Turn your passion for photography and filmmaking into your career. Find your own creative voice and impact the world.

Find your creative eye and develop your confidence to make an impact on the world through your craft. You will become well-rounded professionals within a Christian worldview and receive training in photography and filmmaking. Upon completion of this program, you will have a professional portfolio to kickstart your career. The program culminates with a 14-day practicum where you will be working with real clients in an International/ National context. Past groups have traveled to Tibet, Ecuador, and Golden, BC.

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What Makes This Program Different

  • Our program combines your faith with your career. Integrate biblical knowledge and personal application of the Christian faith into digital media.
  • Learn from instructors who are all professionals currently employed in the fields that they teach.
  • Students become well-rounded professionals and receive training in two different areas: photography, and filmmaking.
  • Students will participate in the capstone practicum at the end of their second year, which extends to mid-May.

Photography Tips

A taste of what you'll learn.

1 - The stories behind your photos

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2 - The historical background

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3 - Portrait light styles

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4 - How to shape lights

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5 - Setting the camera for complex lighting

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6 - Using filters correctly

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7 - Building connections with your subject

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8 - Business aspects

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Do you have questions? Let's chat...

Screenshot 2022-12-13 at 4.55.05 PM

Evan Will

PHOTOGRAPHY INSTRUCTOR

Storytelling

Our instructor David Snider shows the importance of our storytelling course.

Filmmaking

Producing a TV Pilot Episode

Our Digital Media students have the opportunity to take an elective course each year in Film Production, where they participate in filming a professional quality and formatted TV pilot episode or short film. This is done in partnership with the Rosebud School of the Arts.

All of Prairie’s programs combine faith and career. Integrate biblical knowledge and personal application of the Christian faith into the digital media discipline. Learn from instructors who are all professionals currently employed in the fields that they teach.

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Do you have questions? Let's chat...

Dr Mark Jonah

Dr. Mark Jonah

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Do you have questions? Let's chat...

Cutbill_Jordan

Jordan Cutbill

FILMMAKING INSTRUCTOR

Students Stories

The Program Director Mark Jonah talks with students.

This program aspires to ignite and fan the flames of creativity in those interested in digital media.

Starting from the foundations of communication and storytelling, this program not only strives for excellence in practical skills but encourages students to find their own creative voice and way that they can impact the world. They are guided from the fundamentals to advanced techniques in photography, professional photograph printing and filmmaking / video production, while also learning real-world applications and marketing.

Students finish the program with a professional portfolio and website to showcase the work they create.

Two-Year Diploma - Fall Start Date Only

All courses are worth 3 credits unless otherwise indicated.

Bible & Theology (15 credits)

NT 112 Reading the Gospels & Acts
OT 112 Reading the Torah
OT 221 Reading the Historical Books
ST 100 The Christian Life
TH 100 Introduction to Christian Theology

Arts & Sciences (9 credits)

HF 111 Thinking & Writing
HF 115 Fundamentals of Storytelling
SS 170 Christianity in the 21st Century World

Digital Media (36 credits)

CM 368 Digital Media Practicum
DM 120 Introduction to Audio & Colour in Film (2 credits)
DM 130 Advanced Drone Operator (1 credit)
DM 134 Fundamentals of Filmmaking
DM 145 Fundamentals of Photography
DM 160/161/260/261 Fundamentals of Digital Media Business I – IV (4 credits)
DM 177 Portfolio 1 (1 credit)
DM 228  Motion Graphics and Effects (2.5 credits)
DM 234 Advanced Filmmaking (4.5 credits)
DM 236 Documentary Filmmaking
DM 242 Wedding Photography
DM 245 Advanced Photography
DM 246 Photo Retouching (2 credits)
DM 277 Portfolio 2 (1 credit)

The following courses are electives applied for and pre-approved by the Instructor and not required for the Digital Media Diploma:

DM235 Advanced Film Production (3 credits)
DM 135 – Introductory Film Production (1.5 credits)

Note: Courses may be under development to reflect changes and upgrades in technology and software. Actual courses may be slightly different than as published.

For course descriptions, see catalogue here.

  1. Achieve excellence in creative expression and visual storytelling based on an understanding and application of strong aesthetic principles.
  2. Develop a professional web and portfolio for the purposes of soliciting future clients.
  3. Gain proficiency in software applications.
  4. Have full comprehension of the advanced functions of a camera for photo and video.
  5. Demonstrate ability to use professional studio tools to enhance photographic and film productions.
  6. Experience practical application of learned skills through partnering projects with real-world clients.
  7. Practical application of digital media skill sets in mentorship with professional instructors during a practicum.

