The BFA in Animation provides students with a solid foundation in the art of animation and its history combined with insight into the latest techniques used in the rapidly-moving fields of high end 3D animation in the film, television, and game development industries.
Concentrations
3D Animation
The area of 3D animation dominates the film industry—five of the twenty-one top grossing films of 2017 were 3D animated, and eight of the top ten were heavily dependent on 3D animation for special effects.
Cinema Concentration
The technically demanding art of modern 3D character animation is grounded in the core fundamentals of animation mechanics, visual storytelling and acting. Right from the start, students in the Cinema Animation concentration gain hands-on experience bringing digital characters to life. They are given in-depth instruction in the most up-to-date software and technology available, including motion capture and green screen, but the emphasis is always on creativity, experimentation and expression.
Game Art Concentration
Becoming a game development artist requires a solid foundation in animation, visual design principles, color theory, and drawing. Students in the Game Art concentration also receive in-depth instruction in the latest advanced game modeling and animation technology and practices, including motion capture, rigging and digital sculpting. They learn about real-world problem-solving, team dynamics, and pipeline requirements while working alongside programmers and game designers on cross-disciplinary game development projects.
Motion Graphics Concentration
Motion Graphics, sometimes known as Motion Design, involves putting graphic forms, text, and photographic elements into motion using the principles of animation. These are almost always paired with sound and music for a specific purpose, such as in advertisements, educational and industrial videos, films and television titles, visual effects, and video games. Chicago is a major center for commercial advertising production, and Motion Graphics is a significant part of the commercial production and post-production process.
Storyboarding and Character Design Concentration
Storyboard artists are in demand in the television and feature film animation industries. A storyboard artist can also find work storyboarding live action films, visual effects, and commercials. The skills of the storyboard artist can also be applied to graphic novels and comics. Character design is a much sought-after role in animation, game art, live action film, comics, and children’s literature. Both disciplines share a requirement for strong traditional drawing skills.
Visual Effects Animation Concentration
The VFX Animation concentration in the Animation BFA deals with the artistic creation and animation of computer-generated 3D creatures, vehicles, objects, and environments for use in the live action film and television industries. Think of the T-Rex from Jurassic Park, the AT-ATs of Rogue One, or the future Los Angeles of Blade Runner 2049. The concentration combines a solid animation foundation with specialized VFX courses. VFX careers in live action film and television require skills ranging broadly from live action compositing to 3D character animation. Skilled VFX artists are in high demand within the feature film, television, commercial, and new media industries. This concentration complements the VFX concentration in the Film & Television BFA, which is balanced more towards live action production.
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| Liberal Studies Requirements | 52 |
| Major Requirements | 138-142 |
| Open Electives | 18-22 |
| Total Hours Required | 208 |
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.
- Acquire animation skills necessary for careers in game development, 3D and 2D animated films, television or effects animation.
- Implement the use of storyboarding, animatics, and essential pre-production techniques to develop a film concept.
- Develop research practices as a foundation for their own art and design.
- 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.
| First Year Program | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Quarter | ||
| LSP 110 or LSP 111 | DISCOVER CHICAGO or EXPLORE CHICAGO | 4 |
| Focal Point | ||
| Not Required | ||
| 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 135, MAT 136, MAT 147, MAT 148, MAT 149, MAT 150, MAT 151, MAT 152 MAT 155, MAT 156, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 162 MAT 170, MAT 171, MAT 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)
- 2 Courses Required from the following list:
Historical Inquiry (HI)
- 1 Course Required
Math and Computing (MC)
-
Not Required
Philosophical Inquiry (PI)
- 1 Course Required
Religious Dimensions (RD)
- 1 Course Required
Scientific Inquiry (SI)
- 1 Lab Course Required
Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)
- 1 Course Required
Notes
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.
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
Students must complete the requirements from one (1) of the following concentrations: 3D Animation, Cinema, Game Art, Motion Graphics, Storyboarding and Character Design, or Visual Effects Animation
Degree Requirements
Students in this degree must meet the following requirements: