Animation and Visual Effects BS / Digital Media MS
Major: Animation & Visual Effects and Digital Media
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Total Credit Hours: 232.0
Co-op Options: Three Co-op (Five years); One Co-op (Five years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 10.0304
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 27-1014
About the Program
The program is a natural extension of our undergraduate program in Animation and Visual Effects and challenges students to push beyond what’s known and into what’s possible. It combines research with applicable skills in 21st century media applications and offers a mix of academic coursework and project-related activities in advanced digital design, including 3-D modeling, animation, interactivity, gaming and digital media history, theory, and methods.
Admission Requirements
Students who wish to enter the accelerated program are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.5 and between 70.0 and 120.0 credits of completed undergraduate coursework.
Acceptance into the accelerated program is decided by the program director of the Digital Media MS program in consultation with the undergraduate program director in Animation and Visual Effects as well as the Department’s Graduate Admissions Committee.
Main criteria for acceptance is an evaluation of the student’s prior academic performance and the student’s likelihood of success within the program.
Degree Requirements
| Undergraduate General Education Requirements | ||
| CIVC 101 | Introduction to Civic Engagement | 1.0 |
| COM 230 | Techniques of Speaking | 3.0 |
| COOP 101 | Career Management and Professional Development | 1.0 |
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 111 | English Composition I | |
| ENGL 102 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 112 | English Composition II | |
| ENGL 103 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 113 | English Composition III | |
| MATH 101 | Introduction to Analysis I | 4.0 |
| PHYS 170 | Electricity and Motion | 3.0 |
| PHYS 171 | Computational Lab for Electricity and Motion | 1.0 |
| PHYS 175 | Light and Sound | 3.0 |
| PHYS 176 | Computational Lab for Light and Sound | 1.0 |
| UNIV A101 | The Drexel Experience | 2.0 |
| Required Arts and Humanities-students elect a minimum of 9 credits | 9.0 | |
| Required Social Science-students elect a minimum of 9.0 credits | 9.0 | |
| Free electives | 24.0 | |
| Art and Art History Requirements | ||
| Required Art History-students elect a minimum of 6 credits of ARTH | 6.0 | |
| ARTH 300 [WI] | History of Modern Design | 3.0 |
| VSST 108 | Design I for Media | 3.0 |
| VSST 109 | Design II for Media | 3.0 |
| VSST 110 | Introductory Drawing | 3.0 |
| VSST 111 | Figure Drawing I | 3.0 |
| VSST 210 | Painting Basics | 3.0 |
| Media and Computer Science Requirements | ||
| ANIM 231 | Scripting for Animation and Visual Effects | 3.0 |
| CS 171 | Computer Programming I | 3.0 |
| FMVD 206 | Audio Production and Post | 3.0 |
| SCRP 270 [WI] | Screenwriting I | 3.0 |
| Digital Media Core Requirements | ||
| ANIM 140 | Computer Graphics Imagery I | 3.0 |
| ANIM 141 | Computer Graphics Imagery II | 3.0 |
| ANIM 211 | Animation I | 3.0 |
| DIGM 105 | Overview of Digital Media | 3.0 |
| DIGM 350 [WI] | Digital Storytelling | 3.0 |
| DIGM 451 [WI] | Explorations in New Media | 3.0 |
| DIGM 475 [WI] | Seminar: The Future of Digital Media | 3.0 |
| DIGM 490 | Digital Media Senior Project * | 9.0 |
| DIGM 491 | Digital Media Senior Project Studio * | 3.0 |
| GMAP 260 | Overview of Computer Gaming | 3.0 |
| IDM 100 | Introduction to Web Development | 3.0 |
| Animation Requirements | ||
| ANIM 100 | Foundational Tools for Animation & VFX | 3.0 |
| ANIM 110 | Digital Imaging for Animation & VFX | 3.0 |
| ANIM 155 | Previsualization for Animated Production | 3.0 |
| ANIM 212 | Animation II | 3.0 |
| ANIM 214 | Digital Character Creation | 3.0 |
| ANIM 215 | History of Animation | 3.0 |
| ANIM 220 | Digital Compositing I | 3.0 |
| ANIM 221 | Digital Compositing II | 3.0 |
| ANIM 250 | Professional Practices for Animation & VFX | 3.0 |
| Animation Electives | ||
