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Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS WILL I CREATE IN THE INTEGRATED MEDIA PROGRAM?
You’ll work on both personal and team projects that showcase your skills as well as demonstrate your ability to play well with others. Assignments begin at a basic level and grow in complexity and challenge as you progress through the curriculum. In the second year, you’ll work on real projects for real clients, either through internships or through sponsored client projects. During the last term, the portfolio classes allow you to assess personal career goals and create portfolio samples that truly reflect who you are and where you want to go.

HAVE I MISSED THE APPLICATION DEADLINE?
June 18, 2008 is the application deadline for Fall 2008. The Integrated Media program (and its four option areas) is a Restricted-Entry program where all completed applications are evaluated equally based on the pool received by the deadline. There are only 20 - 24 spots available in each option. You may apply starting November 1, 2007 for next Fall 2008. Make contact with one of the Integrated Media Faculty Advisors, Jack, Chris or JD so you can get on their Email lists to receive additional information during the year.

HOW DO I APPLY?
Download the application packet from the left side of MHCC’s Admissions to Limited and Restricted Entry Programs web page. Follow the detailed instructions and please let us know if you have questions. Completed applications should be sent to Admissions and Records well before the deadline so they have time to make sure your application is complete.

CAN I CHECK OUT THE PROGRAM IN PERSON?
Absolutely! Please schedule an appointment with any Integrated Media advisor to get a tour, see student work and drop in on a class in progress. You’ll be spending 18 months of your life in the program, so check it out first to make sure it’s a good fit for you!

WILL I NEED A PORTFOLIO TO GET INTO THE IM PROGRAM?
Not really. As part of the application process, you’ll need to do a few simple exercises (these vary with the option you choose) and provide us with a writing sample, both of which are explained in the application packet.

WILL I LEARN ANIMATION IN THE INTEGRATED MEDIA PROGRAM?
If your goal is to go into animation, Mt. Hood’s Integrated Media program will provide an excellent foundation in creative thinking, graphic communication, design fundamentals, software proficiency, lighting, framing, color, and composition, all prerequisites to being a successful animator. In the second year, you’ll have the opportunity to learn Flash, a vector-based animation program primarily used in web sites. The Video and Graphic Design options will provide you with a great beginning for a career in animation. You’ll want to continue in your studies at a four-year school after MHCC, so make sure to talk to your IM advisor early on.

WILL I HAVE TIME FOR A JOB?
Yes. We’ve designed the IM program to be as efficient as possible. With a few exceptions, all first year core IM and Option courses are on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In the second year, all IM core and option classes are on Mondays and Wednesdays. Each day is long, however, because we’re packing three 3-hour classes in to one day, back-to-back. Most students have part-time jobs averaging 20 hours a week.

HOW MUCH HOMEWORK IS INVOLVED?
It differs every week, depending on the class and the stage of the projects you’re working on at the time. Because each class is structured to be 2-3 hours of lecture and 2-3 hours of lab each week, this means that you’ll learn new content through the lecture and the other hours are devoted to practicing what you just learned. There will be complex projects where you’ll need to research, explore and experiment outside of class. Also, some students are just more efficient and fluent with the software. You will need access to a computer with an Internet connection at least 3 - 5 days a week to stay on task.

ARE THERE ANY INTEGRATED MEDIA COURSES IN THE SUMMER?
No. However, summer is a great time to work on your General Education requirements such as Writing, Math, PE, Human Relations, etc.

WHAT CLASSES CAN I TAKE IN WINTER OR SPRING TERM, BEFORE THE PROGRAM STARTS AGAIN NEXT FALL?
For students starting the program in 2008, the General Education requirements are: Writing 121 (3 credits), Human Relations (3 credits), Distribution Electives (6 credits), Math 65 and HPE (3 credits). Contact an IM advisor to get specific advice about which courses to take. Please note that there are NO course prerequisites/requirements for admission or acceptance into the program.

