The Board of Trustees has recently approved two new student certificates for fall 2024: Digital Photography, and Media Literacy, Journalism, and Production. The proposals were first submitted to the Board of Trustees Academic Success Committee on April 11, 2024, and were later approved in the consent agenda at the April 25, 2024 Board of Trustees meeting.
Certificate courses are shorter programs compared to an associate degree. According to the COD website, “Certificate courses of study are designed for students not pursuing an associate degree but who are interested in taking technical or professional courses needed to enter a field of employment or to update current skills. Most courses taken in a certificate program may be applied to a degree in the same field of study.”
The certificate for Digital Photography is a 15-credit program aimed at supplementing other degrees or enhancing profitable credentials. Most associate degrees at the College of DuPage require 64 credits.
The Digital Photography certificate consists of five courses with two requirements having alternate choices of study: PHOTO 1101 Foundations of Digital Photography or PHOTO 1103 Digital Photography, PHOTO1105 History of Photography, PHOTO1200 Photographic Composition, Color, and Concept, PHOTO1201 Tools and Techniques of Digital Photography and PHOTO1250 Advanced Digital Imaging or PHOTO 1450 Introduction to Video for Photographers.
These classes also apply towards a more comprehensive degree, Photography Technology, if a student decides to pursue additional education. As stated in the proposal to the Academic Committee found in the Board of Trustees agenda, “There is a growing demand for facility in producing digital photographic content. This short certificate will be a stackable credential that provides students with the ability to create, manage, edit, and deliver digital photographs.”
The certificate for Media Literacy, Journalism, and Production is a 21-credit program that combines interdisciplinary education from the Mass Communication and Motion Picture Television Departments. The certificate consists of nine hours of electives and four required classes: MCOMM 1100 Introduction to Mass Communication, MCOMM 1105 News Reporting & Writing for Multimedia, MCOMM 2100 Social Media as News, MCOMM 2255 Lies, Manipulation, and Misinformation in Mass Communication. These credits also apply towards a Digital Broadcast Associate Degree.
The certificate can be used to apply for entry-level jobs, provide a pathway towards transfer, and overall be beneficial to improve critical examination of media sources and their credibility in an increasingly digital world.
Sanford Fries, program chair and professor of Journalism and Mass Communications, highlighted the importance of media literacy and new classes that feature the subject.
“Anyone who wants a career in media should understand media literacy. Media literacy involves understanding how all media interconnects, media like TV, movies, podcasts are all interconnecting these days,” said Fries. “We have a new mass Communication class for Fall 2024 about Taylor Swift and how she is a genius at media literacy. The new class is called Mass Media Pioneers: Taylor Swift and Oprah Winfrey, MCOMM 1800-206.
“We have another new Mass Communication class for fall 2024 about Joe Rogan, another genius on how to use media literacy,” Fries continued. “The class is called The Podcasting Revolution: Joe Rogan, MCOMM 1800-207. Of course, there’s also the Media Literacy Certificate.”
If interested, additional information about the programs offered can be found on the COD Photography Program website and the Mass Communication Program website.
