FAQs
» Is TAM right for me?» What is a certificate program?
» How do I sign up?
» Who should I see for TAM advising?
» How often do I need to see a TAM advisor?
» How do I get to the new ATLAS offices for advising?
» What should I bring with me to a TAM advising session?
» How will the TAM Advisor keep in touch with me regarding meetings, activities and course updates?
» How do I register for the Meaning of Information Technology, Digital Media 1, Digital Media 2, and Capstone Projects courses?
» Why does TAM require students to take classes in History & Social Implications, Theories & Foundations and Invention & Practice elective areas?
» How does TAM decide what courses count for each elective area?
» Why can’t TAM students get credit for more than one of these elective courses from a single department?
» Is there a sequencing requirement for TAM courses?
» I am graduating this semester. What do I need to do to be sure that my TAM certificate is noted on my record?
» What constitutes a TAM certificate with honors?
» How do I gain access to the TAM Lab (ATLS113)?
» What are the TAM Lab rules?
» What is the TAM Lounge, and where is it located?
» I will be studying abroad for a semester. How will this affect my TAM progress?
» Are TAM courses open for continuing education credit?
Is TAM right for me? TAM is right for you if you are seeking a practical supplement to your major that will prepare you to produce multimedia internet-based sites, digital movies, educational interfaces, and products for clients. Students from a wide variety of majors work both individually and in project groups as they acquire and apply technical, design, and analytical skills to multimedia projects. Many students use the program to prepare for careers in information technologies (IT) and the arts, or to infuse their own career preparation with IT abilities . What is required is a dedication to working as part of a multidisciplinary design team, and a readiness to devote time outside of the classroom to making your experience count. Once you have received direct instruction in a software application, it is often up to you to learn more advanced and creative uses on your own, using your instructor as a resource and mentor.
TAM is not a major. The TAM Program is an undergraduate certificate program available to all undergraduate students enrolled at CU-Boulder. Because it is not a major, you must select a major in another field, and TAM as a voluntary supplement. For this reason, we are seeking dedicated students with a desire to develop their design abilities, technical skills and problem-solving capacities as they work together in multidisciplinary teams.
The program operates on the belief that it takes more than technical skills with software to make you an effective multimedia producer. Our technical courses are balanced by requirements that are more academic in nature. In ATLS2000, The Meaning of Information Technology, you can expect to be introduced to the history of information technology; important issues such as IP law, privacy and government regulation; digital divides; convergence, acceleration, and media concentration; Hi-fi and spectrum; and future developments like Internet 2, VR, AI, digital film and imaging, and theoretical approaches to IT in research. In ATLS3010, Digital Media 1, you will learn to work with new software on your own and as a member of an interdisciplinary project group. Currently, the course focuses on Web design and Production (with HTML, Dreamweaver, and Flash), Digital Imaging (PhotoShop and digital photography), Digital video (digital filming, Director) and Digital sound creation and editing. In ATLS 3020, Digital Media 2, you will develop interactive web applications working with a range of technologies that include scripting, interactive web design, multimedia computing, and databases. You will have an understanding of client/server networking, internet and Web architecture, file system structure, abstraction, algorithm development, HTML, frames, JavaScript, PHP, XML, MySQL, Ajax, object-oriented programming, database integration, interaction Web design, and technical design issues (testing, debugging, performance, security, usability). Finally, ATLS4010, Capstone Projects, is a thesis-driven, projects-based course. You will participate in professional group-based projects as well as personal portfolio development with an overlying emphasis on personal growth and achievement that includes work from your TAM course projects as well as work from your respective discipline.
Your elective courses
allow you to sample a broader array of topics, focused on the history, theory
and applications of IT in a variety of field areas. For example, in your invention
and practice elective course, you may receive training in 3-D modeling, computer
mapping, electronic journalism, digital film production, building robots, or
educating with technology. Ultimately, the TAM program will enable you to be
an effective part of a multimedia design and implementation team, whatever your
field.
