Digital Arts and Design

This pathway explores the occupations and educational opportunities associated with designing or creating graphics to meet specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos. This Pathway may also include exploration into designing clothing and accessories, and creating special effects, animation, or other visual images using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media, for use in computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.

National Career Cluster Alignment

The Digital Arts & Design Pathway is a part of the Arts, Audio/Visual Technology, & Communication career cluster. The Arts, Audio/Video Technology, & Communications Careers involve designing, producing, exhibiting, performing, writing, and publishing media content. This cluster also and performing arts, graphic design, journalism, and entertainment.

Pathway Courses

Level 1 Course: Digital Arts & Design I

Digital Arts & Design I is a foundational course in the Arts, A/V Technology, & Communications cluster for students interested in art and design professions. The primary aim of this course is to build a strong understanding of the principles and elements of design and the design process. Upon completion of this course, proficient students will be able to utilize industry tools to conceptualize and create communications solutions which effectively reach targeted audiences. Students will acquire basic skills in illustration, typography, and photography. Standards in this course include career exploration, an overview of the history of design, basic business management, and legal issues. In addition, students will begin compiling artifacts for inclusion in a digital portfolio, which they will carry with them throughout the full sequence of courses in this program of study.

Aligned Industry Credential: Adobe Certified Professional - Photoshop. The Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) certification is the industry-recognized validation of one’s skill in Adobe Photoshop CC. This certification requires in-depth knowledge of setting project requirements, understanding the Adobe Photoshop CC interface, as well as creating and publishing digital images using Adobe Photoshop CC.

Level 2 Course: Digital Arts & Design II

Digital Arts & Design II is a course that builds on the basic principles and design process learned in the introductory Digital Arts & Design I course. Upon completion of this course, proficient students will be able to perform advanced software operations to create photographs and illustrations of increasing complexity. Students will employ design principles and use industry software to create layouts for a variety of applications. Standards in this course also include an overview of art and design industries, career exploration, and business management. In addition, students will continue compiling artifacts for inclusion in a digital portfolio, which they will carry with them throughout the full sequence of courses in this program of study

Aligned Industry Credential: Adobe Certified Professional - Illustrator. The Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) certification is the industry-recognized validation of one’s proficiency in Adobe Illustrator CC. This certification requires in-depth knowledge of setting project requirements, identifying design elements used when preparing graphics, knowledge of Illustrator functions, creating graphics as well as the ability to archive, export and publish graphics used for web, print, and video.

Level 3 Course: Digital Arts & Design III

Digital Arts & Design III is the third course in the Digital Arts & Design program of study. Applying design skills developed in prior courses, students will expand their creative and critical thinking skills to create comprehensive multimedia projects and three-dimensional designs. Upon completion of this course, proficient students will be able to use industry-standard software to create multimedia projects, web pages, three-dimensional models, and animations. Students will utilize research techniques to plan and enhance project outcomes. Standards in this course also include professionalism and ethics, career exploration, and business and project management. In addition, students will continue compiling artifacts for inclusion in a digital portfolio, which they will carry with them throughout the full sequence of courses in this program of study.

Aligned Industry Credential: Adobe Certified Professional - InDesign. The Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) certification is the industry-recognized validation of one’s proficiency in Adobe InDesign CC. This certification requires in-depth knowledge of setting project requirements, identifying design elements, preparing page layouts, creating page layouts, as well as publishing, exporting and archiving page layouts using Adobe InDesign CC.

Dual Credit and/or Dual Enrollment Opportunity in this Pathway

Credit Type: Industry Credential for Dual Credit
Institution: NOSSI College of Art
Industry Credential for Dual Credit- Credit by assessment. Students are enrolled in a high school course that is identified as a match with a post-secondary course. Students complete the aligned industry credential assessment at the end of the course to prove mastery of content. If the student passes the assessment and earns the aligned industry credential, the student can use the college credit at that institution or request a transcript to use at a different institution.

Affiliated Career & Technical Student Organization: SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA improves the quality of our nation’s future skilled workforce through the development of Framework skills that include personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics.

Antioch High School

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The Academy of Hospitality & Design Pathways