Digital Media Technology

Digital Media Technology Associate of Science (A.S.) Degree

About Digital Media Technology

Prepare for a career in visual communications with this hands-on, two-year degree.

Get ready for a dynamic career creating print and digital media for business, education or the entertainment industry. An associate degree in digital media technology from PennWest California equips you with the knowledge and technical skills required for a successful career working in this dynamic and growing field.

In PennWest California’s digital media associate degree program, you’ll gain hands-on experience with the equipment, materials and processes involved in designing, preparing and reproducing visual images for print on paper, plastic, metal or textiles — or for publishing digitally online.

Gain career-focused skills that employers need.

Digital media employs more than 3 million people, and the industry is growing. There also is high demand for trained professionals to work in the printing and publishing industry, which employs the third largest number of people in the U.S. manufacturing sector.

PennWest California digital media graduates are building top careers in:

  • Advertising agencies.
  • Digital advertising and web development.
  • Multimedia design firms.
  • Publishers and commercial printers.
  • Manufacturers of printing and graphic communications supplies.
  • Suppliers of electronic equipment and control systems for graphic communications.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: GRAPHICS AND MULTIMEDIA TECHNOLOGY

Expert Faculty: Learn from expert professors who have years of real-world multimedia communications and print teaching experience. PennWest California’s faculty will support your learning with scenarios and insights drawn from their professional careers.

Applied Education: As a dmt technology major at PennWest California, you’ll learn in a hands-on lab environment that prepares you for the workplace. Career-focused technical experience in print manufacturing, digital design and multimedia technologies give you a competitive advantage.

Top Accreditation: PennWest California’s digital media program is one of only 13 in the country with national accreditation for graphics from the Accrediting Council for Collegiate Graphic Communications. ACCGC accreditation is your assurance that PennWest California’s graphics and multimedia program meets the industry’s standards of excellence.

 

Learn more about applying

 

5 
Number of on-campus graphics and multimedia labs with the latest hardware, software, printers and more.
61 
Credits required to complete the Associate of Science in Digital Media Technology at PennWest California.
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Degree Benefits

As a student in the A.S. program in digital media technology, you will:

  • Complete assignments using industry-standard hardware and software, including the Adobe Creative Suite. On-campus labs contain flexography, screen printing and lithography presses, plus output devices such as a wide-format printer, digital press, vinyl cutter, dye sublimation printer and color laser.
  • Benefit from small class sizes and personal attention from top professors.
  • Connect with potential employers through career networking events, job shadowing, on-campus recruiting and more.
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Graduate Outcomes

Students who earn the associate degree in digital media technology are prepared for entry-level careers in the printing and digital media industries. In addition, the A.S. degree leads directly to PennWest California’s B.S. in Digital Media Technology. Students who complete the associate degree need only two additional years of coursework to earn a bachelor’s degree. 

 
Digital Media Technology: Associate Degree
Graphics and Multimedia Associate Degree students work togther on a computer.

Top Learning Environment

Nearly all courses in the graphics and multimedia major include hands-on learning in PennWest California’s well-equipped graphics and multimedia labs. Facilities include:

  • Digital Pre-press Lab.
  • Multimedia Lab.
  • Offset Lab.
  • Digital Printing Lab
  • Screen Printing and Flexography Lab.
Campus at PennWest California

Success story: Entrepreneurs

Program graduate Emily Hixon Imblum ’11 and her husband, Scott Imblum ’11, are the founders of Pump Peelz. Their company creates decorative covers to customize insulin pumps and other medical devices. On the Pump Peelz website, Emily Imblum says the colorful skins “empower people with diabetes to express themselves and be proud of their ability to manage the disease.” 

A Graphics and Multimedia Technology student studies to get her associate degree.

Success story: NYC Career

Patrice Resch ’12 is finding career success in New York City. Her resume includes experience as an associate manager of marketing production for specialty apparel brands including Ann Taylor, LOFT and Lou & Grey. Now she’s a program manager for a creative branding company, where she oversees strategy and project timelines for 3-D and 2-D designs.

Digital Media Technology Associate Degree Courses

PennWest California’s two-year associate degree in digital media technology offers a comprehensive understanding of print production and digital publishing. Classes also address business management principles and build analytical and verbal skills.

Example Courses
  • Foundations of Print Media
  • Foundations of Digital Media
  • Digital Page Layout
  • Print Media Production Processes
  • Digital Photography
  • Package Printing Processes
  • Commercial Print Techniques

Related Programs: Digital Media Technology

Bachelor's Degree
Minor
  • The minor in digital media technology provides core skills that can be added to any bachelor’s degree, including marketing, business, journalism, art and liberal arts.