Would appreciate any thoughts on Digital Arts & Dodge in general!
Are the kids collaborative?
Do the Digital Arts students and Film students have core classes together? Do they socialize or does each group stick to themselves?
Are resources spent on Digital Arts or do they get mostly spent on Film?
How is the equipment for Digital Arts?
How have the kids who graduated from Digital Arts done with job placement?
Is it manageable to be in Honors & in Digital Arts?
Is it difficult to do a semester abroad in Digital Arts?
How has the housing been for the Dodge kids? Does being in the same dorm foster a community or not really?
Thank you!
Hi. My D is currently finishing up her sophomore year in DA at Chapman. I’ll try to answer as many of your questions as I can. The students are definitely collaborative, my D has acted in film student’s projects, worked in group projects, etc. There are specific DA classes, GE classes and then electives.
Since Dodge students are housed together Freshman year, they do socialize amongst all majors. My D had a triple last year in Pralle and roomed with 2 film students. One of which is still a good friend and roommate. DA students do tend to hang out together, but there are plenty of opportunities to meet others outside the major.
The equipment is top notch and the relatively new Digital media arts center (DMAC) is very impressive.
I’m not sure of the job placement rate, but there are lots of networking opportunities and information on internships that are available to apply for.
I don’t know about the ability to do the honors program and digital arts, but there are advisors available to answer those kinds of questions. Semester abroad is doable, but I believe the courses taken would be all GE. Last summer my D travelled to Japan for a DA summer course, and while it wasn’t a semester, it was really a worthwhile experience, and satisfied her wish to travel while in school.
On campus Housing after freshman year can be a challenge, but with the addition of Chapman Grand, it should help somewhat.
I hope my answers have helped a little. Feel free to ask anything else. You can also direct message me if you like.
@Momto3 Thank you so much for the info! A DA summer course in Japan sounds like a great opportunity!
A quick question: do the DA kids take any courses with the other Dodge kids, like some set of core Dodge classes? I imagine courses like basic screenwriting or film history types of classes could be overlapping for all Dodge kids. Trying to gauge the interaction and whether the DA kids feel like they are part of Dodge or a separate add-on.
(I have an older S who was a film major at another school & he had core classes for the Visual & Performing Arts school with other VPA kids from other majors–drama, music, etc. that were just for the VPA kids.)
My S loved the DMAC building and knowing there was a dedicated space for DA!
Thank you!
@monstermama I spoke to my D and here is the information she gave me.
She said there really aren’t core classes that are shared amongst Dodge students. Only electives. Even though most Dodge kids take Visual Storytelling, it has separate sections for the different majors. While they may not have core classes together there can be some collaboration between the majors with respect to projects.
That being said, she said she feels like she is definitely part of Dodge. She did also say though that she has encountered other Dodge students who didn’t realize that digital arts and the DMAC were part of Dodge College. She thought that was odd, but felt comfortable letting them know it definitely is!
Oh, and she told me that one of her DA friends just spent this current semester abroad. I believe taking DA electives, so the opportunities are there if the student plans well.
Hope this helps!
@Momto3 It does! Thank you very much, and please thank your D for me! 
@monstermama I’m glad, and I will tell her thanks from you. Just one more thing. My D loves it at Chapman and Dodge! Good luck to your S in making a decision!
@Momto3 My S decided to go with Chapman/Dodge. Thanks for your input!
@monstermama Congratulations to your S! I’m sure you’re both happy to have the decision made! I wish him all the best!
@Momto3 Yes! And thank you!