What is a certificate program? University degree programs are often supplemented by certificate programs at the undergraduate or graduate level. The CU-Boulder campus has developed several undergraduate certificate programs that allow students to explore an interdisciplinary area or topic not covered by an existing major. The Technology, Arts and Media Certificate is one of these interdisciplinary programs, and offers a rare opportunity to experience course offerings in multiple schools and colleges. TAM courses are rostered in almost every school and college on the CU-Boulder campus.
Completion of the
TAM certificate program is noted on your transcript, and indicates that you
have completed an academic program beyond your major and that you have interdisciplinary
breadth in multimedia design.
How do I sign up? To sign up for the program and get the course catalog you will need to see the TAM advisor. During this meeting, the advisor will talk with you about the specific requirements of the program and answer questions. If the program is a good fit, you may fill out a Declaration Form indicating your intent to pursue the TAM Certificate to completion. We suggest that you take your time deciding if TAM is right for you, but be aware that the first course for the certificate, The Meaning of Information Technology, cannot be registered for directly until you have declared your intent to complete the certificate (we must protect spots in the class for enrolled TAM students).
Who should I see for TAM advising? Dave Kalahar is the Curriculum Advisor for ATLAS. He is available for advising on both walk-in and appointment bases. Appointments are recommended and can be scheduled to mutual benefit. Please call ahead for an appointment: 303.735.6588. Dave’s office hours are 8:00am—4:00pm. If he is in the office, he will be happy to talk to you.
How often do I need to see a TAM advisor? We recommend that you check in with the TAM advisor at least once a semester, whether or not you are taking TAM classes that particular semester. This helps us "keep up" with your progress, and ensures that your contact information is updated in our files.
When you are scheduling
TAM courses, the advisor will ensure that you are on track for completing
TAM requirements in a timely manner. It is especially important that you see
the TAM advisor during the semester prior to your graduation to verify both parties are on the same page.
How do I get to the ATLAS offices for advising? The ATLAS advising and instructor offices are located off Room 225 (2nd floor, northeast corner) in the ATLAS Building at 1125 18th Street (at the heart of the campus).
What should I bring with me to a TAM advising session? An idea of your tentative course schedule for the upcoming semester and an idea of your tentative graduation date. Remember, TAM is a certificate program and not a major, so you must confer with your major advisor concerning requirements of your major. Any specific questions regarding the courses currently offered (access the list from the TAM web site).
How will the TAM Advisor keep in touch with me regarding meetings, activities and course updates? The official communication method at CU is now email (see http://www.colorado.edu/its/officialemail ), so this is how you should expect to receive all communications with the TAM program. This means you should plan to check your campus email regularly, or have your campus email forwarded to your personal address. On rare occasions the TAM office may attempt to contact you by phone, if you have a current phone number on file in the TAM office.
How do I register for the ATLAS courses (ATLS2000, Meaning of Information Technology; ATLS3010, Digital Media 1; ATLS 3020, Digital Media 2; ATLS4010, Capstone Projects)? Each fall and spring semester there is a Registration Open House 1-2 weeks prior to continuing student registration. Continuing TAM students will be invited to sign up for ATLS courses and sections in which they would like to enroll. If you are away on study abroad, you may contact the TAM advisor by e-mail. The enrollment cap for the Meaning of Information Technology is 40. Each of the other courses has a cap of 18 students (due to computer lab constraints). Students attending the Open House will be approved for a course or section based on meeting the pre-requisite requirement, their anticipated graduation date, and the date they declared the Certificate on the TAM Declaration Form. Students that miss the Open House, or who declare the Certificate after the Open House will be considered for enrollment on a space available, first-come first-served basis. After the enrollment cap is met, the remaining students will be waitlisted.
