Frequently Asked Questions

 

  1. Which classes should I take first?
  2. How many units should I enroll in?
  3. How much time will each class take?
  4. What is the focus of the classes?
  5. What if I don't have that amount of time?
  6. What is the difference between this and other programs?
  7. What if I am a high school student?
  8. Are there course prerequisites?
  9. What is involved in the online courses?
  10. Can I transfer your courses to another college or university?
  11. How much do the courses cost?
  12. How much do they cost if I don't live in California?
  13. What will it cost if I don't live in California, but I attend only online?
  14. What's happening with the job market?
  15. Should I try for a certificate or a degree?
  16. What's the difference between a certificate and a degree?
  17. I haven't been to school in a long time, will I succeed in the program?
  18. Do I need a computer at home?
  19. Do you have any available internships?
  20. Where can I buy software?
  21. I have a PC at home; how that will affect my taking a class on a Macintosh?
  22. Are all students working toward a career?

 

1) Which classes should I take first?

The course numbers are arranged so that if you are new to digital media or the web, you may begin with the lowest numbered classes. After the low-numbered courses, the remainder of the classes are generally arranged by area. If you have previous experience with one course, feel free to select another. The classes do not need to be taken in order as long as you have the required skills.

 

2) How many units should I enroll in?

We recommend you limit the number of digital media/internet courses you take in one semester to between 9 and 12 units. To complete the classes successfully, you need to devote many hours to projects so each course takes quite a bit of time. Attending class and completing homework assignments isn't enough; you also need to set aside time for practice, exploring, researching, and creating projects.

 

3) How much time will each class take?

The approved curriculum guideline for a 3-unit course is 3.4 hours of lecture, 2.6 hours of assigned practice, and 6.8 hours of study/homework per week. To learn the material in digital media/internet services courses, you will need to be willing to make a time commitment from the perspective of entering a new career rather than simply taking a class at the local community college.

 

4) What is the focus of the classes?

The focus of the classes and the program is career preparation. Students enrolled, as an example, in an Adobe Illustrator class will not simply learn to use the Adobe Illustrator application; students will also learn to plan, organize, design, and create digital media/web graphics/illustrations using Illustrator as the main tool. Students who are interested in a quick overview of an application rather than using a tool, application, or language for career level development, may be more interested in classes in WVC's Computer Applications department where learning to use a specific application is the focus.

 

5) What if I don't have that amount of time?

WVC offers one unit courses on several similar topics in our Computer Applications (CA) department. These courses target the home user. If you decide to continue studying, after a short course, you may enroll in the digital media/internet services courses. The CA courses do not count toward the DM/IS certificate or degree, however they do count toward elective units.

 

6) What is the difference between this and other programs?

Here you will learn to design, produce, and develop quality digital media products, websites, and web-based applications. Other programs offer some similar classes; however, we believe that we offer more depth in our courses. If you decide to take a few of our courses and some others at another community college, in many cases we will count the other community college classes taken within the last year toward a WVC certificate or degree. All of the California community colleges offer accredited courses, and as such, there may be a good match.

 

7) What if I am a high school student?

The college offers a concurrent enrollment program for high school students. Contact the admissions office for the appropriate paperwork. High school students are welcome; however, taking these courses is about more than whether or not you are good with a computer. High school students typically learn quickly in the beginning, and then sometimes fizzle toward the end. As with all other students, if you do not complete assignments throughout the semester, you will not earn the grade you want. Some high school students excel, others somehow believe a call from their parents will somehow erase a C or D from their transcript just before entry into a university. High school students follow the same attendance and grading criteria as college students. The transcript follows with high school students to universities in the same manner that it follows transfer students.

 

8) Are there course prerequisites?

The courses have recommended preparation statements. Beginning courses recommend CA 20 or CA 70, both of which are basic computer user courses. We do not have prerequisites for courses because we have so many students who come from the workplace for specific areas of study. That said, you should not sign up for our courses until you can comfortably use a computer, set up folders, manage files, and are comfortable with opening and minimizing files, and other general user issues. Understanding basic computer use before taking a digital media/internet services class is very important. You want to be in a position where you can focus on the course content, not worry about losing files. The digital media/internet services faculty do not teach basic computer use in the DM/IS courses. If you do not take CA 20 or CA 70, please purchase a beginning computer book at a bookstore and become comfortable with the topics described in this paragraph as well as learning how to open and close software applications. After your first few courses, when you're really on a roll in an intermediate or an advanced class, you will see how a class comes apart when there are one or two students who can't operate their computer.

 

9) What is involved in the online courses?

Online courses involve no face-to-face coursework. Most online courses are offered at www.learningbytes.com. Students can earn a 15-unit certificate in Web Development online. Students with time and commute issues enjoy online courses. Students new to the program and/or nervous about learning computing typically do better in the face-to-face environment. Many online students are employed and don't have the time to come on campus. Some online students graduated from the in-person program and enroll in online courses in order to keep current with technology.

 

10) Can I transfer your courses to another college or university?

We are currently working to articulate our courses with other colleges and universities. Our program has been in place for several years; however, many of the state university programs are only a few years old. At the least, you will be able to show the name of the course and we can provide the curriculum so the counseling department at your new school can weigh whether or not they will accept the class. We have had students transfer to CSU Hayward, San Jose State University, and Cal State Monterey Bay. All universities will take our units as electives. If you have a specific college in mind, we can assist by talking with that college and working with their counselor and you to articulate as many of your units as possible. One of the reasons that our courses require the amount of hours they do and offer letter grades only is to increase your chances of successful articulation. WVC has several agreements with campuses around the state and nation and is considered a top quality community college. We can work with you to help you achieve your transfer goals.

