Maj
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Digital Media & Communications

Our students learn to produce media that matters.  We’re a globally-focused and digitally converged program and our students develop professional skill sets across our current media platforms and communication landscapes.

About

 

Media that Matters — Media IMPACT with a Global Focus

In Digital Media and Communications, our students learn to produce media that matters.  We’re a globally-focused and digitally converged program.  Our students develop professional media skill sets across our current communication landscapes and digital platforms. With us, you can study the following:

  • Communications
  • Digital Marketing-PR & Strategic Communications
  • News/Reporting
  • Digital Design-Graphic UX
  • Documentary Film-Video production & Streaming TV
  • Photography and Photojournalism
  • Environmental and Health Communications
  • Media and Politics
  • Social Media
  • Global Media and International Communication: Diversity, Identity, Development
  • Media Law, and much more!

Media IMPACT and CONNECTIONS.  Interested in the impact that media has on YOU?  Curious about how media influences our notions of health, happiness, diversity, politics, gender, race, family, work, art, sports, and the environment?  This is the program for you.  Our students frequently harness the power of the liberal arts by combining their MJD major/minor with other fields which interest them: Business, Education, Psychology, Environmental Studies, Political Science, International Relations, Data Science, Economics, Art, Music, among others.

Excellent Outcomes. Our graduates have recently won Pulitzer prizes (x2) reporting for the New York Times.  Others have won Emmys for their work in television. They’ve been awarded prestigious Fulbright Fellowships for international post-graduate work and teaching.  They’ve also won top awards from Sony, Zeiss, and The World Press Photography Association for their efforts in documentary, photography, and multimedia production.  They’ve developed careers at BIG and small companies locally, nationally, and internationally  (NYTimes, CBS, Disney, The New Yorker, Discovery, TripAdvisor, Facebook, PBS, NPR, ABC, VPR …among many others!)

Graduates of Digital Media and Communications: Recent News and Wonderful Works

CREATIVITY in ACTION. We emphasize hands-on learning and creative production development.  In all of our courses, students harness the power of digital techniques and technologies to produce their own innovative and creative projects and portfolios.  Our capstone Senior Seminar has students working as independent media producers responsible for all aspects in the creation of a book, interactive web site, or film documentary. Our students do internships at a wonderful array of companies and organizations during the school year or over the summer.

We’ve recently been ranked one of  “The Best Communication & Media Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region.”  Come find out why.

Click on the galleries below to see examples of student work, everything from book covers to digital design to photography and video:

Senior Capstone Book Projects

Digital Art & Design

Student Photography

Students in Action

A recent example of a student produced documentary. For More examples of student work, check out THE FILM STREAM on YouTube:

In Depth

Focus and Flexibility

Digital Media and Communications is one of the only media studies, journalism, and digital arts programs housed within a national liberal arts college in the U.S.  With Digital Media and Communications you get the best of all educational worlds – focused and flexible.  Our program is designed around the fundamental idea that media play critical roles in all of our lives.  Our students develop sets of skills to research, critically analyze, and creatively produce media that matters.

Students not only get an incredible education, but they develop multiple media and professional communication skill sets which help them get first jobs and establish successful life-long careers in areas including marketing, digital strategy, reporting, documentary film, photography, television, graphic design, strategic communications, social media, visual journalism, research analytics, fashion, public relations, advertising, and interface design, among many others.

Our curriculum has four core strands that will be present through the classes you take:

1. Media Studies

We focus on the research and analysis of all media types and styles-news, advertising, photography, film, magazines, radio, television, web, and wireless/mobile media. Most broadly, we explore important questions related to the impact and influences that media are having on all of us.

2. Digital Media Arts: Digital Photography, Digital Film, Graphic Design, Animation, Interactive Web Design

We produce films, digital photographs, digital audio productions, television productions, TV ads, interactive web designs, animation, wireless/mobile design. We have state-of-the-art computing labs, high-definition video cameras, digital still cameras, broadcast video cameras, digital audio recorders, and a host of web and interactive authoring tools.

