As today's media industries continue to transform at warp speed, many media professionals find themselves navigating Web-based publishing methods for which they have not been fully trained.

This certificate program is designed for professionals who would like to hone their skills in how to use multimedia tools and how to harness the interactive power of the Internet to build an audience. Participants will receive training in how to build their own web presence, including a web site, a blog, an audio slideshow, and a video; as well as develop skills in social networking and search-engine optimization.

Participants will work in both classroom and lab settings and will be expected to provide a digital still camera, earbuds, flash drive, and a free Google Gmail account. Additional equipment and software will be provided for use during certain class sessions.

Who Should Attend
This certificate program is targeted to working professionals within the fields of journalism, public relations, advertising, and multimedia content production. A minimum of three to five years of professional experience in a media field is recommended.

The Certificate
The Professional Certificate in Digital Media requires five courses for certificate completion.

Core courses: Publishing on the Web, Audio and Slideshow Production, Video Production for the Web I, and Video Production for the Web II.

Elective courses: Advanced Social Networking Tools and Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Offered in collaboration with SDSU's School of Journalism & Media Studies

For more information, please contact Kristen Cacka at kcacka@mail.sdsu.edu or call (619) 594-0787.

Facilitated by Rebecca Coates-Nee, lecturer, SDSU School of Journalism & Media Studies; Pepperdine University, Ed.D. Educational Technology program

Rebecca Coates-Nee teaches the capstone course in digital journalism at SDSU's School of Journalism & Media Studies, after working for more than 12 years as a TV news anchor/reporter for network affiliates in California, Idaho and Florida. She holds a master's degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, and is currently pursuing her doctorate in educational technology at Pepperdine University.

Nicole Vargas has been a reporter and multimedia producer at The San Diego Union-Tribune since 1999, when she graduated from the University of California, San Diego. She teaches at SDSU's School of Journalism and Media Studies, and serves as faculty advisor to the NAHJ student chapter at SDSU.

Sam Hodgson is a photojournalist and multimedia producer for one of the leading online-only nonprofit news sites in the country, voiceofsandiego.org. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and political science from SDSU, where he served as news editor for The Daily Aztec.

Joe Little is a digital correspondent with KGTV, 10News. He has been a television news reporter and anchor in Maryland and Pennsylvania, and news director and anchor at Time Warner Cable Headline News in Carlsbad. Joe received his master's degree from Syracuse University, and bachelor's degree from George Mason University.

A photojournalist for over 20 years, Crissy Pascual has worked at The Asbury Park Press, The BoulderDaily Camera, The Denver Post, and The San Diego Union-Tribune.She earned her bachelor's degree in photojournalism at Boston University and studied video journalism at The Poynter Institute, the Platypus Digital Boot Camp, and The Brooks Institute of Photography.

Krista Nielsen is a technology marketing specialist at SDSU's College of Extended Studies. She has 13 years of web marketing, design, and analytics experience as owner of LHA, and has taught Internet marketing at North City Center. She earned a web analytics certification from the University of British Columbia, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas.

Jeff Zimmerlin is a news writer, editor, and weather producer at KFMB-TV, Channel 8. He is also a freelance Web site developer, a former newscast director at KSBY-TV and established a student-run broadcast news portal at SDSU. He holds a bachelor's degree from SDSU in television, film and new media production.