Why does TAM require students to take classes in History & Social Implications, Theories & Foundations and Invention & Practice elective areas? The ATLAS philosophy is to provide a well-rounded education, informed by critical thinking about the impacts of information technology on the individual and on society. Technical certification is provided in many venues, and we do not wish to duplicate what is already available elsewhere. Instead, we encourage students to sample courses in departments and fields that they normally would not know, to take risks as they explore career possibilities that they did not anticipate, and to delight in exposure to new information, points of view, and methods of problem-solving. In short, we encourage you to benefit from your membership in a University, a community of scholars dedicated to examining a broad spectrum of interests and concerns.
How does TAM decide what courses count for each elective area? Courses listed as part of the TAM program have been selected by a multidisciplinary committee of CU-Boulder professors (TAM Steering Committee) for their appropriateness to both the content and spirit of the program. A number of courses were developed specifically for TAM with the help of ATLAS funding; many other courses were nominated for inclusion by faculty or students. You may appeal to the TAM Steering Committee to request consideration of other courses for elective credit, but be aware that such exceptions are rare. If you would like to launch a credit appeal process, please see the advisor to obtain the necessary paperwork.
Why can't TAM students get credit for more than one of these elective courses from a single department? Because TAM was created to be a multidisciplinary program, it is important that you receive instruction and interact with colleagues from a variety of disciplinary areas. You must, therefore, be sure that your History & Social Implications, Theories & Foundations, and Invention & Practice courses are each listed in a different department. You may take more courses in each area if you wish, but only one is required in each area for TAM certification. Note that this rule applies only to your three elective courses, and excludes the ATLS core courses (Meaning of Information Technology, Digital Media 1, Digital Media 2, and Capstone Projects). Where available, you may also select ATLS course work for one or more of the electives.
Is there a sequencing requirement for TAM courses? Yes, you must take Meaning of Information Technology first, followed by Digital Media 1, then Digital Media 2. In addition to these three courses, it is strongly recommended you complete an Invention and Practice elective before you register for Capstone Projects. It is recommended you take the Capstone course one or two semesters before you complete your major.
How long will it take me to complete the TAM Certificate? It depends on when the student declares the Certificate and if space is available in ATLS 2000 or ATLS 3010. It will typically take four semesters (excluding summer session) to complete the TAM Certificate because of the course sequencing. Three semesters is possible if an ATLS course is taken in Summer. A potential problem is course time conflicts. We cannot guarantee an ATLS course will not have a time conflict with a course required for your major, which could delay your completion. If you miss the Registration Open House, your completion could be delayed. TAM is the most popular certificate program on campus, thus our courses are in high demand. Being pro-active with advising and registration instead of re-active, and attending the Registration Open House will go far in completing the Certificate in four semesters.
I am graduating this semester. What do I need to do to be sure that my TAM certificate is noted on my record? You must meet with the TAM advisor early in the semester to complete a TAM Graduation Application. At that time your TAM course credits are entered into a final record, and your TAM gpa is calculated. Typically, the TAM advisor will meet with you in Capstone Projects and present this paperwork. Once you have signed the application, we can contact the registrar to include the TAM Certificate notation on your transcript. We will also contact you with details about the TAM Graduation Reception, held in fall and spring of each year. At this occasion, you will receive your TAM certificate. You may complete this process in the semester you complete TAM, but at the lastest must do so in the semester you plan to graduate from CU.
What constitutes a TAM certificate with honors? All students who satisfy TAM curriculum requirements receive a TAM certificate at the TAM Graduation Reception, held each semester, and completion of the TAM certificate is noted on their permanent transcripts. The GPA for TAM is calculated as the average of grades in the seven courses taken for the basic completion of the certificate. If you have taken more than one course in any elective category, we will count the higher grade for that category (as long as it is not a second course from the same department). All TAM students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher in all TAM courses will be awarded an Honors TAM Certificate. Honors designations for Certificate Programs will not appear on your official CU-Boulder transcript; only your successful completion of the Certificate Program is indicated.
