Digital Arts - Diploma
Overview
Get the skills you need to take your work from the creative design process and conception to the presentation of your finished product. Launch your career in the fast-paced digital media industry.
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*This program may be eligible for the post-graduation work permit (PGWP).
Applying Your Knowledge
Whether you’re passionate about creating short films and animations, fusing traditional art techniques with digital art practices, designing brand identities or writing graphic novels, you will develop incredible skills while experiencing a one-of-a-kind sense of community and belonging at Selkirk College.
With an exciting curriculum that is both challenging and rewarding, you will graduate with confidence and knowledge, and a portfolio that showcases your talent and imaginative expertise.
Behind every successful digital artist is a strong technological foundation that makes their work possible. You will become an essential member of any creative team—a visionary who brings ideas to life while understanding the technology that supports them. You will become the ultimate creative superhero, whether you choose to work quietly behind the scenes or step into the spotlight.
From Concept to Creation
The Digital Arts curriculum is designed for you to learn and master a variety of tools and topics:
- Graphic design: Create designs that inspire
- Digital photography: Capture important moments that tell a story
- Video and audio editing: Tell stories with visual impact
- Motion graphics: Create animations and visual effects that excite audiences
- 2D and 3D animation: Shape worlds that people can explore
- Digital publishing: Collaborate with other creatives who have stories to tell
- Portfolio design: Prepare to make an impact on day one
As you grow as an artist, you will learn to balance creativity with theory, technical expertise and emerging tools like AI.
Curriculum that Moves with Industry
Stay current and stay ahead. You will learn industry-standard software tools, how to manage projects, collaborate effectively in teams, and thrive in the ever-evolving field of digital art, technology, communications and entertainment. Our program is always modern, always fun and always innovative.
Your Career, Your Way
We believe your career should be as unique as your creativity. We recognize everyone’s journey is different, so we design flexibility into your course projects that put you in control of your goals, your passions and your expertise.
Our graduates pursue diverse career paths working in animation studios, creative agencies, game design firms, and tech startups. Some develop mobile apps or design marketing material, while others specialize in motion graphics or film production. Wherever you want to take your skills, this program lays the groundwork for a career that’s as flexible and forward-thinking as you are.
Small Classes, Big Opportunities
Here, you are never just a face in the crowd. Small class sizes create an environment where you will thrive. With personalized attention from instructors with decades of industry experience, you will receive the guidance and mentorship needed to grow creatively and technically. Your instructors are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where you are valued, connected, and inspired to express your unique voice in a collaborative space. The supportive atmosphere and great instructors mean your ideas won’t get lost—they will be nurtured and refined.
Now is the Time
If you’re ready to design a career that values creativity, curiosity, and adaptability, all while recognizing the importance of foundational skills and knowledge, join a supportive faculty committed to honouring your unique place within a diverse community of changemakers. For over twenty-five years, the Digital Arts Program has refined this experience just for you. Now that you’re here, it’s time to take your next step.
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Program Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Explain the foundational concepts of digital arts
- Use current industry tools and technology to produce content
- Communicate effectively and efficiently in various formats to a variety of stakeholders, consistent with industry expectations
- Apply problem-solving skills
- Adhere to best practices and professional standards within the digital arts field
- Demonstrate developing critical and creative thinking skills
- Plan and execute a creative project
The Digital Arts Program is designed to prepare students for employment in the diverse field of Digital Arts. The program fosters innovation and creativity while challenging students to use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to address situations encountered in the profession.
Admission Requirements
In addition to meeting the general admission requirements to Selkirk College, applicants to the Digital Arts Program must meet the following requirements to be considered fully qualified:
- English 12 with a grade of 60% or higher
- Completed applicant information questionnaire
- Portfolio
Applicants must submit an electronic portfolio as part of the admissions process. An applicant's portfolio chronicles their experience and talent as an artist. The portfolio must demonstrate creativity and passion. Portfolio guidelines are found here.
