COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Applied Arts (BAA) in Media Arts with a concentration in Animation is a 120-credit-hour program designed to prepare students for professional careers in animation, visual effects, gaming, film, television, and digital media production. The curriculum combines artistic creativity with advanced digital technology, enabling students to develop the technical and creative skills required in today's entertainment and media industries. Students complete 34–35 credit hours of general education coursework along with 21 credit hours of Media Arts core courses that provide foundational knowledge in media arts, media aesthetics, digital media software, sound production, professional practices, business development, legal issues, portfolio creation, and hands-on practicum experiences. The Animation concentration consists of 54 credit hours of specialized coursework focused on drawing, design, storytelling, animation production, character development, visual effects, and digital content creation. Students begin by building fundamental artistic skills through foundation drawing, life drawing, digital design, and art history courses before advancing into professional animation studies. Specialized courses include Computer Modeling, Digital Animation I, II, and III, Video Storytelling, Storyboarding, Rigging, Compositing and Visual Effects, Acting for Digital Arts, Scriptwriting, Graphic Design Applications, and either Clay Modeling or Digital Sculpting. These courses help students master the complete animation production pipeline, from concept development and character creation to animation, visual effects, and final production. A mandatory Mid Program Review evaluates student progress after completion of approximately half the degree requirements, ensuring readiness for advanced coursework. Students must earn a minimum grade of C in all designated required courses and complete additional electives that may include a minor or specialized area of study. The program also incorporates applied learning as a graduation requirement through a sequence of practicum courses that provide hands-on industry experience, portfolio development, and real-world project work. Graduates leave the program with strong artistic, technical, storytelling, and production skills, preparing them for careers as animators, visual effects artists, storyboard artists, game artists, motion graphics designers, digital content creators, and other creative professionals in the rapidly expanding digital entertainment industry.