Animation and Visual Effects

Major: Animation and Visual Effects
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 187.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Four years); Three Co-op (Five years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 10.0304
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 27-1014

About the Program

The Animation & Visual Effects major provides students with the artistic, technological, story-telling, and design skills necessary to succeed as 3D animators and visual effects artists in the highly competitive entertainment, design, and communications industries.

Animation and Visual Effects has grown beyond its traditional applications in the entertainment industry. While many artists choose a career in film, television, and internet-based programming, animation production techniques are also widely used in medical research, engineering, virtual and augmented reality systems, immersive media, web content, the performing arts, interactive game systems, corporate communications, higher education, and more. The depth and complexity of this field necessitates a rigorous course of study.

To best prepare students for the demands of careers in these cutting-edge disciplines, the program provides a foundational understanding of design and technology with core courses in digital media, the option to choose between a six or eighteen-month co-op plan, and a curriculum of rigorous coursework covering specialized aspects of digital animation, visual effects, and immersive media. While courses are predominantly offered face-to-face on campus, we also offer a variety of virtual courses taught by a diverse range of professionals from across the nation, exposing students to a wider network of industry professionals and to the evolving climate of industry work, and engaging with students outside the campus boundaries. In this curriculum, students will learn the underlying principles of animation and advanced, industry-standard software and hardware technologies. The entire creative pipeline, from storyboarding to modeling and animation to rendering and compositing, is covered in-depth, allowing students to experience all aspects of a production. 

 Additional Information

To find out more about this major, visit the Westphal College’s Animation & Visual Effects Major webpage.

Degree Requirements 

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Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

**

Select from 100-499 level courses, including T380-T480 in AFAS, ARCH, ARTH, COM, DANC, ENGL, FMST, GST, HIST, INTR, IST, JWST, LANG, LING, MENA, MUSC, PHIL, PHTO, PPE, PBHL, RELS, SCRP, THTR, TVST, VSCM, WGST, WRIT.

***

Select from 100-499 level courses, including T380-T480, in AFAS, ANTH, CJS, CS, ECON, ENSS, ENVS, PSCI, PSY, PBHL, SOC, WGST.

†

DIGM 490 and DIGM 491 are repeated three times each.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

5 year, 3 co-op

*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

4 year, 1 co-op

*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

Dual/Accelerated Degrees

The accelerated degree program enables academically qualified students to earn both their bachelor's degree and a master's degree in digital media, graduating sooner than they would in traditional programs.

Current Drexel Animation and Visual Effects students may apply for the accelerated BS/MS degree through the Graduate College of Drexel University after completing 90.0 credits, but no more than 120.0 credits. Contact the Graduate College of Drexel University for further information.

Facilities

This major is based in the Westphal College's Digital Media Department, located in the Westphal College's URBN Center.

The central creative space for the department is the Animation Capture & Effects Lab (ACE-Lab), featuring a 1200-square-foot open studio space dedicated to digital media production. The studio features include a 25-foot by 17-foot green screen cyclorama, studio lighting and modifiers, HD/2k/4k camera systems, camera dolly, Vicon Vantage motion capture system, stereo-360 “VR Video” capture systems, room-scale VR tracking systems, and a full 360° Immersive Projection Dome among other resources.

Additional spaces surrounding the main studio include screening rooms, classrooms and computer labs featuring advanced graphics work stations, VR labs, research labs, meeting rooms, and faculty offices.

Animation and Visual Effects Faculty

Emeritus Faculty