A multi-disciplinary field that underlies many of today's fast-growing industries - from web-based communications to advertising to entertainment. Applications of digital design can be seen in the work of game designers, set designers for movies and television, producers of television commercials, technical illustrators, exhibit designers, animators, artists, futurists, educational software developers, and many others.

Students studying digital design at NJIT are exposed to a wide variety of digital and multiple media applications. After a common foundation year that includes art history, color and composition, and graphic communication in addition to general university requirements, students select from two different tracks: entertainment and interactive media/production. The curriculum provides opportunities to take a variety of courses like game history, video & animation,  human factors/ergonomics, character modeling, architecture in motion pictures, management, Internet marketing, exhibit development, etc. Courses approved as design electives come from different programs including architecture, industrial design, fine arts, and information technology and include "Architoons," "Building Information Modeling," "Digital Tectonics," "Information Technology/Computer Forensics," and "The Architecture of Utopia," as well as a variety of traditional media art and art history classes.

The Bachelor of Arts in Digital Design incorporates free electives and design electives in the last two years which students may use to broaden their overall undergraduate education and treat their experience in digital design as a "major" within the university. Alternatively, students may elect to use their free and design electives to focus on one or more areas that can prepare them for employment in a particular field or more specific graduate study. With proper course selection, students can be prepared to apply to graduate programs in art (M.F.A.) or architecture (M. Arch - first professional degree).

The Bachelor of Arts in Digital Design requires the successful completion of a minimum of 134 credits.

The Digital Design curriculum below is separated into two tracks: Entertainment Track, and Interactive Media/Production Track. Please refer to the appropriate track for proper course distribution.

FIRST YEAR

1st Semester:

This curriculum represents the maximum number of credits per semester for which a student is advised to register.  A full-time credit load is 12 credits.  First-year students are placed in a curriculum that positions them for success which may result in additional time needed to complete curriculum requirements. Continuing students should consult with their academic advisor to determine the appropriate credit load.

SECOND YEAR

1st Semester:

1st Semester:

2nd Semester:

1st Semester:

SECOND YEAR

1st Semester:

1st Semester:

1st Semester:

Depending on interest and course availability, students may elect to take COM 345 Character Modeling & Animation in the third year and postpone a Design Elective until fourth year or vice versa.

The minimum credit requirement for graduation is the successful completion of 134 credits of prescribed courses within the curriculum and the maintenance of a 2.0 average. Students are required to maintain a 2.0 cumulative studio average to advance to each succeeding year.

Basic Social Sciences GUR: six (6) credits in basic (100 and 200 level) Social Sciences (Econ 201, Econ 265, Econ 266, EPS 202, STS 258 or any of the following Rutgers-Newark courses: R070:203, or 204, R790:201 or 202, R830:101 or 102, R920:201 or 202, R202:201. Students may take R220:101 or 102 instead of Econ 265 or 266).

Cultural History GUR: The Cultural History courses are the Pre-Modern World (HUM 211), The Making of the Modern World (HUM 212, and the Twentieth-Century World (Hist 213). Students may also take approved introductory courses at Rutgers-Newark.

Lit/Hist/Phil/STS: One 300+ level course in lit, hist or philosophy or STS approved 300-level Rutgers course with prefix 350 (English Literature), 352 (American Literature), 510 (History), 512 (American History) or 730 (Philosophy).

Natural Sciences GUR: At least seven (7) credits in natural sciences, including a laboratory experience. Courses may be selected from Biology Courses (R120:101, R120:102, R120:109, R120:110, R120:205, R120:206, R120:207, R120:208, R120:237, R120:241, R120:242), Chemistry Courses (Chem 122, Chem 123, Chem 124, Chem 125, Chem 126), Physics Courses (Phys 102, Phys 102A, Phys 103, Phys 103A, Phys 106, Phys 106A, Phys 111, Phys 111A, Phys 121, Phys 121A, Phys 202, Phys 202A, Phys 203, Phys 203A), Geology Courses (R460:101, R460:103, R460:104, R460:206, R460:207).

Open Elect in HUM/SS: One 300+ level course in English, social science, theater, literature, history, philosophy or STS or any 300-level Rutgers-Newark courses in humanities, social sciences, fine arts, or performing arts. (prefixes 070, 080, 081, 202, 220, 350, 352, 370,� 420, 510, 560, 570, 700, 701, 790, 810, 861, 920, 940, 965, 988).