| Select five of the following: | 15.0 | |
| Realtime Visualization | ||
| Lighting & Surfacing | ||
| Organic Modeling I | ||
| Advanced Lighting | ||
| Character Animation I | ||
| Character Animation II | ||
| Organic Modeling II | ||
| Experimental Animation Lab | ||
| Spatial Data Capture | ||
| Advanced Compositing | ||
| Advanced Animation | ||
| Advanced Visual Effects | ||
| Technical Directing for Animation | ||
| Special Topics in Animation | ||
| Special Topics in Animation | ||
| Special Topics in Animation | ||
| Special Topics in Animation | ||
| Independent Study in Animation | ||
| Independent Study in Animation | ||
| Independent Study in Animation | ||
| Independent Study in Animation | ||
| Digital Cultural Heritage | ||
| Overview of Immersive Media | ||
| Game Development Foundations | ||
| Character Animation for Gaming | ||
| Required Graduate Courses | ||
| Digital Media Core | ||
| DIGM 501 | New Media: History, Theory and Methods | 3.0 |
| DIGM 510 | Designing for Interactivity | 3.0 |
| DIGM 511 | Research Methods for Digital Media | 3.0 |
| Digital Media Specialization: Select 18.0 credits from the following list: | 18.0 | |
| Game Design and Development | ||
| Game Design I | ||
| Game Design II | ||
| Game Development Foundations | ||
| Serious Games | ||
| Experimental Games | ||
| Game Design from the Player’s Perspective | ||
| Animation and Immersive Media | ||
| Spatial Data Capture | ||
| Animation I | ||
| Animation II | ||
| Organic Modeling | ||
| Advanced Concepts and Applications in Interactive 3D Environments | ||
| Immersive World Building | ||
| UX Design and Digital Cultural Heritage | ||
| Digital Cultural Heritage | ||
| Interactivity I | ||
| Interactivity II | ||
| General Digital Media | ||
| Digital Media Skills Intensive | ||
| Independent Study in Digital Media | ||
| Independent Study in Digital Media | ||
| Special Topics in Digital Media | ||
| Special Topics in Digital Media | ||
| New Media Project | ||
| DIGM 540 | New Media Project ** | 6.0 |
| Thesis | ||
| DIGM 680 | Thesis Development | 3.0 |
| Electives *** | 9.0 | |
| Total Credits | 232.0 | |
| * | DIGM 490 and DIGM 491 are repeated 3 times each to complete the DIGM Capstone Senior Project sequence. |
| ** | DIGM 540 is repeated two times. |
| *** | Select 9.0 credits from 500-600 level courses, including Special Topics (T580 and T680) in ANIM, CS, DIGM, DSRE, GMAP, IDM, and INFO. |
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
4+1, 1 co-op (Spring/Summer) (Accelerated program completed in 5 years)
Students complete undergraduate requirements in four years, then convert to graduate status in the fifth and final year.
| First Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| ANIM 100 | 3.0 | ANIM 110 | 3.0 | ANIM 141 | 3.0 | VACATION | |
| DIGM 105 | 3.0 | ANIM 140 | 3.0 | ANIM 220 | 3.0 | ||
| ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | ||
| PHYS 170 | 3.0 | PHYS 175 | 3.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
| PHYS 171 | 1.0 | PHYS 176 | 1.0 | MATH 101 | 4.0 | ||
| UNIV A101 (Department Specific) | 1.0 | UNIV A101 (Program Specific) | 1.0 | VSST 109 | 3.0 | ||
| VSST 110 | 3.0 | VSST 108 | 3.0 | ||||
| 17 | 17 | 17 | 0 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| ANIM 155 | 3.0 | ANIM 212 | 3.0 | ANIM 214 | 3.0 | ANIM 231 | 3.0 |
| ANIM 211 | 3.0 | ANIM 215 | 3.0 | ANIM 221 | 3.0 | ANIM 250 | 3.0 |
| SCRP 270 | 3.0 | IDM 100 | 3.0 | CS 171 | 3.0 | COM 230 | 3.0 |
| GMAP 260 | 3.0 | VSST 111 | 3.0 | (UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | COOP 101 | 1.0 |
| VSST 210 | 3.0 | (UG) Art History Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Art History Elective | 3.0 | DIGM 350 | 3.0 |
| FMVD 206 | 3.0 | ||||||
| 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| ARTH 300 | 3.0 | DIGM 451 | 3.0 | COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
| (UG) Animation Electives | 6.0 | (UG) Animation Elective | 3.0 | ||||
| (UG) Free Electives | 6.0 | (UG) Arts and Humanities Elective | 3.0 | ||||
| DIGM 501 | 3.0 | (UG) Social Science Elective | 3.0 | ||||
| (UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | ||||||