3. Journalism: Writing, Reporting, Informed Citizenry

Our emphasis is on producing interesting and important investigative stories. How can we help make a more informed citizenry? How can we better understand our local, regional, national, and international connections? Visit our online news magazine.

4. A Global Media & Cross-Cultural Focus

We have a strong international media studies component to the curriculum which includes Global Communication and Culture, Media-Race-Gender-Aging, Travel Writing and the International Experience, and a wide range of internationally-oriented courses through Saint Michael’s Global Studies Program. We also require all students to study abroad/away at some point during their four years.

Professional Portfolios. All students develop a comprehensive digital portfolio of the works they produce, which often includes research, theses, news articles, films, webs, photo essays, graphic art and design, and animations. We strongly recommended that students also complete a minor and/or a 20-credit concentration. The minors our students complete span a wide range of fields and disciplines — Global Studies, English, Political Science, Anthropology, Environmental Studies, Music, Art, Philosophy, Theater, Biology, History, Sociology, Spanish.

The Department of Digital Media and Communications was established in 1974 through grants from the Frank E. Gannett Foundation and other sources, the proceeds of which continue to support the program.

Digital Media Skill Sets

Going “digital” constantly blurs and shifts the lines among media forms, and in how ALL of us live our lives.  Our students learn to adapt to and excel in such dynamic landscapes.  They complement what they learn in the classroom with a variety of on-and-off campus experiences

  • Digital Skill Sets: Digital photography, filmmaking, writing, reporting, graphic design, web UX design. These are the skill sets students develop throughout every course in MJD.
  • Critical Media Research and Media Literacy Skills: Our program is grounded in teaching critical media literacy and information literacy skill sets. These serve as the foundation for every course we teach in MJD.
  • Creative Independent Media Projects and Research: Students work directly with faculty on professional research and portfolio projects which examine the impact media have on work, health, family, gender, race, school, music, sports, politics, and more.
  • Internships and Professional Communication Experiences with organizations such as Burton Snowboards, Special Olympics, VTDigger, Flynn Arts, VPR, VT-Tourism, KSV Communications, and WCAX-TV (CBS).
  • Local-Global Communities: Our students work with a wonderful array of local community organizations and non-profits to produce targeted media for global audiences, among them the Chill Foundation, Special Olympics, VT Adaptive, Friends of the Winooski, and The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Careers

Media and communication fields are growing incredibly fast worldwide.  Our alums have developed careers working at both large and small media organizations (The New York Times, CBS, PBS, NPR, ABC, Disney, ESPN, Nickelodeon, WNYC, The New Yorker, and VPR, to name a few).  They’ve also established their own media companies and developed careers with a wide array of companies and organizations, including Burton, Volcom, Oakley, Timberland, Ski Magazine, VT Tourism, NerdWallet, Backcountry Magazine, and Teton Gravity Research.

They work in web design, film production, journalism, photojournalism, marketing, strategic communication, public relations, advertising, graphic and digital design, among other fields.

Excellent Outcomes

Our graduates have recently won Pulitzer prizes reporting for the New York Times. Others have won Emmys for their work in television. They’ve been awarded prestigious Fulbright Fellowships for international post-graduate work. They’ve won top awards from Sony, Zeiss, and The World Press Photography Association for their efforts in documentary, photography, and multimedia production.

