Recognizing a demand, Jefferson College will offer a new associate of applied science degree in digital communication beginning with the fall semester of the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.
The course of study is intended to prepare students for careers in digital media, marketing, content creation and other similar fields, said Joanne Fish, the college’s associate dean of humanities.
“I think it’s going to be very popular,” she said. “We already have had a number of students request information on how to change majors to it.”
Fish said that while the college already offers a media communication degree, the new program is geared toward current needs in communications careers.
“When I started here last year, they had an associate degree with a media communication emphasis,” Fish said. “When I looked at it, I thought we needed to update the program. Everything is moving to digital communication.”
The digital communication degree program offers hands-on courses in writing for digital media, podcasting and video production, digital photography, graphic design, digital art creation, web marketing and social media production and also offers internship opportunities, the college reported.
Fish said digital communication is required in a wide range of fields.
“Digital communication covers anything done with computer assistance – content creation, the exchange of messages,” she said. “Everything from a podcast to marketing. Some examples would be social media videos, conferencing and podcasts. The course will cover everything from editing video recordings through computer assisted programs. We’ll be teaching how to use Adobe Premiere and other Adobe software.”
Chris DeGeare, Jefferson College vice president of academic affairs, said the digital communication degree is a welcome addition to the college’s offerings.
“Digital communication has been a growing field as more businesses need to produce their own digital content for social media and marketing,” he said.
DeGeare said Jefferson College looks to secure transfer agreements with four-year universities to assist students in furthering their digital communication education.
“We’re working on transfer partnerships so students can continue their digital communication educations after Jefferson College,” he said.
Jefferson College will offer the digital communication degree primarily though in-person courses, with select online courses available.
For more information about an associate degree in digital communication, contact Judith Ellison, the college’s associate of applied science adviser, at jelliso3@jeffco.edu or 636-481-3260 or Fish at jfish@jeffco.edu. The college’s website, jeffco.edu, offers information about all of its degree programs.