Digital Communication Concentration

Course Requirements ​

The Digital Communication track requires: an Introductory Competency course (4 credit hours) plus 13 courses (52 credit hours): four core courses and nine elective courses and a degree completion option.

Introductory Competency Course¹

¹

Evaluation of the Introductory Competency course will follow standard CDM practice. All or part of the Introductory Competency course may be waived if a student has the equivalent academic background, or can demonstrate core technology competency.

Students may take an additional competency course as a Media Arts elective.

Core Courses

Students are required to take all of the following (16 credits):

Elective Courses

Communication Digital Technology Electives

Students are required to take at least one elective course that focuses on digital technology from each of the following areas:

• Media and Popular Culture (MPOP)
• Journalism (JOUR)
• Public Relations and Advertising (PRAD) 

Example Communication Digital Technology Electives

¹

Topics must be approved by graduate program director.​ Some examples of topics include: Sports Content Creation, Media Management, True Crime and Murder Mystery Radio, Podcasting, Multimedia Magazines.

²

Topics must be approved by graduate program director. Some examples of topics include: Alternate Reality Gaming, Communication and Technology, Complex Narratives, Creativity in Practice, Digital Media Campaigns, Mass Communication in the Digital Age, Race, Class, & Gender In the Digital Age, Teaching Media Literacy.

³

Topics must be approved by graduate program director. Some examples of topics include: Brand and Business Impact of Digital Media, Communication Strategies for Digital Activism, Content Strategy for PR and Advertising, Creating Effective Social Media, Creative and Critical Thinking, Data Driven Marketing (Big Data), Digital Media Campaigns, Digital and Social Media for PR, Social Media and Culture.

 Media Arts Electives 

Students must take two Media Arts electives from the College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM). These electives can be from Digital Media Arts (DMA) or other departments in CDM that have a media arts focus. 

Example Media Arts Electives

Additional Electives

Students must also take four additional elective courses (two if student chooses the Master’s Project degree completion option, taking CMNS 594 and CMNS 595). These elective courses may be:

• Any College of Communication graduate course
• Any College of Computing and Digital Media graduate course
• Any pre-approved outside elective (up to two electives from outside of the College of Communication or College of Computing and Digital Media can apply toward the degree)
• Any course in another department/college at DePaul that is approved by the graduate advisor or graduate program director (up to two electives from outside of the College of Communication or College of Computing and Digital Media can apply toward the degree)

Pre-Approved Outside Electives

Students will have the option to take​ pre-approved elective courses in either Writing, Rhetoric and Discourse (WRD) or Art, Media, and Design (AMD) as part of their additional electives, allowing students to develop an enriched focus.​ 

Writing, Rhetoric and Discourse Pre-Approved Outside Electives

Art, Media, and Design 

All electives listed on this page are examples. The lists are not exhaustive and the specific courses listed may not be offered every quarter. Please consult your advisor to determine how electives will apply toward degree requirements.

Students who want to switch between DCMA tracks should be aware that some completed courses in one track may not count towards the requirements of the other. If a student is considering switching tracks, they should consult their advisor and graduate director for assistance.

Completion Options

Digital Communication Reflection Paper

Students complete a comprehensive reflection paper during their final term in the program. This completion option is available to all students and does not come with any course credit. 

Digital Communication Capstone

In consultation with a faculty member in the College of Communication, the student should expand or develop a paper or project they have worked on in the program. This professor should have expertise in the area the student's paper/project is based. A meeting should be scheduled to discuss the requirements and design and agreement for the paper/project. Capstone does not come with course credit and is expected to take approximately 10 hours for the student to complete. This option is available to students holding a 3.5 GPA or higher and who have completed at least 10 courses (40 credit hours) in their program. 

Master's Thesis Project​​​

Two project/thesis courses (CMNS 594 and CMNS 595) replace two additional elective classes​. Students will enroll in CMNS 594 in the Winter quarter and  CMNS 595 in the Spring quarter of their final year. The student will create an original project (i.e., web- or film-based projects, or projects related to professional or educational organizations) and a 30- to 40-page accompanying written report/analysis. This option is available to students holding a 3.7 GPA or higher and who have completed at least 6 courses (24 credit hours) in their program.​

Grade Requirements

All students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.000 in their coursework. If a student's cumulative GPA falls below 3.000, the student will be allowed to complete an additional 16 credits or 3 quarters (whichever comes first) to attain the 3.000 minimum GPA. If the cumulative GPA remains below a 3.000 at the conclusion of this time period, the student may be dismissed from the program. The student's cumulative and term GPAs along with overall academic performance will be factored into the dismissal decision. ​

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