| DIGM 510 | 3.0 | ||||||
| 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Fourth Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| DIGM 490 | 3.0 | DIGM 491 | 1.0 | DIGM 490 | 3.0 | ||
| DIGM 491 | 1.0 | DIGM 490 | 3.0 | DIGM 491 | 1.0 | ||
| (UG) Animation Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Animation Elective | 3.0 | DIGM 475 | 3.0 | ||
| (UG) Arts and Humanities Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Social Science Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Arts and Humanities Elective | 3.0 | ||
| (UG) Social Science Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Free Electives | 6.0 | (UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | ||
| (UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | DIGM 540 | 3.0 | DIGM 511 | 3.0 | ||
| (GR) Digital Media Specialization | 3.0 | DIGM 540 | 3.0 | ||||
| 19 | 19 | 19 | |||||
| Fifth Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| DIGM 591 | 2.0 | DIGM 591 | 2.0 | DIGM 591 | 2.0 | ||
| DIGM 680 | 1.0 | DIGM 680 | 1.0 | DIGM 680 | 1.0 | ||
| (GR) Digital Media Specialization | 3.0 | (GR) Digital Media Specialization | 3.0 | (GR) Digital Media Specialization | 3.0 | ||
| (GR) Elective | 3.0 | (GR) Elective | 3.0 | (GR) Elective | 3.0 | ||
| 9 | 9 | 9 | |||||
| Total Credits 232 | |||||||
5+0 Co-terminal Accelerated Program, Fall-Winter COOP Cycle
| First Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| ANIM 100 | 3.0 | ANIM 110 | 3.0 | ANIM 141 | 3.0 | VACATION | |
| DIGM 105 | 3.0 | ANIM 140 | 3.0 | ANIM 220 | 3.0 | ||
| ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | COOP 101 | 1.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | ||
| PHYS 170 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
| PHYS 171 | 1.0 | PHYS 175 | 3.0 | MATH 101 | 4.0 | ||
| UNIV A101 (Department Specific) | 1.0 | PHYS 176 | 1.0 | VSST 109 | 3.0 | ||
| VSST 110 | 3.0 | UNIV A101 (Program Specific) | 1.0 | (UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | ||
| VSST 108 | 3.0 | ||||||
| 17 | 18 | 20 | 0 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ANIM 155 | 3.0 | ANIM 212 | 3.0 | ||
| ANIM 211 | 3.0 | ANIM 215 | 3.0 | ||||
| SCRP 270 | 3.0 | IDM 100 | 3.0 | ||||
| GMAP 260 | 3.0 | VSST 111 | 3.0 | ||||
| VSST 210 | 3.0 | (UG) Art History Elective | 3.0 | ||||
| (UG) Free Elective | 4.0 | (UG) Free Elective | 4.0 | ||||
| 0 | 0 | 19 | 19 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ANIM 221 | 3.0 | ANIM 231 | 3.0 | ||
| ANIM 214 | 3.0 | ANIM 250 | 3.0 | ||||
| CS 171 | 3.0 | COM 230 | 3.0 | ||||
| (UG) Art History Elective | 3.0 | DIGM 350 | 3.0 | ||||
| (UG) Free Elective | 4.0 | FMVD 206 | 3.0 | ||||
| DIGM 501 | 3.0 | DIGM 510 | 3.0 | ||||
| DIGM 591 | 2.0 | ||||||
| 0 | 0 | 19 | 20 | ||||
| Fourth Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ARTH 300 | 3.0 | DIGM 451 | 3.0 | ||
| (UG) Animation Electives | 6.0 | (UG) Animation Elective | 3.0 | ||||
| (UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Arts and Humanities Elective | 3.0 | ||||
| DIGM 511 | 3.0 | (UG) Social Science Elective | 3.0 | ||||
| DIGM 540 | 3.0 | DIGM 540 | 3.0 | ||||
| DIGM 591 | 2.0 | DIGM 591 | 2.0 | ||||
| (GR) Digital Media Specialization | 3.0 | ||||||
| 0 | 0 | 20 | 20 | ||||
| Fifth Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| DIGM 490 | 3.0 | DIGM 490 | 3.0 | DIGM 490 | 3.0 | ||
| DIGM 491 | 1.0 | DIGM 491 | 1.0 | DIGM 491 | 1.0 | ||
| (UG) Animation Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Animation Elective | 3.0 | DIGM 475 | 3.0 | ||
| (UG) Arts and Humanities Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Social Science Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Arts and Humanities Elective | 3.0 | ||
| (UG) Social Science Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | (UG) Free Elective | 3.0 | ||
| DIGM 680 | 1.0 | DIGM 680 | 1.0 | DIGM 680 | 1.0 | ||
| (GR) Digital Media Specialization | 3.0 | (GR) Digital Media Specialization | 3.0 | (GR) Digital Media Specialization | 3.0 | ||
| (GR) Directed Studies | 3.0 | (GR) Directed Studies | 3.0 | (GR) Directed Studies | 3.0 | ||
| 20 | 20 | 20 | |||||
| Total Credits 232 | |||||||
