom.
• No prerequisites but must be first-year or sophomore to enroll and an Art & Design Major or have a TD concentration designation or consent of instructor.

 
Art 050: Idea of Design (3 credits - New course Spring 2019 - schedule of semesters not yet set)

• Course Description: Idea of Design is a hands-on studio course that explores the process and product we call "design".

 
Art 051: Introduction to Typography (3 credits - Fall and Spring)

• Course Description: Introduction to the fundamentals of typography, and particularly on how typographic form and visual arrangement support content. Through a series of projects, critiques, and lectures, students develop technical skills and sensibilities. Class lectures will include an introduction to letterforms and typefaces, typographic terminology, and a historical and contemporary overview of typography.
• Prerequisites: ART 013, ART 015, and ART 021. These prerequisites are waived for students with a TD concentration. However, taking this course without the prerequisites is not recommended if you do not have experience with the Adobe CC suite of programs.

 
Art 052: Form and Concept (3 credits - Fall and Spring)

• Course Description: Introduction to the basic formal and conceptual proficiencies necessary for the design of visual communications. Lectures, projects, and critiques develop the students' skills through the critical evaluation of conceptual, formal, and technical ability. Students develop a visual and verbal design vocabulary and the requisite skills needed for making and thinking about form and concept.
• Prerequisites: ART 013, ART 015, and ART 021. These prerequisites are waived for students with a TD concentration. However, taking this course without the prerequisites is not recommended if you do not have experience with the Adobe CC suite of programs.

 
Art 114: Web Design (3 credits - Fall and Spring)

• Course Description: This course provides both a hands-on introduction to contemporary technical practices employed in web design and a conceptual framework with which to solve web-based communication problems. By developing basic understanding of coding, working knowledge of styling, familiarity with current programs, and fluency with relevant terminology, students will become able to conceptualize, organize, construct, and design for the web.
• Prerequisites: ART 051, ART 052. These prerequisites are waived for students with a TD concentration. While either taking the recommended prerequisites OR having experience with the Adobe CC suite of programs is helpful, students with general technical ability could succeed in this course.

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