The MA in Animation provides a combination of artistic and technical training that prepares students for a future in traditional and 3D animation, computer game art, pre-production, motion graphics, and visual effects.
Concentrations
3D Animation
The 3D Animation concentration is for students interested in 3D animated film making. Students will learn all the 3D tools necessary to realize their cinematic vision, including the most current approaches to 3D animation, modeling, texturing, lighting, rigging, visual effects, compositing, and rendering. Students will complement their 3D studies with a solid foundation in studio art, visual design, art history, and traditional approaches to cinematic film making.
Motion Graphics
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.
Storyboarding and Character Design
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, so a drawing portfolio is a crucial part of application to this concentration.
Technical Artist Concentration
The Technical Artist Concentration prepares students for a range of technical roles, from the complex jobs of riggers, next generation modelers and motion capture artists to the hybrid specialization of the Technical Artist. A game industry Technical Artist is an art department member who serves as a bridge between art and engineering. In the film and television CGI animation and VFX industries the Technical Artist is more commonly referred to as a Technical Director or Technical Animator.
Traditional Animation
The Traditional Animator Concentration is for students who are interested in deepening their knowledge of traditional animation, including hand-drawn, stop motion, and hybrid methods, with an eye towards a production career in animation. Students in this concentration will have training in the history, critical artistic issues, and fundamental principles that are necessary for animation artists. MA in Animation graduates will be prepared for many varied career options available to animators, including storyboard artists, visual development artists, layout artists, character animators, and commercial animators.
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| Degree Requirements | 52 |
| Total hours required | 52 |
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Examine the historical foundations of animation, and analyze the relationships between animation and other arts.
- Utilize critical and historical analysis to inform their specific area of study.
- Apply essential concepts and utilize tools necessary for 3D production including modeling, lighting, texturing and rendering.
- Demonstrate a high level of competence in 2D or 3D animation technique.
- Implement the use of storyboarding, animatics, and essential pre-production techniques to develop a film concept.
- Produce animated films both collaboratively and as solo ventures.
Degree Requirements
Course Requirements
Course requirements are determined by the concentration selected.
No Introductory Course may be substituted for any other course at any level.
Degree Requirements
Students in this degree program must meet the following requirements:
- Complete a minimum of 52 graduate credit hours in the designated program.
- Complete all graduate courses and requirements listed in the designated degree program.
- Earn a grade of C- or better in all graduate courses of the designated degree program.
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
- Students pursuing a second (or more) graduate degree may not double count or retake any course that applied toward the completion of a prior graduate degree. If a required course in the second degree was already completed and applied toward a previous degree, the student must meet with a faculty advisor to discuss a new course to be completed and substituted in the new degree. This rule also applies to cross-listed courses, which are considered to be the same course but offered under different subjects.
- Students pursuing a second master's degree must complete a minimum of 52 graduate credit hours beyond their first designated degree program in addition to any required introductory courses in their second designated degree program.
Students with a GPA of 3.9 or higher will graduate with distinction.
For DePaul's policy on repeat graduate courses and a complete list of academic policies see the DePaul Graduate Handbook in the Course Catalog.