Digital Media and Communications graduates have job titles like:

  • Digital Media Strategist
  • Senior Digital Communications Manager
  • Multimedia Producer
  • Videographer
  • Photographer
  • Journalist
  • Associate Editor
  • Director of Marketing and Communications
  • Senior Marketing Project Manager
  • Graphic Designer
  • UX Designer
  • Executive Producer
  • Director of Product Operations
  • Director of Cinematography
  • Global Senior Creative Marketing Manager
  • Communications Director
  • Attorney
  • Software Test Engineer
  • Web Outreach Manager
  • Senior Development Manager
  • Digital Media Specialist

Internships

INTERNSHIPS.  Digital Media and Communications students have opportunities to apply their knowledge and skill sets in a wide variety of internships, preparing them for life after college. They work with professionals in the fields of graphic design, digital marketing, reporting/journalism, videography, photography, public relations, event planning, fundraising and social media, among many other fields.

Our coursework prepares students to think critically and creatively, solve problems, and gain confidence in a range of technologies. They are adept in writing and interviewing, applying their knowledge of communication strategies, and they are familiar with state of the art software in the Adobe Creative Cloud, including Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, InDesign, Audition, XD, and others.

Internships where our students have received professional feedback and guidance include the following:

AllEarth Rail Vermont
America’s Funniest Home Videos
American Cancer Society
Arts Riot
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Boston University, Communications
Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware
Burlington City Arts
Burlington Free Press
Burton Snowboards
Chelsea Green Publishing
Chill Foundation
Church St. Marketplace
Climberism and Alpine Climbing Magazines
Community Garden Network, Vermont
Colchester Sun/Essex Reporter/Milton Independent
Cumbancha World Music
Dynapower
EatingWell Media group
Echo Lake Aquarium & Science Center
ESPN Radio
GameFace Media, Boston
Green Mountain Electric Supply
Green Mountain Farm to School
Headfirst Companies
Immigration Law, AALV
IXIS Digital
Kingsway Community
Krystal Clear Media Group, NYC
Lake Champlain Access Television
MamaVa
Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Communications
National Life Insurance
Outdoor Gear Exchange
People Making Good
Population Media Center
Prenatal Method Studio
Press Communications, New Jersey
Resolute Digital, NYC
ReSOURCE
Riverwoods Retirement Community
Rutland Medical Center
Shark Communications
Stowe Area Association
The Sun Chronicle
Traverse City Film Festival
Tuihzi Public Relations, Beijing
United Nations, Switzerland
Urban Rhino, Video & Animation production
Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports
Vermont Craft Brewers Association
Vermont Department of Tourism
Vermont Life Magazine
Vermont Military Museum and Library
Vermont Public Television
Vermont Public Radio
Vermont Runs
Vermont Works for Women
Visura Photography
VSA, Arts & Education
Waterfire, Providence, nonprofit arts
WCAX TV
Westchester Magazine
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Yankee Cable Company
Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox
Zoo New England

Media Creation Studio

The brand-new Media Creation Studio provides state-of-the-art equipment and training to all students and faculty at Saint Michael’s College.

Through the Media Creation Studio students from all majors will be able to explore the rapidly growing world of media production—expanding their skills and future marketability. The Studio will provide students and faculty the opportunity to interface with media production professionals, learn how to use 4K video cameras, professional microphones, lights, and editing techniques. It will also provide a safe space for students to workshop ideas, get help on projects, and take their production skills to the next level.

GLOBAL: Study Abroad-Away

Media forms are GLOBAL, and in Digital Media and Communications we value study abroad or study away experiences. We’ve witnessed the transformative education that this kind of experience provides. It is, quite literally, one of the best educational opportunities in which you can engage. Our goal for your study abroad is for you to invest yourself in learning about the society, culture, history, politics, art, storytelling, or media of a different place.  One of the best ways to become a global citizen—and a media producer sensitive to and savvy about international audiences—is to study abroad. Our students have studied in Ghana, Bhutan, Tibet, Argentina, Bolivia, Vietnam, Belize, Costa Rica, Switzerland, Japan, and China, among other countries.

You can choose to study abroad for a full semester during your junior year or take a shorter faculty-led study trip which provides international media experience while earning 2 academic credits.