 

11) How much do the courses cost?

As a CA Community College, WVC costs $20 per unit for California residents, plus fees such as parking, health services, etc. These fees are fairly minimal. Please go to www.westvalley.edu for more information about admissions. Book costs are anywhere from no money, when no book is needed, to as high as $100 per course if two books and a few supplies are needed. The cost of the books for the course varies from class to class. Typically digital media/internet services books average around $50 each.

 

12) How much do they cost if I don't live in California?

California Community Colleges are supported, in large part, by California taxpayers. Students who do not live in California are considered non-residents. Non-resident and international tuition are quite a bit higher than resident tuition. As an example, international students pay an additional $150 per unit above the $20 that CA residents pay. This is because they, in effect, pay for the tuition and the tax that would be paid if they were residents of California. Please see the WVC main page at www.westvalley.edu for more information.

 

13) What will it cost if I don't live in California but I attend only online?

The cost to attend as an online student is the same as you would pay if you physically attended the school. There has been much discussion about online students not using the same space and services as in-person students. At this time, however, no progress has been made in the attempts to reduce online student tuition.

 

14) What's happening with the job market?

The jobs are there, but the expectations are significantly higher than they were a year ago. There are no jobs for basic Photoshop, Illustrator, and HTML. Clients, employers, and users want to do things on the web, not surf and read. The days of presenting simple images and text are over. Our curriculum reflects these changes; however, entering students often still suffer from what we call the “cool factor.” There is a misconception that because making a web page at home is fun; attending web classes will be simple, playful, and easy. In reality, designing, producing, and developing websites is a lot of fun, but the challenge is significant. We think we can enhance your job and freelance opportunities.

 

15) Should I try for a certificate or a degree?

As the web becomes more complex, and as digital media evolves, more employers appear to be asking for a degree. Many students have degrees in other arenas and earn a certificate with us. Some students do not have the time to earn a degree and aim toward a certificate.

The decision to earn a certificate or degree is often based on time and money, rather than on the optimal choice. At the end of two certificates or a degree, you will have the capability to work in the field, as long as you have made a significant effort in the courses. A person who has two certificates may not be any more skilled than a person with a degree. The relevance of a degree or certificate will be determined by the company to which you apply for work. Many students prefer to freelance, in which case degree vs. certificate doesn't typically become important. Both level 2 certificate holders and degree holders complete the Portfolio Planning and Review course and will have a solid digital and print portfolio along with self-promotional materials. The quality of the portfolios and the experience of the student out weighs the benefit of both the certificate and the degree.

 

16) What's the difference between a certificate and a degree?

The difference, curriculum-wise, between a degree and a combination of the level 1 and level 2 certificates is the state's general education requirements. In other words, if you take two 17-unit certificates and add general education requirements, you will have a degree.

17) I haven't been to school in a long time, will I succeed in the program?

 

Re-entry students have a significantly higher grade point average than younger students. The average age of students in our program is 36. We welcome young students as well as students who remember when the Rolling Stones were a new band on the scene. Success in the program seems related to loving to create, learn, and visually tell a story. Some students love to design, code, and see products coming together. Some students were told DMIS is an area where they might be able to make some money. As with any field of study, passion plays a big part in a student's success. Some of our best students come from some of the most interesting countries, times, and circumstance. The student make-up of the program is quite diverse. There is a place and an opportunity for everyone.

 

18) Do I need a computer at home?

We have a great technology center you can use for $5.00 per person, per semester. You can work from home if you prefer to due to time, location, or family concerns. You will need regular access to a computer and to the internet. Some courses require group projects, but exercises are typically completed alone. Some students work in the lab exclusively; most work in combination with school and home. We recommend that over the course of study, if possible, you purchase a computer at home to allow an increase in practice time. However, if you are unable to purchase a computer, the lab is open enough hours for you to successfully complete the program.

 

19) Do you have any available internships?

We offer internship projects through our company, West Valley Design Group (WVDG) where students work on client-based projects. Please see the Design Group portion of this website for more information.

 

20) Where can I buy software?

Students can buy software at significantly reduced prices. Educational suppliers such as www.journeyed.com or www.collegesoftware.org sell software to currently enrolled students. The savings are worth the paperwork. In order to purchase from these companies, you will need a current unofficial transcript showing you are enrolled in DM/IS courses. You can fax or mail this information along with an order. The software is shipped to your home. It is not enough to show a student ID card, you must show a list of courses. As a quick example, we haven't seen Photoshop 10 anywhere retail for under $699. As of this writing, at journeyed.com, Photoshop 10 sells for $299.

21) I have a PC at home, how that will affect my taking a class on a Macintosh?

If you comfortably use a PC, you will have no trouble working on a Mac. Some of our courses are offered on PCs and some are offered on Macs. Transitioning from a PC to a Mac takes only a few minutes. We offer both platforms because potential employers look for applicants who can work on either.


22) Are all students working toward a career?

Most are. The level of instruction is geared toward students interested in a career; however, many students consider themselves more of a serious hobbyist. All students are welcome, our point is to let you know that the expectation of your time and effort is quite high. In return, you will receive our time and effort.