Dixie State College -- Computer and Information Technology

Welcome to the Visual Technologies home page.

The DSC Computer and Information Technology 4-Year Degree program offers an emphasis in Visual Technologies (or VT). The VT emphasis is for students interested in graphic arts, graphic design, desktop publishing, Illustration, computer graphics, web development, multimedia development, and digital video development. In the paragraphs below you will find descriptions of each of these fields as well as many of the job requirements employers are requesting. Additionally, you will find DSC course listings next to the job requirements. These course listings correspond to specific courses that teach the skills employers seek. Please take the time to browse through these careers and course offerings below. We also invite you to come in and test drive the latest in computer hardware and software and explore your own creative and technical abilities while you learn with us at Dixie State College's Visual Technologies program.

Graphic Design
The practice or profession of designing print or electronic forms of visual information, as for an advertisement, CD, publication, or website. The Visual Technologies courses that teach graphic design include:

Many of the job requirements of graphic designers include:

4 year degree in a design related field (graphic design, visual technologies, desktop publishing, graphic arts, etc.)
experience in the design field -- show portfolio of design work
Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop (VT2600), Illustrator (VT1300, VT2500), QuarkXPress and InDesign (GCOM 1120), Web design and development (VT1400, VT 3000), Advanced conceptualization and design (VT3200), and interactivity including Flash (VT3100).
Networking skills
Macintosh and PC skills

Illustration
Artists design illustrations, generally using computers. An illustration is a visual representation, type, picture, design, symbol, emblem, or diagram, that are used to respresent or make some subject more pleasing or easier to understand. The Visual Technologies courses that teach illustration include:

Many of the job requirements of illustrators include:

4 year degree in a design related field (graphic design, visual technologies, desktop publishing, graphic arts, etc.)
experience in the design field -- show portfolio of design work
Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop (VT2600), Illustrator (VT1300, VT2500), QuarkXPress and InDesign (GCOM 1120), Advanced conceptualization and design (VT3200), and interactivity including Flash (VT3100).

Web Development
Web developers build web sites. Web developers are at times artists doing interface designs and conceptualizing a project and they are also programmers or system administrators writing code and managing all the elements of a web site. Web developers are interdisciplinary in nature, meaning they must possess a combination of code skills as well as artistic and interface design skills, among other things. Since web development is interdisciplinary, the courses offered to DSC students through the CIT program are from the CS, CIS, and VT programs. The specific CIT courses that teach web development include:

Many of the job requierments of Web Developers include:

4 year degree in computer and information technology or web development, graphic design, or related field
experience in web development field -- show portfolio of web sites
Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop (VT2600), Illustrator (VT1300, VT2500), and interactivity including Flash (VT3100), HTML (VT1400), CSS (VT3000), XML (VT3000), PHP (VT4000), SQL -- databases (CIS3600 and VT4000), javascript (VT3000), interface design (VT3000), server administration -- unix (CIS4100 and CIS4110), apache administration (CIS4200).
Networking skills
Macintosh and PC skills

Multimedia Development
Multimedia is the combined use of media, such as text, graphics, video, sound for education or entertainment. The end products of multimedia development include movies, music, DVDs, CD-ROMs, radio, print, television, and the Internet. The Visual Technologies courses that teach multimedia development include:

Many of the job requirements of multimedia developers include:

4 year degree in a multimedia related field (graphic design, visual technologies, desktop publishing, graphic arts, etc.)
experience in the multimedia field -- show portfolio of design work
Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop (VT2600), Illustrator (VT1300, VT2500), Web design and development (VT1400, VT 3000), Advanced conceptualization and design (VT3200), and interactivity including Flash (VT3100), dynamic databases (CIS3600, VT 4000 and VT4100), Javascript (VT3000), Actionscript -- Flash (VT3100), Lingo -- Director (VT4100), Final Cut Pro HD (VT 3300), DVD Studio (VT4100), Quicktime (VT3300), and 3-D -- Lightwave, Maya, 3-D Studio Max, Strata3D (VT3600) .
Networking skills
Macintosh and PC skills

Digital Video
Digital video developers plan, script, capture, produce, manage, and edit digital video projects for CD, DVD, and the Web. The Visual Technologies courses that teach digital video skills include:

Many of the job requirements of digital video developers include:

4 year degree in a IT or related field (graphic design, visual technologies, graphic arts, etc.)
experience in the digital video field -- show portfolio of design work
Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop (VT2600), Illustrator (VT1300, VT2500), Advanced conceptualization and design (VT3200), and interactivity including Flash (VT3100), Director (VT4100), Final Cut Pro HD (VT 3300), DVD Studio (VT4100), Quicktime (VT3300), and 3-D -- Lightwave, Maya, 3-D Studio Max, Strata3D (VT3600) .
Networking skills
Macintosh and PC skills

Student Projects

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