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CDM-2024 - Animation_2

The BA in Animation focuses on 3D modeling and animation, hand-drawn animation, motion graphics, and stop-motion animation for game development, cinema, TV and interactive media.

Program Requirements Quarter Hours
Liberal Studies Requirements 84
Major Requirements 64
Open Electives 44
Total hours required 192

Learning Outcomes

​Students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a solid foundation in design and traditional studio art, and will be able to use these skills in order to communicate effectively through visual means.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the history of animation through written critical evaluation of animated films and be able to analyze work in a historical context.
  • Create work in a variety of animation techniques including hand-drawn, 3D animation, stop-motion and experimental methods.
  • Implement the use of storyboarding, animatics, and essential pre-production techniques to develop a film concept.
  • Discuss learning experiences across disciplines in the University and establish connections to their own animation practices.
  • Utilize their skills to produce a number of animated films culminating in a thesis animation in the media of their choosing.

Liberal Studies Requirements

Honors program requirements can be found in the individual Colleges & Schools section of the University Catalog. Select the appropriate college or school, followed by Undergraduate Academics and scroll down.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year ProgramHours
Chicago Quarter
LSP 110
DISCOVER CHICAGO
or EXPLORE CHICAGO
4
Focal Point
LSP 112 FOCAL POINT SEMINAR 4
Writing
WRD 103 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 1 4
WRD 104 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 1 4
Quantitative Reasoning
MAT 120 QUANTITATIVE REASONING 2 4
Sophomore Year
Race, Power, and Resistance
LSP 200 SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE 4
Junior Year
Experiential Learning
Required 4
Senior Year
Capstone
Required in major 1
1

Students must earn a C- or better in this course.

2

Readiness for MAT 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to MAT 120. Students who complete MAT 120 and both a Computational Reasoning course and a Statistical Reasoning course in the Math and Computing Learning Domain take one less Learning Domain course. Students may not apply the course reduction to any Domain where only one course is required, and cannot be applied to the Scientific Inquiry Learning Domain.  The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam or it may be fulfilled by credit for advanced math coursework earned  in-residence at DePaul (MAT 135MAT 136MAT 147MAT 148MAT 149MAT 150MAT 151MAT 152 MAT 155MAT 156MAT 160MAT 161MAT 162 MAT 170MAT 171MAT 172, or equivalent) or earned externally either as transfer credit from another college/university or as test credit through AP, CLEP, IB, or International A and A/S Level exams. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfill any of the three QR/MCD requirements.

Learning Domains

Arts and Literature (AL)

Historical Inquiry (HI)

  • 2 Courses Required 

Math and Computing (MC)

  • 1 CR Course or 1 SR Course Required

Philosophical Inquiry (PI)

  • 2 Courses Required (See note below)

Religious Dimensions (RD)

  • 2 Courses Required (See note below)

Scientific Inquiry (SI)

  • 1 Lab Course Required

Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)

  • 3 Courses Required
1

Students must earn a C- or better in this course. 

Note

Students must take one of the following ethics courses: CSC 208 (PI), FILM 228/GAM 228/IT 228 (PI), PHL 248/MGT 248 (PI), REL 228/MGT 228 (RD).

Specified required courses within Liberal Studies may have grade minimums (e.g. C- or better). Please consult your advisor or your college and major requirements.​​

Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major. Students who choose to take an experiential learning course offered by the major may count it either as a general elective or the Experiential Learning requirement.

In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.​

Major Requirements

First Year

Course Title Quarter Hours
ANI 105MOTION GRAPHICS FOUNDATIONS4
or ART 105 TWO-DIMENSIONAL FOUNDATIONS
or GD 105 INTRO TO VISUAL DESIGN
ANI 201ANIMATION I4
ANI 206HISTORY OF ANIMATION4
ANI 328ANIMATION FIGURE STUDY I4
or ART 218 FIGURE DRAWING
ART 106BEGINNING DRAWING 14
One (1) Major elective4
1

Students may apply for portfolio review to substitute ART 206 Intermediate Drawing for the ART 106 requirement.

 Second Year

Course Title Quarter Hours
Second Year
ANI 220STORYBOARDING I4
ANI 321ANIMATION MECHANICS4
ANI 364ANIMATION RESEARCH SEMINAR4
One (1) Major Elective4

Third Year 

Course Title Quarter Hours
Third Year
FILM 233CINEMA & ART4
or ANI 363 CINEMA AND ART FOR ANIMATORS
ANI 240INTRO TO ANIMATION PRODUCTION4
ANI 3402D ANIMATION PRODUCTION4
or ANI 342 3D ANIMATION PRODUCTION
or ANI 358 ADVANCED STOP MOTION ANIMATION
or ANI 360 3D MOTION GRAPHICS
or ANI 371 ANIMATED SERIES DEVELOPMENT
or ANI 382 DIGITAL PUPPET ANIMATION
ANI 341ADVANCED ANIMATION PRODUCTION4

Fourth Year 

Course Title Quarter Hours
Fourth Year
ANI 394ANIMATION PROJECT I4
ANI 395ANIMATION PROJECT II4

Major Electives 

Course Title Quarter Hours
ANI 2303D DESIGN & MODELING4
ANI 2313D ANIMATION4
ANI 315SOUND DESIGN FOR ANIMATION4
ANI 320HAND-DRAWN ANIMATION4
ANI 355STOP MOTION ANIMATION4
ANI 357HYBRID ANIMATION4
ANI 382DIGITAL PUPPET ANIMATION4
ILL 200ILLUSTRATION FOUNDATIONS4
POST 110EDITING I4
SCWR 101SCREENWRITING FOR MAJORS4
VFX 200INTRODUCTION TO VISUAL EFFECTS4

Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in all major elective courses.

Open Electives

Open elective credit also is required to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours.

Degree Requirements

Students in this degree must meet the following requirements:

  • Complete a minimum of 192 credit hours (generally 48 courses).
  • Earn a grade of C- or higher in WRD 103WRD 104, and all Major and Minor courses.
  • Earn a grade of D or higher in all other Liberal Studies and Open Elective courses.
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.

Program Combination Restrictions

Students pursuing the BA in Animation are forbidden from pursuing a Minor in Animation.