With the University aiming to be one of the top institutions in the nation, the developing Digital Media Curriculum works hand-in-hand with the Flagship Agenda.The curriculum will offer education and training for students interested in high-performance computing, video game development, interactive systems, visual effects and digital arts.As part of the Arts, Visualization, Advanced Technologies and Research Initiative, the University is working to establish a research and creative focus on the intersections between the arts, technology and computer sciences. The curriculum will prepare students, giving them a knowledge of the tools and areas involved with creating and maintaining digital media from a variety of perspectives.”We aren’t going to be developing a degree in a specific college,” said Stephen David Beck, Laboratory for Creative Arts & Technologies director. “It will be something you can add on to your existing major.”The concentration will be offered by the School of Art, Department of Computer Science, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of English, Manship School of Mass Communication and the School of Music.For example, a music major with a concentration in digital media would take a set of concentrated courses including art, writing, programming, engineering and computer science. Understanding how these pieces interact will be useful with Baton Rouge’s growing digital media industry, Beck said.”We’re trying to build a program that will span many different departments on campus,” Beck said. “Right now, we have a limited set of majors that would be involved, but that is simply because those are the people we feel are the closest to the program.”The curriculum has been in the works for more than two years but still needs tuning. It will not be finalized until more courses are developed and more faculty is hired.A capstone course will be developed by teaming students from different majors to develop a particular project such as a video game, interactive Web site or other digital media applications that tie different data and interactions together.Today’s industry is looking for well-rounded students who have a specific focus but a wide knowledge in other areas, Beck said. Students in the program will have direct connections with industry employers.”We expect some students will go off to jobs in the industry elsewhere, but we want to keep as many people as possible in Louisiana to help the industry grow in Baton Rouge,” Beck said.The Multidisciplinary Hiring Initiative, presented in 2007 under former Chancellor Sean O’Keefe to achieve the University’s Flagship Agenda goals, aims to hire highly-qualified faculty to create areas of national prominence.Stacy Simmons, Baton Rouge Digital Industries Consortium director, said one of MHI’s goals is to make the University a global leader in digital media.”The University really wanted to build their credibility within LSU and outside,” Simmons said. “We want our students to have the benefit of being exposed to the greatest minds in these fields.”Simmons said hiring world leaders in the industry will take time, but students could start working toward a specialization in digital media.”Globally, there is a shortage of people in this industry and a shortage of professors who can teach it,” she said. “Everyone, globally, is looking for the same handful of faculty members.”The University is not unique in wanting to be involved with the digital media industry, but to be leaders in the field, the University must be aggressive in its efforts to hire global leaders, Simmons said. The University’s leadership roles and distinctive faculty were key components in Electronic Arts Inc.’s decision to partner with the University, Simmons said. EA will occupy space in the Louisiana Business and Technology Center building on the University’s South Campus to create a video testing center. About 200 part-time jobs and 20 full-time jobs will be available for students and Baton Rouge residents to test new software.EA came because of the University’s developing digital media curriculum. Many involved with the AVATAR Initiative were involved with the recruitment of EA, Simmons said.”EA realizes to stay competitive, they have to hire key people,” she said. “Now they can hire talented people more easily.”—-Contact Leslie Presnall at [email protected]