General
a) Applicants must submit a completed admission application form and other required documents (i.e. secondary school and any post-secondary transcripts) to the Admissions Office.
b) Applicants must complete the following:
i. Applicant Information
ii. Questionnaire
iii. Portfolio Submission
- The portfolio is a critical part of the application process and applicants should take care to ensure that their work is presented as strongly as possible.
- A portfolio of original work is required from each applicant. The portfolio demonstrates the applicant’s technical and creative preparedness for the Digital Arts program. The portfolio will contain no less that 10 pieces exhibiting the applicant’s understanding of how to create both traditional and digital art. Digital artwork submissions will be created using applications from the Adobe Creative Cloud including Photoshop, Illustrator or Premiere, or similar programs.
- The Portfolio Evaluation Committee is looking for a demonstration of visual awareness, creativity and technical skill.
- Applicants should organize their work in a manner that demonstrates development over a period of time or organize their work by media type. Applicants must be prepared to rationalize the inclusion of each piece submitted.
- Portfolios containing work copied from other artists will not be reviewed and the applicant’s admission process will be suspended.
In some instances, applicants may be required to participate in an interview with a program instructor or School Chair Applicants must submit their portfolio prior to that interview.
Submission Guidelines
Examples of works that can be included in your Portfolio:
- Photography
- Digital art
- Traditional art
- Video or animation
- Music or sound design
- Websites or programming
- Graphic design
- Illustration
In addition to the required portfolio pieces, applicants may choose to scan sections of their sketchbooks or art journals and submit them as a multi-page pdf. Including school assignments is also be helpful to the Evaluation Committee.
Technical Guidelines:
Once an application to the Digital Arts program has been received applicants will be contacted by the College and given a 4-digit access code. This code is required to submit the portfolio at portfolio.selkirkmedia.com.
Please ensure to read the portfolio guidelines carefully as submissions that do not meet the required guidelines or contain inappropriate or offensive content will not be reviewed.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
1. Before an applicant's file is considered to be complete, the following must have been received by the Admissions office:
a) Completed application form.
b) Official transcripts of high school grades (an interim statement of grades is acceptable if applicant is currently a student).
c) Official transcripts of all post-secondary education grades.
d) Applicant information questionnaire
e) Portfolio
In some instances, an interview may be required. Applicants requiring an interview will be contacted.
2. Students wishing to enroll in the Digital Arts Program on a part-time basis may do so providing the same entry requirements as full-time students, as stated in Part 1.A, have been met. Part-time students are only accepted if space is available after all full-time students are scheduled and with permission of the School Chair.
3. In order to be considered "full-time", for the purposes of admissions, a student in the Digital Arts Program must be taking all the courses listed under Graduation Requirements (Part II, Section C) in any given semester.
CO-OP EDUCATION
This program is eligible for co-op education opportunities. Co-op education courses will provide students with documented, program relevant work experience that is recognized with a designation on their transcript.
Please refer to Policy 8370 Selkirk College Co-operative Education and Selkirk College Co-operative Education Procedures for additional information regarding Co-op Education at Selkirk College.
A. PROMOTION
1. Admission to a given semester requires completion of all required courses with a minimum
cumulative G.P.A. of 2.0 and no more than one (1) failure grade in the previous semester courses. Promotion from the first year to the second year also requires a minimum G.P.A. of 2.0 and no more than one (1) failing grade in first year courses. Any student with more than one (1) failure must have the School Chair's approval to progress to the next semester.
Students receiving a final grade of "F" in a prerequisite course will not be allowed to register in a subsequent course requiring that prerequisite.
2. To be qualified for admission into a course which stipulates a prerequisite, a minimum grade of 60% must be achieved in the prerequisite course, unless otherwise specified.
3. Normally, two failed attempts in a required course is cause for withdrawal from the program. A third attempt in the same course may be made with the permission of the School Chair.
