about
About Media Arts and Technologies
The Media Arts and Technologies Department (MAT) at MiraCosta College offers courses and programs in graphic design, web development and design, video and media design, digital and print publishing, animation and motion graphics, UI/UX design, and more. The department is currently comprised of almost thirty courses, eight certificates, and two Associate in Arts Degrees.
What is media arts?
Media arts encompasses the creative industries working at the intersection of art, design, communication, business, and technology. It includes a range of disciplines such as graphic design, digital imaging, web and interactive media, video, and animation. It is the study of communication through the use of digital technologies.
Media artists are makers and problem solvers. They create designs, images, and applications for print or electronic media in order to entertain, inform, or encourage action in an audience.
What is your mission?
Our mission is to teach our students how to develop solid concepts, design relevant projects, work collaboratively, solve problems, and communicate effectively, all while learning the appropriate software, tools and techniques to achieve these ends. We train our students to find creative jobs, become successful freelancers, or transfer to four-year colleges and universities.
All of our courses will give you hands-on experience with the tools and techniques used by artists, designers, and developers in the industry. Beyond this, however, our courses emphasize conceptual development, design skills, and the creative process. So while you develop projects with real depth, you also learn the appropriate tools along the way. We have found this approach to be highly successful, as the companies that hire our graduates will testify. They want people who can think, communicate, work collaboratively, and solve problems, but they also want well-trained and technically-proficient individuals who are productive and motivated.
What is your history?
Started by a small group of visionary faculty in 1995, MiraCosta College had one of the first multimedia programs in California. First known as Information and Multimedia Technologies, then as Internet and Multimedia Technologies (IMT), MAT has evolved from a small program of eight courses into a full-featured, multi-disciplinary department. The modern day MAT Department was born in 2008 when the IMT program merged with the Computer Graphics and Digital Publishing disciplines to become the new Media Arts and Techologies Department at MiraCosta College.
Where are you?
Located in sunny North County San Diego, MiraCosta College offers students a beautiful campus with green open spaces, views of the mountains and ocean, state of the art facilities, and a dedicated and talented faculty. With a total population of approximately 14,000 students on three campuses (and online), MiraCosta may be one of the best-kept secrets and best values in San Diego. MAT classes average between 20 - 24 students and this low student-to-teacher ratio assures that you will know who your professors are, they will know you, and you can talk to them when you need to. We are a teaching college, and every faculty member treats their students as their primary responsibility. We take your education very seriously.
The MAT Department attracts students from the San Diego community, around the country, and all over the world. We've hosted students from countries such as Russia, China, Brazil, Korea, Japan, France, Romania, Australia, Poland, Czech Republic, Venezuela, Taiwan, Mexico, and many others. This provides a true multi-cultural experience for our students and helps you learn to see things with a truly world view.
Why do students study media arts at MiraCosta College?
Students come to us to join a community of learners focused on design, media arts and technologies. They take our classes for a variety of reasons. Some want to get a job, enhance their job prospects, or become freelancers. Some want to transfer to a four-year college or university. Others just want to be creative, have fun, and enhance their skills.
We are a Career Education (CE) provider, which means that our programs focus on preparing students for careers in fields such as graphic design, web design and development, and video and media design. Career opportunities in these fields include job titles such as graphic designer, creative director, user interface designer, web designer, web developer, user experience designer, production assistant, video editor, animator, producer, and project manager, to name a few.
For students who wish to transfer, many MAT courses are articulated with local universities such as SDSU, CSU San Marcos, and others. These articulation agreements provide transfer credits that give our students a leg up and make transferring to a four-year college or university an easier process. If you would like to know more about transferring, please contact one of the MiraCosta Counselors for the latest information.
Have a question about MAT not anwsered here? Find out more or ask us. We'd love to hear from you.