Creative Digital Media
Bachelor's, Transfer Pathway
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
Solve problems creatively. Use technology to share stories and messages in unique ways. Build exciting digital experiences.
Why Study Creative Digital Media at Winona State?
Do you love making videos, designing graphics, or dreaming up ideas for games and apps?
Are you the kind of person who notices cool visuals in movies, websites, or ads?
If so, then the Creative Digital Media major at Winona State could be the perfect fit for you.
In this program, you’ll learn how to make short films, edit video and sound, design websites, create animations, and build interactive games.
Creative Digital Media is both fun and powerful.
Digital media connects people across the globe and can help solve real problems.
From creating videos that inspire social change to designing apps that help people stay healthy, Creative Digital Media majors can make the world a better place.
And with digital media jobs growing fast, your skills will be in high demand.
This program is offered through the Communication & Media Department.
available annually just for Creative Digital Media and Communication & Media students through the WSU Foundation in addition to general Winona State scholarships.
Winona State hosts the annual International Digital Media & Arts Association (iDMAa) conference and exhibit. You can explore art from renowned and up-and-coming digital artists from around the world.
Meet Dr. Talan Memmott, a Communication & Media professor at Winona State. He helped start Winona State’s Creative Digital Media program to mix technology, design, and storytelling in new ways.
He’s also making waves in the AI art world. His personal work was featured at a major exhibition hosted by the University of California, Berkeley.
Read More
What Will You Learn as a Creative Digital Media Major?
As a Creative Digital Media major, you’ll learn how to merge traditional analog and digital technologies to tell stories in new ways for different audiences.
You’ll also:
- capture and edit video narratives for TV, online media, and interactive advertising.
- record and produce high-quality sound for podcasts and radio.
- design interactive environments and games.
- create engaging user experiences through coding and multimedia integration.
- understand the technical and conceptual aspects of digital photography.
A Creative Digital Media major also pairs very well with other programs at Winona State, such as Advertising, Art & Design, Computer Science, Film Studies, Music, Photography, and more.
Aside from major- or minor-specific requirements, you’ll need to complete additional requirements through the General Education Program (GEP) to earn your degree from Winona State University.
Learn More about the GEP
Program Highlights
On Campus
You’ll complete a plethora of projects in this program to set you up for success after graduation.
Your classes will teach you how to design game prototypes and interactive multimedia installations.
You’ll also plan, direct, and manage complex media projects: from narrative films, documentaries, and music videos to podcasts, digital literature, and animations.
You’ll even learn how to work with virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) for creative purposes.
As a Creative Digital Media major, you’ll take most of your classes in Phelps Hall.
This building features a multimedia studio, interactive media lab, photography studio, and dark room.
You’ll have access to cutting-edge equipment for class assignments and other projects.
Think drones, video cameras (digital and old-school film), GoPros, Wacom tablets, digital cameras, microphones and audio recorders, light kits, and more.
We also offer Raspberry Pi and Arduino—compact electronics platforms for DIY programming projects.
Make a difference on campus and build your leadership skills by joining one of WSU’s all-university committees.
Help shape communications strategies and policies with the Digital Communications Committee.
Or on the Disability & Accessibility Advocacy Committee, gain valuable experience assessing content for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Want to meet like-minded students and explore creative digital media? Get involved in campus organizations that share your passion.
Like the American Marketing Association, Public Relations Student Society of America, and WSU AdFed.
Or Film Club, Society for Collegiate Journalists, and AIGA—the Professional Association for Design.
You might also want to check out KQAL 89.5—our campus radio station.
With over 100 clubs and organizations, there’s something for everyone.
Beyond the Classroom
As a Creative Digital Media major, you can complete a 120-hour hands-on internship before you graduate.
Students in this program have interned in video production, digital marketing, and creative media. You could find yourself interning for the La Crosse Loggers Baseball Club, Fort+, Drift Cycle, Thern, and more.
This intensive field experience will give you supervised practice with real-world clients and organizations.
Apply what you learn in the classroom by traveling around the globe. At WSU, you can earn credit that applies to your degree while exploring the world.
Be exposed to 10,000 brands at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France.
Explore media production, advertising, and promotional practices in the United Arab Emirates. Or travel to Los Angeles to learn about Hollywood’s infamous film culture.
You can also check out our more than 100 other study abroad programs across 40+ countries.
Hear from Alumni
Careers & Outcomes
Whether you want to work in entertainment, advertising, tech, education, or even health care, a Creative Digital Media degree gives you the tools to stand out and make a difference.
for Broadcast, Sound, and Video Technicians
for Camera Operators and Film and Video Editors
for Special Effects Artists and Animators
Learn more about what careers are possible with this major and where our alumni have gone after graduation.