Check out MJD student photographs in our Global Eyes Study Abroad Celebration

MJD faculty-led study trips in the past have included:

  • South Africa: Apartheid, Revolution, and Representation
  • China: Chinese Media and Culture
  • India: Media Nomads: Youth, Television, Trekking in the Buddhist Himalaya
  • Bhutan: Media Nomads and the Bhutan Center for Media and Democracy
  • Mongolia & China: In the Footsteps of Genghis Khan
  • Tanzania: Applied Health & Development Approaches in East Africa
  • Culture and Communication in Modern Greece

When you return to campus, you can take Travel Writing & the International Experience, a study abroad re-entry course, and you can submit your photos to the SMC Global Eyes International Study Abroad Photography Competition.

Global Connections

Many of our graduates work internationally. They work in Sweden, Spain, Germany, Japan, France, China, India, Nepal, Chile, Barbados, Nicaragua, Bhutan, Thailand and other countries. They also work with International English language learning programs, The Peace Corps, and the Fulbright Program.

Our Grads Care

Our graduates work with organizations that address important social, health, and environmental issues. Some of these are The American Cancer Society, Special Olympics, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Vermont Organic Farmers, The Regulatory Assistance Project, Right to Play, The American Geriatrics Society, and the U.S. Senate.  They also work in education at all levels, from Montessori programs to public elementary schools, high schools, university departments, and in school and university communication and marketing offices (for example, at MIT, Princeton and for the state of New York).

In Depth

Focus and Flexibility

Digital Media and Communications is one of the only media studies, journalism, and digital arts programs housed within a national liberal arts college in the U.S.  With Digital Media and Communications you get the best of all educational worlds – focused and flexible.  Our program is designed around the fundamental idea that media play critical roles in all of our lives.  Our students develop sets of skills to research, critically analyze, and creatively produce media that matters.

Students not only get an incredible education, but they develop multiple media and professional communication skill sets which help them get first jobs and establish successful life-long careers in areas including marketing, digital strategy, reporting, documentary film, photography, television, graphic design, strategic communications, social media, visual journalism, research analytics, fashion, public relations, advertising, and interface design, among many others.

Our curriculum has four core strands that will be present through the classes you take:

1. Media Studies

We focus on the research and analysis of all media types and styles-news, advertising, photography, film, magazines, radio, television, web, and wireless/mobile media. Most broadly, we explore important questions related to the impact and influences that media are having on all of us.

2. Digital Media Arts: Digital Photography, Digital Film, Graphic Design, Animation, Interactive Web Design

We produce films, digital photographs, digital audio productions, television productions, TV ads, interactive web designs, animation, wireless/mobile design. We have state-of-the-art computing labs, high-definition video cameras, digital still cameras, broadcast video cameras, digital audio recorders, and a host of web and interactive authoring tools.

3. Journalism: Writing, Reporting, Informed Citizenry

Our emphasis is on producing interesting and important investigative stories. How can we help make a more informed citizenry? How can we better understand our local, regional, national, and international connections? Visit our online news magazine.

4. A Global Media & Cross-Cultural Focus

We have a strong international media studies component to the curriculum which includes Global Communication and Culture, Media-Race-Gender-Aging, Travel Writing and the International Experience, and a wide range of internationally-oriented courses through Saint Michael’s Global Studies Program. We also require all students to study abroad/away at some point during their four years.

Professional Portfolios. All students develop a comprehensive digital portfolio of the works they produce, which often includes research, theses, news articles, films, webs, photo essays, graphic art and design, and animations. We strongly recommended that students also complete a minor and/or a 20-credit concentration. The minors our students complete span a wide range of fields and disciplines — Global Studies, English, Political Science, Anthropology, Environmental Studies, Music, Art, Philosophy, Theater, Biology, History, Sociology, Spanish.

The Department of Digital Media and Communications was established in 1974 through grants from the Frank E. Gannett Foundation and other sources, the proceeds of which continue to support the program.

