UH Hilo art department revises digital media certificate programs to meet workforce needs
While the revised digital media arts certificate combines traditional and digital art, the digital visualization and communication certificate merges computer and data science with graphic design.
By Lauren Aoki/UH Hilo Stories.
With the rise in popularity of digital art, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo art department aims to fill student demand with the revision of two of its core certificates: digital media arts (DMA), and digital visualization and communication (DVC), both revisions to be launched this fall.
“We see a bright future in this,” says Jean Ippolito, professor of art history who serves as chair of the art department and coordinator of the two certificate programs. “Some students are afraid to major in arts, but this is an area where there are plenty of jobs. Just about every company needs an artist of some kind.”
Both certificate programs seek to encourage an innovative collaboration between art and technology, but with different goals.
Digital media arts certificate
The digital media arts certificate is an embedded certificate, which allows students already majoring in art to simultaneously complete it without any additional courses.
It consists of four different areas: art foundations, intermediate courses, art history, and advanced studio art, with a total of 24-25 total credit hours.
Required foundation courses include an introduction to digital media, beginning drawing, and 2D design.
Featured courses for student choices include digital painting, digital animation, graphic design for web, creative digital photography and digital video installation.
Digital visualization and communication certificate
In comparison, the digital visualization and communication certificate is for computer and data science students who want to incorporate graphic design into their major or art students who want to explore the technical aspect of digital art.
“The DVC certificate is more technical, more computer science, more data science,” explains Ippolito.
The digital visualization and communication certificate also consists of four areas: foundational art, foundational computer science, intermediate courses in art or science, and a capstone project, for a required total of 19 credits.
Featured choices at the intermediate level include 3D modeling and virtual reality, graphical user interfaces, and a data science course on three-dimensional (3D) mapping of ecosystems.
Potential for career development
Despite their differing premises, both certificate programs aim to enrich students’ education and provide opportunities for future job prospects.
The digital visualization and communication certificate in particular is designed as a gateway to graphic design positions, with the combination of computer science and digital media being considered highly desirable for future employers.
“It takes more than good programming to make a website,” Ippolito says. “It takes a good eye for art and graphics.”
Remote graphic design positions also means graphic artists can continue to live and work on Hawaiʻi Island without relocating.
Though not a required course, the digital media arts certificate also provides students with internship opportunities assisting curators at local art museums, such as the East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center and the Wailoa Arts Center, both located in Hilo.
Both certificates also offer a data visualization course as an opportunity for computer science and art students to collaborate on educational projects, which can be valuable on a resume or portfolio.
Revisions to launch this fall
The revised certificate programs are set to launch this fall with their new courses and objectives. Ippolito expresses her excitement to update them, as it’s one of her first goals since becoming department chair.
“I wanted to lead the department forward through curriculum development,” she says. “The first thing I did was send these certificate revision requests into the curriculum review process.”
In an example of the coming changes, two new courses being offered — digital animation and graphic design for web content — are applicable to both certificates.
The course on graphic design for web content is cross-listed with art and computer science in order for students to develop both skill sets.
The course on 3D modeling and virtual reality is in collaboration with the marine science department. This collaboration was started previously when the virtual reality course’s associate professor, Jonathan Goebel, received grants for 3D sculpting and partnered with marine science to combine expertise to produce a 3D coral project.
“They were mapping parts of the coral reef, measuring it, and reproducing coral as a 3D model in the computer,” Ippolito explains.
- An artist and a scientist work together to create a larger-than-life 3D sculpture of coral reef (Dec. 3, 2020, UH Hilo Stories)
Soon, the course will be available to art and computer science students alike.
Future plans: Creation of an arts hub on campus
Ippolito is ambitious for the certificates’ futures, hoping to add more upper level classes, faculty, and concentrations. In particular, she would like to revise the current art major into two concentrations: traditional and digital media, allowing students to focus on their preferred medium.
However, her main hope is the creation of a Visual Arts Hub on the main campus. Currently, most of the digital media classes are online and most of the traditional studio classes are located on the Manono campus. Unfortunately, the separation potentially alienates art students from their school community and contradicts UH Hilo’s focus on in-person classes.
“We’re advocating for some sort of arts hub-type space here on the main campus,” Ippolito says. “We’re an in-person campus, that’s something we take great pride in. We want our students to take pride in that atmosphere.”
Ideally, the art hub would be a collaborative learning environment with high-end technology and updated studios.
Overall, Ippolito is hopeful for the future of the certificates and the department as a whole. Student demand is high with the intro to digital media course as one of the most popular courses offered school-wide, yet many students are still hesitant to major in it.
Ippolito’s overall hope is that these changes in curriculum will help encourage students to pursue the arts, show that art is still a desirable career in the modern world, and that work is out there.
Story by Lauren Aoki, an English major with a minor in anthropology at UH Hilo. She is literary editor at the university’s student publications Kanilehua and Hohonu.
