Digital Media Innovation Major - School of Journalism and Mass Communication; Texas State University, under review for approval.

1. DIGITAL MEDIA
INNOVATION

2. DIGITAL MEDIA
INNOVATION
• The media landscape now includes the
remediation of traditional areas as well
as new areas
• Opportunities for graduates exist:
• social, digital and data roles within
traditional media organizations
• media roles in tech companies
• media startups
• strategic innovation roles in all
organizations- advanced social, seo
and analytics roles.
• changing media roles in the future

3. • New York Times, Interactive News Developer
“The job requires solid coding skills and the ability to execute.”
“Expert-level of standards-driven CSS, HTML, JavaScript.”
“Experience with Ruby, Python or MySQL is a plus.”
• Quartz, Reporter on “Things” Team
“Quartz seeks a reporter to help us commit acts of journalism
with code.”
“Chiefly responsible for our data-driven and visual journalism,
from charts to interactive graphics to news apps.
Background in “front-end Web development, systems
administration, statistics, data science, design, writing or
information architecture.”
JOBS!

4. • Texas Tribune, News App Developer
“Proficiency in JavaScript/jQuery, ability to learn new browser-
based libraries quickly.”
“Experience in responsive/mobile-first design.”
“Experience with web mapping (Mapbox.js, Leaflet.js)”
“Experience with/a desire to work with databases
(PostgreSQL/PostGIS preferred)”
JOBS!

5. • BuzzFeed, Data Journalist for Investigative Reporting
Team
“Track record of using data to find, tell and reinforce powerful
stories.”
“Be proficient in at least one modern programming language.”
• Austin American-Statesman, News Application Specialist
“Programming skills to develop apps for
HTML5/CSS3/JavaScript.”
“Familiarity with Web APIs and common data visualization
libraries.”
“Experience with a web development framework such as
Rails or Django is preferred.”
JOBS!

6. • Spredfast, Content and Digital Marketing
“Drive SEO strategy across all aspects of content and digital
property management.”
“Create and manage the operational testing and management
process around social, digital and content strategies.”
• HomeAway, Marketing and Analytics
“Advanced in HTML, CSS and JavaScript.”
“Eager to implement UI/UX/site improvements or
enhancements to improve the customer experience.”
• Blackbaud, Web Applications Specialist
“Stay abreast of current technology in products, design
changes, and new products offered.”
“Knowledge and experience working with any of the following;
HTML, CSS, SQL, JavaScript, XML, TCP/IP, DNS.”
JOBS!

7. • Google, Content and User Education Specialist
“Excellent problem-solving skills, sound business judgment,
strategic and analytical capabilities. Basic HTML and CMS
skills.”
“Strong understanding of user experience principles,
rich media and social media.”
• Twitter, Partner Manager, Platform Partnerships
“Infectious passion about and active user of Twitter with a
clear understanding of Twitter consumer platform products
and services.”
“Fluency in speaking about APIs and SDKs as well as
understanding the implications and nuances of partnerships
driven by data access.”
• Facebook, Ad Integrity Manager
“Deep understanding of Facebook.”
JOBS!

8. GRAD PROGRAM
DIGITAL MEDIA CONCENTRATION
• Web and multimedia producers
• Social media editors
• Social media managers
• Community engagement
managers
• Web developers for media orgs
• Webmasters
• Digital project managers
• Growing presence at NYT and NPR
• Success with undergrads taking
Advanced Online Media
• Develop undergraduate offering
based on grad achievements

9. OUR PROCESS
• Started during Spring semester with a Google Doc that
included several open-ended questions about the
feasibility of a new undergraduate major
• Developed a qualitative survey for recent alums, digital
faculty and pros
• Discussions with various alums and professionals
• Design Thinking Workshop

10. OUR PROCESS
• How Might We… develop a degree that prepares some students for
emerging digital careers and better leverages faculty competencies.
• Discussed reasons for new degree, competencies and elements.
Developed individual “dream” degrees, then combined.

11. WHY?
• Prepare some students for range of jobs, new
skills, perspectives; jobs that don’t exist yet
• Attract new kinds of students; address student
demand
• Better address changes in media professions;
collaborate with industry
• Package activities we are already doing well
• Lead discipline; put spotlight on our activities
and competencies
• Potentially attract funders; grant opportunities

12. DRIVING PHILOSOPHY
• Learning how to learn
• Grounded in storytelling
• Mix of strategic/conceptual and skills courses;
not a purely vocational degree
• Problem-solving, innovation, entrepreneurial
mindset
• Mix of in-person, flipped, online and hybrid
courses
• Flexibility/adaptability in curriculum

13. DIGITAL MEDIA
INNOVATION MAJOR
Same Core as Other Majors (12 hours) – Intro to Mass Comm, Writing for Mass Media, Media
Law and Fundamentals of Digital/Online Media
Combination of Digital Development, Social and Multimedia courses (15 hours)
Required (6 hours)
• Web Publishing – includes elements of content, design, mobile, programming and multimedia
• Advanced Social Media and Analytics – strategy, research, content and analytics related to digital
media careers; other courses could be developed to also satisfy this requirement.
Choose Adv Coding or Multimedia option (3 hours):
• Adv Coding (one course): Coding and Data Skills or Mobile Development
or
• Adv Multimedia (one course): Mobile Reporting/Multimedia Journalism or Documentaries or Visual
Storytelling
Workshops and Short Courses (3 hours)
• 3 hours from workshops or short courses
Capstone (3 hours)
• Digital Innovation Capstone - Guest Speakers on innovation, technology, research and strategy;
development project – 3 hour version of new class;
or
• Digital Experience Project, like SXTXState

14. DIGITAL MEDIA
INNOVATION MAJOR
Digital Workshops on different programming languages,
tools.
1 credit hour each
• In person.
• Allows us to be flexible with introducing new topics.
Reach more students.
• Outside resources to intro new topics.
• Weekends
• Potential Topics
• JavaScript/JQuery
• Python
• Ruby
• PHP
• Software tools –
Photoshop, Premere, etc.

15. DIGITAL MEDIA
INNOVATION MAJOR
Digital Short Courses
1 hour each. Can be done online/hybrid. Weekend short
courses.
Opportunity for anyone in the department to develop digital
emphasis courses.
• Digital Media History –History of computers, Internet, Web,
mobile and social
• Digital Media Law – libel, privacy,
intellectual property,
• Digital Media Ethics – ethics and
issues associated with online journalism,
blogging, social media, commenting,
governance
• Interactive Ad/PR
• Drones, wearables, gamification
• Other topics as proposed

16. DIGITAL MEDIA
INNOVATION MAJOR
Electives (12 hours)
Recommended
• 3 hours additional digital elective
• MC Electives
• 3 hours - one course in
Intro to PR, Advertising, Writing for Elec Media, News
Writing and Reporting I
• 6 hours in other advanced MC courses
Other
• Internship, Practicum, Special Topics 1 hour
• Minor

18. DIGITAL MEDIA
INNOVATION MAJOR
• Opportunity to lead the discipline
• Ability to be flexible, change with dynamic needs of
communication industries – like creating a “start up” in
our own program.
• Leverage existing faculty in a productive manner
• Allows inclusivity across the School
• Courses available as electives to all majors
• Re-assess course offering, curriculum each year