4. Students who have an Incomplete grade ("I") at the end of any term may be allowed to proceed into the following term on a "conditional" basis. Such "conditional promotion" status will normally be permitted to continue only for the specified period permitted for the conversion of "I" grades (within 30 business days). The converted "I" grade must meet the terms in B.1.
C. GRADUATION
In order to qualify for the Selkirk College Digital Arts Program Diploma, a student must complete all of the following courses with a minimum Final Grade of "P" in each course and an overall GPA of 2.00 or better.
Courses
DA101 - Foundations of Digital Art
DA 101 Foundations of Digital Art introduces students to the fundamental principles, tools, and techniques of digital media. Through hands-on projects and guided lessons, students explore an overview of topics that include colour theory, typography, video editing, motion graphics, print design, industry best practices, and the history of digital art. Students will build confidence using industry-standard tools while developing projects that merge artistic expression with technical precision. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify and apply core design concepts, demonstrate basic proficiency in digital tools, and develop creative works that reflect both historical and contemporary digital art practices.
DA102 - History of Art, Design and Film
DA 102 History of Art, Design and Film introduces students to major movements in art and design, and offers an overview of the century-long transition from the introduction of moving pictures to contemporary digital film making. Students explore the history of visual communication through art, design and cinema.
DA104 - Introduction to Digital Photography
DA 104 Introduction to Digital Photography provides students with the opportunity to explore composition to capture compelling photographs. Participants will practice using shutter speed, aperture and exposure as a means of manipulating the creative outcome of an image while considering light, visual weight, framing and perspective. Students will apply creative and technical skills to produce a collection of prints that tell a visual story using their own style and personal approach.
DA109 - Art Fundamentals
DA 109 Art Fundamentals introduces students to the fundamental elements of art. Students are encouraged to improve their existing drawing skills and to experiment with new methods of expression. Students work with still life and the human form to explore line, texture, pattern, form, shape value, depth and composition. Human anatomy and proportion are also studied. Images from art history and advertising are analyzed to challenge students to see and create critically. Students are also acquainted with basic tools in Adobe Illustrator. Students will create completed artwork with both traditional media and Illustrator software.
DA110 - Introduction To Photoshop
DA 110 Introduction to Photoshop introduces students to the fundamental tools and functions available in Adobe Photoshop. Students will use colour correction techniques, image editing tools, filters and effects to enhance photographs. Students will work with layers, become proficient with a variety of selection tools and apply the skills learned to create complex projects. This course prepares students for more advanced projects in DA 112 Digital Image Making and DA 113 Design Narrative.
DA112 - Digital Image Making
DA 112 Digital Image Making, introduces students to building custom digital artworks and illustrations in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Students exercise their creativity and software skills to create complex artworks.
DA113 - Design Narrative
DA 113 Design Narrative introduces the fundamental role of storytelling in design practice. Students will investigate the functions of design, study aspects of design theory and learn design principles. By exploring the conceptual structure, context and practice of visual storytelling students will discover how narrative can be used to expand ideas, create relevant visual outcomes, guide viewer perceptions and engage audiences.
DA121 - Introduction to Animation
DA 121 Introduction to Animation introduces students to basic animation theory and mechanics. Students are challenged to demonstrate the principles of animation by creating animated sequences with believable characters. Students will explore the steps required to produce a short animated film including: brainstorming, script writing, storyboarding, creating an animatic, character development, animation, and production.
DA122 - Introduction to Video and Audio
DA 122 Introduction to Digital Video and Audio grounds students in concepts and skills related to video and audio production. Students will explore the steps required to produce a short documentary or narrative film including: writing, shooting, editing, and mastering. Students will also explore the theory and practical application of sound in the contexts of web, presentation and digital video.
DA131 - Fundamentals of Web
DA 131 Fundamentals of Web introduces students to Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), web standards and web accessibility. Students will use best practices and follow web standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to create content that looks appropriate and functions correctly on all devices. Using the mobile first method, students will apply the skills learned to design and build a standards compliant website from conception through completion.