How do I gain access to the ATLAS Lab (ATLS 113)? The ATLAS Lab is a private lab that exists for declared, TAM Certificate-seeking students whose course fees fund the equipment and software. Anyone who is using this lab has the same rights and privileges as you do, and the same obligation to protect the equipment and to maintain a clean and safe environnment for all of us. Due to the extensive outside-class time that TAM courses require, only the students who have a class in ATLS 113 will have access to the ATLAS lab in a given semester. At the beginning of the semester, your instructor will distribute the ATLAS Card Access Contract to enrolled students. To have BuffOne Card access, students are required to complete the ATLAS Card Access Contract and return to their instructor. For special dispensation to use the ATLAS lab during the regular academic year or summer, you will need to call or e-mail the Lead Multimedia Instructor, David Schaal: 303-735-2917; Schaal@Colorado.EDU.
As a TAM student, you are eligible for additional access to building spaces. The ATLAS Card Access Contract also gives you access to the Curriculum Cluster (ATLS 225) and Group Design rooms (there are six of them in the building). The Curriculum Cluster has three computer stations with identical loadsets to the computers in the ATLAS Lab. You would also have access to our library and checkout video cameras, still cameras, and laptops.
What
are the ATLAS Lab rules? The ATLAS Lab (ATLS 113) is open Monday-Thursday until 11pm, and 4-6 hours on Saturday and Sunday. During finals, the Lab is open twenty-four
hours a day to students enrolled in an ATLS course that is taught in ATLS 113. Course schedules for each semester will
be posted on the lab door and in the ATLAS Student Lounge (ATLS 225 - Curriculum Cluster).
If you are a qualified student, and need to work while another class is meeting,
be sure to ask the instructor’s permission before the course lecture begins.
Guidelines:
(1) The ATLAS Lab will be open for the above noted hours unless a violation of lab policy occurs. In
this case, restrictions will be enforced, and the perpetrator will be tracked
using access codes.
(2) Reference materials made available in the lab must not leave the lab.
(3) The door must remain closed. While working outside of class time, please
do not prop the door open with any object. This is your lab, and the protection
of the lab is your responsibility. Locking the lab door also ensures your
personal security when you work there after normal business hours.
(4) Please do not bring open drink or food containers into the lab. Any damage resulting from accidents near these computers costs us all money that we would rather spend on new software and hardware, reference books, etc.
(5) Please dispose of trash and recycle your paper.
(6) Please do not leave any of your belongings in the lab for extended periods of time. Items left overnight will be placed in the hallway outside.
(7) Please be aware that some media content may be offensive to some people. We do respect the right to free speech and do not believe in censorship. However, in the spirit of making the lab a safe and comfortable environment for all, any potentially offensive material must be for legitimate research or art-making purposes. A student must inform their instructor of their intent to view and use such material in the lab for educational purposes.
What is the ATLAS Lounge, and where is it located? The ATLAS Lounge (ATLS 225) is in our ATLAS Curriculum Cluster area in the ATLAS Building. Go up the stairs or elevator to the 2nd floor, then head to the northeast corner of the building.
The lounge was created as a space for work outside of class, for meeting with other students to work on projects, and for experimenting with new media in proximity to the multimedia instructor offices. In the lounge space are worktables and Mac computers with all of the software used in the ATLAS lab and some additional experimental software such as music composition and recording programs. There are also technical reference manuals. All ATLAS students have card-access to the facilities 8am-11pm Monday through Thursday. Additionally, ATLAS students may checkout a video camera, a still camera, or even a laptop computer. (The computer cannot leave the building, and must be returned before 4pm.)
I will be studying abroad for a semester. How will this affect my TAM progress? Once you let the advisor know of your plans, your TAM folder will be placed on hold until you return. At the present time, we do not accept credits for courses you take at overseas universities. However, keeping in touch with the TAM advisor concerning your plans will ensure that there is no break in your progress upon your return. For instance, it is possible to be placed on course sign-ups or waiting lists while you are still studying abroad. To be sure that you are kept "in the loop" while abroad, contact the TAM advisor before your departure to touch base and provide the best way to contact you in the foreign country.
Are TAM courses open for continuing education credit? Currently, the TAM program is open only to enrolled undergraduate students at CU-Boulder.
