DAC Major

The Bachelor of Arts in Digital Arts and Culture (DAC) Major provides the opportunity for students to explore practices of and scholarship on digital systems, network culture, and media industries with an interdisciplinary lens. The program shares the interdisciplinary character of the certificate, yet with a more tightly focused structure. The DAC Major differs from the certificate by requiring both Core Culture courses; two Digital Composition courses that further develop digital practice skills; and the Digital Engagement Capstone, meant to help you synthesize your past academic work and experiences and provide you with future opportunities through professional development and network building.

Five categories of courses define the themes of the major:

  • Core Culture, introducing students to essential cultural and historical dimensions of Digital Art and network practices;
  • Media Systems, providing an overview of media industries;
  • Digital Composition, building on the foundations of the 100 level core culture courses, encompassing courses that set out competencies in composing with concepts and tools of digital media for students to achieve;
  • Understanding Digital Culture, engaging at the upper levels to analyze more complex systems and issues; and
  • Practicing the Digital Arts, also engaging at the upper levels, as a means of gaining practical experience organizing and collaborating in media production processes.

Three courses from these categories are required and provide a cohesive introductory and capstone experiences for students:

  • Art 118 – Digital Arts: Culture, Theory, and Practice;
  • JAMS 113 – Internet Culture; and
  • DAC 661- Digital Engagement Seminar Capstone (Spring Semesters).

Student internships (DAC 408 or DAC 489) are strongly encouraged. Students also  encouraged to participate in and present at various DAC-related events, such as the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, annual Center for 21st Century Studies conferences, and to contribute to ongoing research projects cultivated by the UWM Libraries Digital Humanities Lab.