Digital Media Skill Sets

Going “digital” constantly blurs and shifts the lines among media forms, and in how ALL of us live our lives.  Our students learn to adapt to and excel in such dynamic landscapes.  They complement what they learn in the classroom with a variety of on-and-off campus experiences

  • Digital Skill Sets: Digital photography, filmmaking, writing, reporting, graphic design, web UX design. These are the skill sets students develop throughout every course in MJD.
  • Critical Media Research and Media Literacy Skills: Our program is grounded in teaching critical media literacy and information literacy skill sets. These serve as the foundation for every course we teach in MJD.
  • Creative Independent Media Projects and Research: Students work directly with faculty on professional research and portfolio projects which examine the impact media have on work, health, family, gender, race, school, music, sports, politics, and more.
  • Internships and Professional Communication Experiences with organizations such as Burton Snowboards, Special Olympics, VTDigger, Flynn Arts, VPR, VT-Tourism, KSV Communications, and WCAX-TV (CBS).
  • Local-Global Communities: Our students work with a wonderful array of local community organizations and non-profits to produce targeted media for global audiences, among them the Chill Foundation, Special Olympics, VT Adaptive, Friends of the Winooski, and The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Careers

Media and communication fields are growing incredibly fast worldwide.  Our alums have developed careers working at both large and small media organizations (The New York Times, CBS, PBS, NPR, ABC, Disney, ESPN, Nickelodeon, WNYC, The New Yorker, and VPR, to name a few).  They’ve also established their own media companies and developed careers with a wide array of companies and organizations, including Burton, Volcom, Oakley, Timberland, Ski Magazine, VT Tourism, NerdWallet, Backcountry Magazine, and Teton Gravity Research.

They work in web design, film production, journalism, photojournalism, marketing, strategic communication, public relations, advertising, graphic and digital design, among other fields.

Excellent Outcomes

Our graduates have recently won Pulitzer prizes reporting for the New York Times. Others have won Emmys for their work in television. They’ve been awarded prestigious Fulbright Fellowships for international post-graduate work. They’ve won top awards from Sony, Zeiss, and The World Press Photography Association for their efforts in documentary, photography, and multimedia production.

Digital Media and Communications graduates have job titles like:

  • Digital Media Strategist
  • Senior Digital Communications Manager
  • Multimedia Producer
  • Videographer
  • Photographer
  • Journalist
  • Associate Editor
  • Director of Marketing and Communications
  • Senior Marketing Project Manager
  • Graphic Designer
  • UX Designer
  • Executive Producer
  • Director of Product Operations
  • Director of Cinematography
  • Global Senior Creative Marketing Manager
  • Communications Director
  • Attorney
  • Software Test Engineer
  • Web Outreach Manager
  • Senior Development Manager
  • Digital Media Specialist

Internships

INTERNSHIPS.  Digital Media and Communications students have opportunities to apply their knowledge and skill sets in a wide variety of internships, preparing them for life after college. They work with professionals in the fields of graphic design, digital marketing, reporting/journalism, videography, photography, public relations, event planning, fundraising and social media, among many other fields.

Our coursework prepares students to think critically and creatively, solve problems, and gain confidence in a range of technologies. They are adept in writing and interviewing, applying their knowledge of communication strategies, and they are familiar with state of the art software in the Adobe Creative Cloud, including Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, InDesign, Audition, XD, and others.

Internships where our students have received professional feedback and guidance include the following:

