As the School of Communication and Information’s (SC&I’s) Digital Asset Management (DAM) certificate program marks its third anniversary this fall, it is more relevant than ever. Organizations daily amass an ever-increasing amount of digital assets—content stored in a digital file format—including images, photographs, videos, audio/music files, graphics, animations, illustrations, and more. Digital asset management is the practice of organizing, classifying, and making these assets accessible and available to stakeholders within and beyond an organization. SC&I’s DAM certificate program serves those with experience and students newer to the field.

The professional, non-credit, online certificate program, created by Co-Academic Directors Yonah Levenson and David Lipsey and launched in September 2019, continues to grow its enrollment, offer more electives, and educate satisfied certificate holders. The program recently enrolled its 1,000th registrant and boasts over 100 graduates.

The DAM certificate is offered through Professional Development Studies (PDS) at SC&I, along with the Business and Managerial Communication and Public Relations certificates. PDS is under the new leadership of Director Julie Johnson, Ed.D. Johnson joined SC&I in September 2022, bringing with her over 30 years of professional development and continuing education experience within the higher ed, international nonprofit, and public education sectors.

As with all PDS certificate programs, DAM courses are remote, instructor-led, self-paced, and flexible. Each course runs for four weeks, and those interested in earning the DAM certificate may finish the required six courses within six months. Because courses are fully online, students can complete coursework around their schedule from across the globe.

The program, designed to offer students the ability to develop a cohesive portfolio, includes six courses: Evolving World of DAM, Metadata for DAM, Integration and the Landscape for DAM, Data Governance for DAM, DAM and Preservation, and Successful Implementation of DAM. One of the great benefits of the program is the diverse international faculty who are leaders in the field. Whatever course they teach, be it in data management or governance, data analytics, taxonomy, media asset management, collection management, or more, they spend their days doing it as their full-time job. Additionally, every two weeks, guest lecturers, all of whom are industry experts, engage in a live conversation with students. These webinars are offered at staggered intervals to accommodate all enrollees. Enrollment in this certificate opens a new world of networking opportunities through these webinars and other events.

Johnson, commenting on the importance of the DAM certificate, the transferrable skills it imparts to students, and plans for the program, noted, “In addition to our foundational certificates, the upskilling required of professionals in the field continues to rise. In January 2023, we will begin to expand our offerings within DAM with the launching of the bronze and silver certificates. We will offer the gold certificate in 2024. The success of the foundational bronze certificate has highlighted the forward-leaning work that our students are doing each day within their organizations. Graduates of our program have shared about their transformational learning experience and how it builds their capacity to meet the demands of the work before them. The PDS team has been listening to our students and industry leaders; David and Yonah are collaborating with our instructors to create additional certificates to further upskill professionals through specialized certificates at the silver and gold certificate levels. We have a great instructional team with a passion for the work within DAM, and I’m excited that PDS will be able to bring these new certificates to the marketplace.”

Interested? Learn more, and apply here. If you are a current or former DAM student, join our Rutgers DAM LinkedIn group. PDS hosts this group for students to share ideas, advice, employment opportunities, and other information related to digital asset management. This page is also an opportunity for DAM students to network with professionals to communicate with each other regarding their career paths. Members can share events, tips and advice, best practices, and other resources on DAM-related matters.