DA134 - Motion Graphics and Compositing
DA 134 Motion Graphics and Compositing provides students an introduction to the principles and practice of animated motion graphics. Students learn to establish a concept/direction and create broadcast-quality motion graphic animations. Students are introduced to the essential skills of compositing and creating post-processing effects for a wide range of media, including video, animation, and the web.
DA210 - Illustration and Typography
DA 210 Illustration and Typography introduces students to the anatomy and mechanics of written language so they can use this understanding to successfully work with text and image in their design practice. Students will expand their understanding of form, colour, composition, typography, hierarchy, juxtaposition and sequencing through the practical application of hand and computer skills.
DA220 - Film and Audio Production
DA 220 Film and Audio Production allows students to integrate the skills gained in DA 122 Introduction to Video and Audio to explore best professional practices as applied to the pre-production, production and post-production process of creating and delivering a short film. Students will also explore more advanced techniques relevant to sound recording, editing and mixing for web, presentation and digital video.
DA224 - Motion Graphic Design
DA 224 Motion Graphic Design provides advanced instruction in motion graphics and compositing techniques. Students will explore and evaluate historical and contemporary motion graphics practice. Students will create motion graphics utilizing 3D elements, advanced effects, music, lighting, texturing and export settings. Students will also create and export broadcast-quality motion graphic animations.
DA225 - Identity Design
DA 225 Identity Design offers students insight and skills they can use to expand their designs into a system for communicating a consistent and clear story about a product, service, subject or organization. Through practice-based learning students are guided through the process of developing a visual identity with steps including: understanding context, concept development, refinement, application, style guide production, and delivery of client presentations.
DA226 - Multidimensional Design
DA 226 Multidimensional Design offers students a chance to explore technologies and industry tools to produce unique products that showcase different media. Students will be guided through the use of a diverse range of tools, after which they will create their own work using the same technologies. Students will focus on developing a unique creative style.
DA227 - Character Design and Animation
DA 227 Character Design and Animation takes an exhaustive approach to character design, character creation, rigging and animation. Students explore character design and assembly, rigging, and voice and mouth-shape synchronization. They use various methods of character animation to produce professional-quality animated shorts.
DA228 - Publication Design
DA 228 Publication Design introduces students to more advanced typesetting methods and principles required to design content rich products and publications. Student's foundational skills in typography and graphic design will be developed through practical design projects, where an emphasis is placed on understanding, evaluating and enhancing pre-existing content.
DA233 - Portfolio Development and Design
DA 233 Portfolio Development and Design offers students first-hand experience with open-source platforms for dynamic web content creation. Students install and configure content management system (CMS) platforms and extensions, customize templates, devise effective digital marketing strategies, and build and publish a professional online portfolio.
DA266 - Production Design
DA 266 Production Design takes students through the process of organizing and hosting a real-world event from concept through to completion. Working collaboratively, students will plan, design, manage and host a year-end exhibition that showcases work done by students in the Digital Arts Program. Students will establish a timeline, assign roles, determine production requirements, build a visual identity, and create all required touch points. They will also prepare the venue, host the event and evaluate the success of the event.
DA292 - Professional Practices
DA 292 Professional Practices provides students with the essential tools and insight to prepare them for a career in digital arts. Students explore client relationships, self-marketing and promotion, proposal and contract writing, copyright law, project management and business practices. Students will examine their personal and conceptual strengths while developing confidence in their work, and are provided with a supportive environment to improve public speaking and presentation skills.
DA298 - Capstone
DA 298 Capstone provides students with the opportunity to apply their cumulative skills and talents in a chosen area of focused study. Students will declare an area of interest that will be the basis of a unique product requiring a series of scheduled tasks to complete. Products created in this course shall be identified as the student's graduation pieces.
Tuition & Fees
All amounts are estimates and are subject to change. Tuition amounts are based on a full-time course load. Please note that many programs have additional costs beyond those listed here. For more information, please visit Tuition & Fees.
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