AllEarth Rail Vermont
America’s Funniest Home Videos
American Cancer Society
Arts Riot
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Boston University, Communications
Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware
Burlington City Arts
Burlington Free Press
Burton Snowboards
Chelsea Green Publishing
Chill Foundation
Church St. Marketplace
Climberism and Alpine Climbing Magazines
Community Garden Network, Vermont
Colchester Sun/Essex Reporter/Milton Independent
Cumbancha World Music
Dynapower
EatingWell Media group
Echo Lake Aquarium & Science Center
ESPN Radio
GameFace Media, Boston
Green Mountain Electric Supply
Green Mountain Farm to School
Headfirst Companies
Immigration Law, AALV
IXIS Digital
Kingsway Community
Krystal Clear Media Group, NYC
Lake Champlain Access Television
MamaVa
Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Communications
National Life Insurance
Outdoor Gear Exchange
People Making Good
Population Media Center
Prenatal Method Studio
Press Communications, New Jersey
Resolute Digital, NYC
ReSOURCE
Riverwoods Retirement Community
Rutland Medical Center
Shark Communications
Stowe Area Association
The Sun Chronicle
Traverse City Film Festival
Tuihzi Public Relations, Beijing
United Nations, Switzerland
Urban Rhino, Video & Animation production
Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports
Vermont Craft Brewers Association
Vermont Department of Tourism
Vermont Life Magazine
Vermont Military Museum and Library
Vermont Public Television
Vermont Public Radio
Vermont Runs
Vermont Works for Women
Visura Photography
VSA, Arts & Education
Waterfire, Providence, nonprofit arts
WCAX TV
Westchester Magazine
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Yankee Cable Company
Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox
Zoo New England

Media Creation Studio

The brand-new Media Creation Studio provides state-of-the-art equipment and training to all students and faculty at Saint Michael’s College.

Through the Media Creation Studio students from all majors will be able to explore the rapidly growing world of media production—expanding their skills and future marketability. The Studio will provide students and faculty the opportunity to interface with media production professionals, learn how to use 4K video cameras, professional microphones, lights, and editing techniques. It will also provide a safe space for students to workshop ideas, get help on projects, and take their production skills to the next level.

GLOBAL: Study Abroad-Away

Media forms are GLOBAL, and in Digital Media and Communications we value study abroad or study away experiences. We’ve witnessed the transformative education that this kind of experience provides. It is, quite literally, one of the best educational opportunities in which you can engage. Our goal for your study abroad is for you to invest yourself in learning about the society, culture, history, politics, art, storytelling, or media of a different place.  One of the best ways to become a global citizen—and a media producer sensitive to and savvy about international audiences—is to study abroad. Our students have studied in Ghana, Bhutan, Tibet, Argentina, Bolivia, Vietnam, Belize, Costa Rica, Switzerland, Japan, and China, among other countries.

You can choose to study abroad for a full semester during your junior year or take a shorter faculty-led study trip which provides international media experience while earning 2 academic credits.

Check out MJD student photographs in our Global Eyes Study Abroad Celebration

MJD faculty-led study trips in the past have included:

  • South Africa: Apartheid, Revolution, and Representation
  • China: Chinese Media and Culture
  • India: Media Nomads: Youth, Television, Trekking in the Buddhist Himalaya
  • Bhutan: Media Nomads and the Bhutan Center for Media and Democracy
  • Mongolia & China: In the Footsteps of Genghis Khan
  • Tanzania: Applied Health & Development Approaches in East Africa
  • Culture and Communication in Modern Greece

When you return to campus, you can take Travel Writing & the International Experience, a study abroad re-entry course, and you can submit your photos to the SMC Global Eyes International Study Abroad Photography Competition.

Global Connections

Many of our graduates work internationally. They work in Sweden, Spain, Germany, Japan, France, China, India, Nepal, Chile, Barbados, Nicaragua, Bhutan, Thailand and other countries. They also work with International English language learning programs, The Peace Corps, and the Fulbright Program.

Our Grads Care

Our graduates work with organizations that address important social, health, and environmental issues. Some of these are The American Cancer Society, Special Olympics, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Vermont Organic Farmers, The Regulatory Assistance Project, Right to Play, The American Geriatrics Society, and the U.S. Senate.  They also work in education at all levels, from Montessori programs to public elementary schools, high schools, university departments, and in school and university communication and marketing offices (for example, at MIT, Princeton and for the state of New York).