Certificate in Design and Creative Technologies

Foundation Requirements:
Choose one
ART 104, 110, 120, 131, 105, or 153 3-4 credits

Core Digital Media Requirements:
ART 275 Digital Imaging or ART 234 Art & Code 3 credits
and
ART 264 Digital Design 3 credits


Possible Studio Electives:
Choose two. Studio Electives cannot also count as Core Digital Media and/or Design Studio Requirements.

  • ART 230 Image Capturing 3 credits
  • ART 234 Art & Code 3 credits
  • ART 276 Introduction to Animation 3 credits
  • ART 345 Digital Media: Printmaking 3 credits
  • ART 347 Digital Media Silkscreen 3 credits
  • ART 360 Sculpture 3-Mold Making & Casting 3 credits

 

  • ART 375 Moving Image 3 credits
  • ART 377 Experimental 3D Animation 3 credits
  • ART 385 Media & Motion Graphics 4 credits
  • ART 390R - This is the Remix 3 credits
  • ART 390STC - Publishing As Practice 3 credits
  • ART 364 Design Thinking for Social Innovation 3 credits
  • ART 476 Advanced Animation Seminar 3 credits

 

Design Studio Requirement:
Choose one after you have taken 12 credits. Courses may not be repeated.

  • ART 364 Design Thinking for Social Innovation 3 credits
  • ART 464 Design Projects & Production 3 credits

Professional Development Requirement:
Choose one in your final year. ART 389 can only be taken in spring of Junior or Senior year and cannot be taken in the first semester of the certificate

  • ART 389 - Portfolio Practicum 1 credit
  • ART 298 or ART 398 - Practicum / Internship 1 credit (minimum)

Total Credits: 19 credits (minimum)

Upon completion of the required courses, or before the end of your final semester, submit the following materials to the Art Department Undergraduate Advisor at artadvisor@umass.edu or submit physical copies of these forms to the Art Department office, Studio Arts Building Room 222.

1. DCT Certificate Requirements Checksheet, completed
2. Declaration of DCT Certificate Form
3. A copy of your unofficial transcript from SPIRE, with required courses highlighted


Notes
GPA of 3.0 must be maintained in all certificate requirements. No more than 6 credits may be transferred into the program. Prerequisites moving on to more advanced work. Department Practicum credits (e.g. internships) must be arts-related, sponsored by full-time Department faculty, and approved by the Undergraduate Program Director.


Prerequisites
Students are required to fulfill the requisite courses for any sequential Studio Electives. Design Studio Requirements must only be taken after 12 credits of Core Digital Media Requirements and Electives have been taken. The Professional Development Requirement must  completed in one of the final two semesters of completing the certificate. Students must be enrolled in the DCT Certificate and then contact the course instructor. Space permitting, it is the instructor's discretion to allow students into their course. If an instructor would like to verify that you are an DCT student, please have them contact the program director.


Double Dipping
Courses applied to the certificate may also be counted toward the major or general education requirements. Although these courses may coincide with requirements for your specific field of study, please note:

  • No more than two courses used to fulfill the requirements of any one credential may be applied toward the fulfillment of credentials of another program (major, minor, or certificate).
  • Per University regulation, a course may only be applied to two credentials (major, minor or certificate).
  • Courses used towards a Certificate in Design & Creative Technologies cannot also be used toward a Minor in Art, Minor in IT, or Certificate in Public Interest Technology. Separate courses must be pursued to fulfill the requirement of concurrent programs.
  • It is not recommended that non-Art majors declare Minor in Art AND pursue a Certificate in Design & Creative Technologies. 

 

Course Planning
Students intending to complete the program should note that Foundation Requirements (offered each semester) are prerequisites for all other requirements, and should be taken first. Core Digital Media and Design Studio Requirements are offered each semester. Depending on the course, some Studio Electives are only offered once a year, with varied options each semester.

Students should contact associated faculty and plan accordingly if they would like to take a certain elective. Ideally, students will be able to complete the entire certificate in two years, but depending on the course availability, it may take up to three years. Students are encouraged to begin the program after the completion of the Foundations Requirement, as freshmen or sophomores when possible.

If a student wishes to take requirements concurrently, they must contact the program director for
permission.

Adopted September 15, 2023. Updated April 1, 2024.