Course Syllabus

📘 DDP 106: Generative AI for Creatives – Fall 2025

CRN: TBD
Semester Dates: 10/27/25 – 12/19/25

👋 Welcome Message

Welcome to DDP 106 – Generative AI for Creatives!

I'm Professor Gary Graves, and I’m thrilled to guide you through this innovative course. Whether you're an artist, designer, content creator, or future tech-savvy marketer, this class will empower you to creatively and ethically use AI tools like ChatGPT, Adobe Firefly, and Midjourney to generate text, visuals, video, music, and more.

This class is hands-on and project-based. We’ll be learning weekly by exploring industry tools, real-world campaigns, and experimenting with cutting-edge generative AI techniques that reflect the future of creative work.

My goal is to make this course exciting, practical, and a major portfolio-builder. You’ll walk away with new technical skills and a showcase-ready final project you can be proud of. Let’s build something extraordinary!

Professor Graves (Feel free to call me Gary or Professor Graves)

📘 Course Information

  • Course Title: Generative AI for Creatives
  • Catalog Description: View the Catalog
  • Units: 3 (2 Lecture + 1 Lab)
  • Modality: 100% Online

🏢 Instructor Contact Information

📅 Important Dates

  • First Day of Class: October 27, 2025
  • Last Day of Class: December 19, 2025
  • College of the Desert Calendar: View Calendar

🚀 Success Tips for This Course

  • ✅ Log in every Monday morning to review new assignments.
  • ✅ Post your initial discussions early (before Friday night!).
  • ✅ Save a draft of every major project as you go.
  • ✅ Communicate — ask questions if you're unsure!
  • ✅ Plan to be 1 week ahead — future you will thank you.

🎯 How This Course Works

This course is organized into 8 weekly modules. Each includes video lectures, creative exercises, discussions, and labs. This fully online course follows a weekly schedule. Expect 9–10 hours per week of work. New modules open each Monday. Assignments are due twice weekly: Initial Discussions by Friday, and Activities/Replies by Sunday at 11:59 PM. You’ll be creating content using generative AI tools each week, building toward a final portfolio-worthy campaign project.

🌟 My Teaching Philosophy

I believe learning is a lifelong process. I believe learning should be meaningful and that the differences and interests each person brings into our course enrich the learning of everyone participating. I believe you should be able to apply what you’ve learned in the real world, either working for yourself or someone else. Each of us learns at a unique rhythm and we all have different goals! In my class, your culture, background, and voice matter, and as your instructor, I am committed to providing you with the support you need to reach your personal, educational, and professional goals. I also believe in using the local, state, national, and the world as our classroom. I design my courses to showcase and celebrate the diversity of the members of our learning community and to encourage each of you to connect our course content to your own life. My Motto: Don’t take a job, MAKE A JOB!

📘 Learning Outcomes

  • Know the benefits and pitfalls behind different generative AI tools.
  • Use Generative AI (Gen AI) legally and ethically to create content of all kinds—text, images, video, audio, and more.
  • Develop content using the ideation design process improving critical thinking skills while using GenAI software.

🧠 Skills to Add to Your Resume

  • Prompt Engineering for Text & Visual Content
  • AI-Enhanced Campaign Design
  • Content Creation with Adobe Firefly, ChatGPT, RunwayML, and more
  • AI Ethics & Responsible Use

📚 Materials and Tools

Required:

  • LinkedIn Learning access (provided by COD)
  • Adobe Creative Cloud (free w/ student email, includes Firefly, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.)
  • ChatGPT, Midjourney, Ideogram, RunwayML, Pika, ElevenLabs (Free or trial versions OK)

Recommended Text: Artificial Intelligence & Generative AI for Beginners by David Patel

🤖 AI Assistant

Need help 24/7? Use StudioNOVA, your custom course chatbot, trained on our lectures, resources, and creative industry assets. It is available to assist you and your learning.

✨ Launch StudioNOVA: Your AI Assistant

📊 Grading Breakdown

Final Course Grade Breakdown:

  • A: 90%+
  • B: 80%-89.9%
  • C: 70%-79.9%
  • D: 60%-69.9%
  • F: 59% or under

Important Notes:
No late work is accepted. No resets or extensions are granted for emergencies or tech issues. Instead, take advantage of optional extra credit (XC) assignments labeled clearly in Canvas.

You will be graded on:

Weekly research and discussions in Canvas
Written Discussions
Weekly Activities
Weekly Reflection
Final Project/Pitch
Extra Credit: Assignments worth 0 points are considered extra credit and are optional (usually 1–10 points).

🤖 AI Policy: Thoughtful Integration of AI in Learning

In this course, the use of AI tools like ChatGPT, DALL-E, and others is encouraged as part of specific assignments to enhance your creativity and productivity. However, the emphasis will be on thoughtful integration—using AI as a tool to support your work, not replace your original thought and analysis.

For assignments involving AI, you will be required to:

  • Critically Evaluate AI Output: Assess the accuracy, quality, and relevance of AI-generated content.
  • Improve Upon AI Output: Apply your own insights, knowledge, and creativity to refine and enhance the AI-generated work.
  • Provide Reflective Commentary: Include a reflection on how AI contributed to your project, the limitations you encountered, and the improvements you made.
  • Proof Your Work: Verify facts and quotes, as AI may hallucinate or provide inaccuracies.
  • Cite AI Contributions: Clearly acknowledge and cite all AI-generated content used in your work.

Examples of Appropriate Use:

  • AI-assisted design of logos or graphics with DALL-E, refined to align with your branding goals.
  • Use ChatGPT for drafting ideas, slogans, or brainstorming content, then refine based on your intent.
  • Use AI tools to gather initial ideas or frameworks, then build deeper analysis from credible sources.


Prohibited Use:
AI should not replace original work or critical thinking. Direct submission of AI-generated content without evaluation or refinement will result in loss of points and potential academic consequences.

 

✅ Other Required Policies

Participate or Risk Being Dropped: Engage early and stay active! Missing the first week could result in being dropped. It's your responsibility to officially withdraw if needed.
Academic Conduct: Follow the Academic Honesty Policy. Copying, unauthorized collaboration, or using AI without proper reflection is prohibited.
ADA Statement: Students needing accommodations should contact Disability Support Services early to arrange accommodations.
Emergency Response: Review evacuation routes and emergency plans posted around campus.
Catalog Rights: View all college policies at catalog.collegeofthedesert.edu

 

📆 Weekly Overview

  • Week 1: Orientation, What is AI & Ethics
  • Week 2: Prompt Engineering Basics
  • Week 3: Copywriting & AI Text
  • Week 4: Visual Creation & Branding
  • Week 5: Audio & Music with AI
  • Week 6: AI Video Tools & Animation
  • Week 7: Portfolios & Creative Career Paths
  • Week 8: Final AI Creative Campaign

To proceed through the modules, you can use the Next button, which is always located near the lower right-hand corner of the page.