CAN I TAKE EVENING or WEEKEND CLASSES?
Probably not. Most of our Integrated Media core and option classes follow this schedule: usually 9 - 11:50 a.m., 1:10 to 4 p.m. and 4:10 - 7 p.m. They are sequential and mostly taught in sets of three each term. If you were to take just the one class a term, you wouldn’t be able to progress to the next terms’ classes because you wouldn’t have the prerequisite skills and knowledge to be successful at the next level. There are some General Education classes that are available during non-traditional times.

CAN I TAKE JUST ONE COURSE AT A TIME?
Not really. Read the answer to the previous question. However, if you are interested in a very specific class, talk to an IM advisor. Occasionally, there may be an open seat.

WHAT ABOUT ONLINE CLASSES?
Because Integrated Media is so visual (and auditory) we don’t think online instruction is the best way to teach or learn Integrated Media. You’ll learn as much from fellow students as you from formal instruction. Great work is not created in a vacuum, but is a result of collaboration and human contact. Many of our courses are hybrid or enhanced through the use of WebCT or our course management system, the MyMHCC Portal. These allow students to complete some requirements in each class when offsite.

WHAT SHOULD I KNOW BEFORE BEGINNING THE PROGRAM?
You should have good keyboarding skills. You should be very familiar and comfortable on the computer (we’ll teach you the Mac software) or at least fearless in learning the computer applicaitons. This program may go too fast for novice computer users. If you are a novice user, you should make plans to study, learn and practice how to use a computer and some basic applications such as the MS Office suite and get familiar with web browsers and the Internet before entering the program in the Fall. You should be able to use a mouse with coordination, navigate the internet, and comfortably sit for up to eight hours a day. Your vision should be good and free from any color impairment. We will assume that you sincerely love working with/on a computer as that is the primary tool that you’ll use in Integrated Media.

WILL I NEED TO BUY A COMPUTER?
During class, you’ll work on a new Macintosh computer in one of our Integrated Media labs. You’ll also be able to use Open Lab computers in the Main Computer Lab. Many students buy a computer while in the program. If you already have a computer at home, buy the same software we use at school so you’ll be able to work on your projects outside of class. PC/Windows users can purchase the PC version of the software we use. You’ll need to take a few extra steps and precautions when transporting files to and from school so that the files will be able to be read successfully on both platforms.

There are significant student discounts available on both software and hardware, so please ask an IM advisor. See the Program Costs for more specific information.

WHAT OTHER EQUIPMENT WILL I NEED?
All students will need headphones and a USB flash drive (1 GB) or some other storage device. Supply lists are available for each option area after you’re accepted to the program.

The IM department has a well-equipped checkout facility with digital cameras, lighting and sound equipment and even Wacom tablets. Most items can be checked out for three days at a time to IM majors.

MUST I BE ABLE TO DRAW IF I WANT TO BE IN THE GRAPHIC DESIGN OPTION?
Yes and no. Many great graphic designers draw very proficiently. However, just as important is the ability to be organized, creative and detail-oriented. There are so many directions to take your career in Graphic Design that someone with moderate drawing ability can still be very successful. You DO need to be able to communicate your ideas to others by writing, making quick sketches and/or doing rough drawings. If an illustration is required, graphic designers usually commission a professional illustrator to do the job. With computer software applications, designers often build an illustration or graphic in a very different way than with traditional art media. Digital photography and image manipulation are other ways to create art without being able to draw. You’ll learn both at MHCC.

INTERESTED IN TRANSFERRING TO ANOTHER SCHOOL AFTER EARNING THE INTEGRATED MEDIA AAS DEGREE?
Talk to Chris, Jack or JD as early as possible to get more information about transferring options. Please identify a four year school right away, so that you will have time to customize your course selections to maximize the number of courses that will transfer elsewhere. As a general rule, keep individual portfolios or collections of the work produced in each Integrated Media course, along with the course syllabus, official course description and any project briefs so that you can document that you've accomplished the same outcomes as courses in other schools.