Where every designer starts.
The first step in a fully stackable path to a professional certificate or degree.
The Digital Art & Design: Fundamentals certificate introduces you to the core skills used across the graphic arts and design industry. Coursework is hands-on from the start — you’ll practice image creation and editing, color, composition, typography, and export for both print and digital media, building production habits that carry into every course that follows.
Six studio courses make up the certificate, each centered on a different way of making images — from two-dimensional design and printmaking to digital illustration, photography and imaging. You can complete it in as few as two semesters, with critique built into every project.
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Turn creativity into a Career in Digital Art & Design
Explore different technologies and unlock the pathway to a career in digital art.
The Digital Art and Design: Fundamentals certificate provides the foundational creative and technical skills used in graphic design, digital media and visual communication. Students gain experience with industry-standard software while developing skills in image editing, typography, layout, color theory and digital production.
This certificate prepares students for entry-level production and creative support roles, while also serving as the first step in Moraine Valley’s stackable Digital Art and Design pathway. All 18 credit hours apply directly to the Digital Art and Design: Professional certificate and the Digital Art and Design Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree.
The Digital Art & Design: Fundamentals Certificate program at Moraine Valley is designed to be completed in about two semesters.
This 18-credit-hour certificate can be completed in as little as two semesters of full-time study and serves as the first step in the Digital Art and Design stackable credential pathway.
A high school student exploring graphic design before committing to a full degree. A working professional in marketing, education, administration or another field who wants a design credential to support skills developed on the job. A maker or hobbyist looking for studio access, expert guidance and more structure. Or someone ready to build a new career around something they’re already good at.
This certificate meets you at “I’ve never done this” and helps you get to “I can do this for someone.”
View the catalog to explore program requirements, a suggested course sequence and prerequisite information.
| Program | Type of Credential | Curriculum Code | Department or Division |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Art & Design Fundamentals | Certificate | 1408 | Art |
Explore the spaces where creativity come to life.
Every studio in the Fine & Performing Arts Center is built for the work that happens in it.
Create digital art and graphic design projects using dual-monitor MAC Studio Pro workstations using industry-standard software and technology. When your project moves off-screen, you’ve got access to a laser cutter, 3D printer, and large-format archival color printing to bring it into the physical world — and a mobile video station with professional cameras, lighting and audio when it needs to move.
Discover two-dimensional design with hands-on and digital projects with a focus on the elements of art, design principles. This studio builds the creative foundation used across every art and design discipline.
Explore three-dimensional form through hands-on projects that emphasize space, structure and materials. You’ll learn design concepts while creating physical, dimensional work.
Pull your own prints on real presses — litho, etching, engraving and silkscreen — in a studio built for reproducible image-making. You’ll learn how ink, pressure and material interact as you move a design from plate to paper.
Capture professional-quality images while learning lighting, composition and camera technique. The studio provides space for portrait, product and creative photography projects.
Learn hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques while exploring form, texture and glazing. The ceramics studio gives you dedicated space — and the wheels, kilns and glaze kitchen— to create both functional and sculptural work.
Experiment with color, composition and a range of painting techniques in a naturally lit, dedicated studio environment. Build technical skill while developing your own artistic voice.
Experiment with color, composition and a range of painting techniques in a naturally lit, dedicated studio environment. Build technical skill while developing your own artistic voice.
Potential careers in Digital Art & Design
The Digital Art and Design: Fundamentals certificate prepares students to apply creative and technical skills in entry-level production and content creation roles.
Start with this certificate and build toward a degree—developing your creative and technical skills along the way.
Real stories of success.
Moraine Valley’s Automation and Engineering Technology program will expose students to robotics, cybersecurity, 3D printing and automation/programmable logic controllers. Learn more about how to enter this growing field.
Student Work
Anni Rasmussen
Program Coordinator
The Addiction Studies program is more than just a career path—it’s an opportunity to truly impact lives. Addiction affects individuals, families, and entire communities, creating a growing need for skilled and compassionate professionals. In this program, you’ll gain a strong understanding of the full continuum of care, effective treatment approaches, and how to support people on their journey to recovery. Join us and start building a meaningful and rewarding future for all.
Faculty with real-world experience.
Your instructors don’t just teach the material, they’ve worked in the field. With experience in counseling, treatment programs, and community outreach, they bring real examples and practical knowledge into every class. You’ll learn what to expect and how to prepare for your first role in the field.
Explore credentials within this program
These degree and certificates are part of the same program and allow you to explore specialized areas, with some designed for graduates looking to advance their skills.
Emmy Jordan
Freelance designer; earned her Digital Art & Design A.A.S. degree
If you are looking for some awesome, knowledgeable people to work with, these are the guys I highly recommend. Their friendliness and result-driven approach is what I love about them.
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Program Details
View the catalog to explore program requirements, a suggested course sequence and prerequisite information.
| Program | Type of Credential | Curriculum Code | Department or Division |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Art & Design Fundamentals | Certificate | 1408 | Art |
Faculty Spotlight
Celebrating the passionate instructors who inspire, support, and engage our students every day inside and outside the classroom.
Dr. Martinez is passionate about helping students develop strong writing, speaking, and critical-thinking skills that transfer across disciplines. Her courses emphasize clear expression, collaboration, and real-world communication.
“Lisa consistently goes above and beyond to support her students. She creates an inclusive classroom environment where learners feel confident participating, improving, and finding their academic voice.”
— Colleague, Communications DepartmentDr. Martinez is passionate about helping students develop strong writing, speaking, and critical-thinking skills that transfer across disciplines. Her courses emphasize clear expression, collaboration, and real-world communication.
“Lisa consistently goes above and beyond to support her students. She creates an inclusive classroom environment where learners feel confident participating, improving, and finding their academic voice.”
— Colleague, Communications DepartmentDr. Martinez is passionate about helping students develop strong writing, speaking, and critical-thinking skills that transfer across disciplines. Her courses emphasize clear expression, collaboration, and real-world communication.
“Lisa consistently goes above and beyond to support her students. She creates an inclusive classroom environment where learners feel confident participating, improving, and finding their academic voice.”
— Colleague, Communications DepartmentDr. Martinez is passionate about helping students develop strong writing, speaking, and critical-thinking skills that transfer across disciplines. Her courses emphasize clear expression, collaboration, and real-world communication.
“Lisa consistently goes above and beyond to support her students. She creates an inclusive classroom environment where learners feel confident participating, improving, and finding their academic voice.”
— Colleague, Communications Department
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