Boston University - Center for Digital Imaging Arts

The Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University offers extensive, practical, hands-on, career oriented education and training in the rapidly emerging digital arts fields of photography, digital filmmaking, graphic and interactive design, recording arts and 3D animation.

With digitization, imaging and sound, arts are undergoing unprecedented change, with technical advances coming at internet speed. Whether you are a novice choosing a new and exciting career or a seasoned professional in search of enhancing your skills, we are dedicated to providing you the best, most up-to-date education available, designed to meet your needs, while you continually exceed your potential.

Washington Campus

We're proud to announce the opening of a new campus in Washington DC. CDIA will offer intensive, hands-on, career-oriented education and training in the rapidly emerging digital arts field. Full-time and part-time certificate programs offered at our DC campus include: digital filmmaking, photography, 3D animation, and graphic and interactive design.

Certificate - 3D Animation

When you study 3D animation at CDIA you'll be preparing yourself for a career in animation, video game development or visual effects. Our curriculum combines traditional skills like storytelling and character development with the leading software used today by filmmakers, animators and game designers.

At CDIA, you'll be taught by working professionals who bring their real-world experience to the classroom, creating a bridge between the craft of animation and visual effects and the industry. You'll learn about the practical realities of building and sustaining a career, and you'll make valuable contacts while you build your demo reel.

Many of the classes at CDIA are project-based, giving you a chance to try out your new skills and gain a realistic perspective on how animation and visual effects are integrated into media like film and video games. And at CDIA, learning doesn't stop at the classroom door. 3D animation students may take part in a four-week production practicum, creating a project for a real-world client under the direction of a professional. You'll gain confidence, refine your skills, and get a better understanding of the career you're training for.

Certificate - Digital Filmmaking

The certificate program in digital filmmaking is an intensive, two-term (9-month) program of study that prepares students to become filmmakers skilled in a broad range of contemporary tools and techniques. Students will graduate with practical skills they can apply immediately to their own projects or launching a professional career in pre-production, production or post-production.

In the first term, students learn the fundamental aspects of creating a digital film including hands-on training in camera operation, lighting, audio and tape formats, as well as basic editing techniques and post-production work flows.

In the second term, students are immersed in advanced study designed to deepen their knowledge of filmmaking in various areas: cinematic storytelling, directing, cinematography, advanced editing, sound design, special effects, motion graphics, titles and DVD authoring.

Most assignments are digital video films created by students working in small crews. Students review their work with faculty and fellow students and begin to find their voice through the study of various filmmaking styles and storytelling techniques.

Certificate - Graphic & Interactive Design

Prepare for a career in graphic and interactive design with the Graphic and Interactive Design Certificate. You'll learn to design for print, the web and motion graphics with hands-on coursework that uses the latest design software tools. With practical training in publication design, color management, multimedia, interactivity and more, you'll develop the skills you need to create collateral, web sites, and digital video and audio. Special presentations will introduce you to the real-world business challenges faced by graphic and interactive designers, ensuring you'll be ready for your new career.

Certificate - Professional Photography

A new age of unprecedented creative control and expressive power is emerging in the photographic medium. Recognizing this revolution, Boston University - The Center for Digital Imaging Arts has established the Professional Photography Certificate.

Designed to be on the cutting edge, this certificate program trains students in everything from basic photography and digital capture, to digital workflows and essential business skills for a career in professional photography. The certificate concentrates on preparing students for a future as highly skilled, much sought-after professional portrait photographers as well as giving the tools necessary to enter the competitive world of commercial photography. In-depth photographic assistant training, portfolio reviews and hands-on instruction combined with unprecedented instructor-led shooting time are the cornerstones of this certificate.

The Professional Photography Certificate is an intensive, 9-month long program beginning with the Photographic Foundation Certificate followed by students building a professional foundation in the world of portrait and commercial photography. Real world shooting assignments, business, marketing, composition and design, as well as professional development modules complete the certificate and provide our students the experience and skills needed for careers as modern photographers.

Certificate - Web Development

Prepare for your future in building next generation interactive websites at CDIA in our Web Development Certificate Program. Learn how to create dynamic, data-driven web pages and applications using the same tools and techniques the professionals use. This intensive program focuses on client side programming using HTML, CSS (cascading style sheets), server side programming using PHP scripting, and SQL (structured query language) databases in deploying rich media sites using various Adobe Flash and open source content management toolsets.

Through a combination of hands-on exercises, lectures and projects, you'll be introduced to real-world applications with emphasis on Javascript, MySQL, XML, AJAX and object oriented programming techniques on a number of projects in increasing complexity, gaining experience in building rich internet applications and managed social content for the web. Students will generate a portfolio of sample websites that demonstrate their new skills in web platform development, integration, and deployment.

After completing the Web Development Certificate you will have the knowledge and experience to enter the workforce with a substantial resume and the latest programming skills for this exciting and exploding industry.

Information

If you are interested in this school and would like to find out more, please Request Information from Boston University - Washington.