Our graduates

• are sought-out professionals who are employable because they are well-rounded in both photography and filmmaking.
• are entrepreneurs who build businesses to serve the church and society with their creative skills.
• continue at Prairie and obtain a 4-year degree in a variety of majors including Business Administration.

In this digital age, media is an expanding field with many different opportunities to impact people. The training and portfolio gained through Prairie’s Digital Media program can open doors to career and ministry opportunities in North America or around the world!

*Please note: All hardware and software requirements are subject to change up until July 1 prior to the start of classes due to the importance of remaining current with industry standards *

First Year Students:
• Laptop*: New or up to 2 year old MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro with a M1 or M2 (preferred) chipset with at least 16GB of RAM and must have at least one usb-c port.
• Camera**: DSLR or mirrorless body with at least HD 1080p video capabilities. We strongly recommend full-frame bodies over crop-frame sensor cameras.
• Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS or EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS II and 50mm 1.8 (or faster) lens is highly recommended.
• Intervalometer (if you do not have one built into your camera)
• Memory card reader (necessary only if there are no compatible ports on your laptop for the connection cord your camera uses)
• Student subscription of Capture One Pro
• Full License of Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher
• One 4 TB (minimum) external HDD Drive for backup
• Tripod: one that can take both still and video heads
• Inexpensive 36″ collapsible Reflector
• One 4TB External SSD Drive

Second Year Students (in addition to first year requirements):
• Flash with built-in radio receiver
• Radio transmitter for flash
• Light stand: 8′ minimum
• 45″ Umbrella or 24″ soft box for flash photography

*Your Laptop must be one of the types listed – no exceptions made.

**The camera must have the ability to use an adaptor to accept Canon DSLR lenses as the college has a number of Canon compatible accessories that Digital Media students can take out on loan.

In addition to our regular Admissions requirements, Digital Media applicants need to have a basic skillset and talent in the areas of photography & filmmaking. In order to assess this, we ask applicants to submit a digital portfolio. The digital portfolio should include 5-10 items that display the applicant’s skills in the areas we teach (photography, filmmaking). 

For our Tuition & Fee rates as well as Room and Board please see Fees & Financial Aid

Program Specific Costs:

Digital Media students are charged a $700 program fee. ($350 charged in Fall semester and $350 charged in the Winter semester).

All 1st year students will have a Material fee of $625 charged in the Fall semester to cover the DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor and a Digital Media branded jacket.

All 2nd year students have a Practicum Fee of $5000 plus tuition fees – $2500 charged in the Fall semester, $2500 charged in the Winter semester, and tuition charged in the Spring semester.

Canada & United States Application

Fall 2024 (September start), Winter 2025 (January start), and Online Education (start anytime) applications are open. 

** Applications are free for the month of March. Use code MARCHFREE **

International Student Application

Prairie welcomes applications from individuals all around the world! To begin the International Student Application please click the link below. 

Master's Application

If you are applying for the Master of Christian Ministry Leadership or the Master of Global Christian Educational Leadership please click the link below. 

Information Request

Tell us a bit about yourself and an admissions representative will be in touch shortly!

Here are key opportunities you can partner with Prairie

We have launched our Campaign for Greater Impact to provide students with the very best learning opportunities and campus facilities for the decades ahead. 

In Phase One of this Campaign, we plan to invest in much-needed campus renewal, including: upgraded Infrastructure, a new Student Residence, Cafeteria, Worship Auditorium, and expanded Aviation Training Centre. A modern campus requires an investment that is bold, and even expensive, but each Campaign Project is strategic, and designed to enhance Prairie’s campus and student life experience.

Expansion of Prairie Aviation Training Centre

This expansion of PATC’s facility is a key project of Prairie’s Campaign for Greater Impact. It will increase the College’s capacity to train a new generation of Christian aviators to serve God in missions, and also address the growing need for trained pilots in the commercial aviation sector.

Scholarships & Education Fund

Invest in the next generation of missional professionals. Each year Prairie College distributes over $500,000 in scholarships and bursaries to students. We are grateful for each gift that reduces the burden of students’ tuition and allows students to fulfill their God-given professions.

Prison Bible Encounter Program

Encourage inmates in five institutions across Alberta to discover or reconnect with Jesus Christ. This fund assists the students studying the Certificate in Bible program with scholarships, resources for classes, and instruction. 

General Ministries

Prairie College is educating students to pursue a Biblical foundation for life and career.  Your contribution to this fund assists in minimizing the College’s general operating expenses.  

To allocate your gift, please select one of the donation buttons below.