M.S. in Computer Graphics and Animation 2002

The M.S. in Computer Graphics and Animation is a study of the technical and aesthetic foundations, design and development of Computer Graphics. This program prepares students for technical careers in the graphics industry. Several fundamental principles provide the basis for this curriculum:

• Computer graphics professionals, no matter their area of specialty, will need a solid grounding in both perception and technology.
• To be successful in the workplace, computer graphics professionals will need to be able to work well in multidisciplinary environments.
• To inculcate the flexibility required to adapt to rapid changes in technology and industry norms, students will need to be well versed in the foundations of the discipline.
• Practical experience must be coupled with theory to prepare students for the workplace.

The degree has five components:

• Prerequisite Phase   
• Fundamental Phase  
• Core Phase  
• Advanced Phase
• Electives

• Develop a sensitivity to human perception, including a comprehension of fundamental design concepts, color theory, and the interaction of light with surfaces;
• Build a deep understanding of such technical concepts as interaction design, modeling objects, controlling cameras, rigging characters for animation and using particle and surface techniques;
• Learn to apply perceptual and technical abilities in creating shaders, textures, characters, scenes and animations;
• Acquire hands-on experience with a wide range of commercially-available tools;
• Develop a grasp of fundamentals that allow implementations beyond the extant user interfaces; and
• Become appreciative of the two “cultures” of computer graphics – the one drawing on communication design and the other deriving from computer science.

The degree program offers two concentrations: a Technical Director concentration and a Developer concentration. While both concentrations have a balance of technical and aesthetic, the Technical Director will have a greater emphasis on the aesthetic while the Developer concentration will focus on the technical. After graduation, Technical Directors will be ready for jobs assisting Creative Directors in such activities as creating virtual sets, adjusting lighting and rigging characters for animation. Developers will learn technologies for graphics systems development, including game engines and plug-ins.

The M.S. in Computer Graphics program consists of 13 courses with six or seven prerequisite courses. Students choosing the Technical Director concentration take six courses while students taking the Developer concentration take seven courses.

Grade and GPA requirements

Grades: Students must receive a grade of B- or better in each prerequisite course and a C- or better in all other courses. 

GPA: Students must maintain a graduate level GPA of 2.50 or higher while pursuing their degree. Students will not be approved for graduation with less than a 2.50 GPA. Students with a GPA of 3.75 and a designation of distinction on the core examinations will graduate with distinction.

Prerequisite Phase

The courses in the Prerequisite Phase for the MS in Computer Graphics and Animation are:

*CSC 224 is equivalent to both CSC 211 and CSC 212. Only students with experience in programming languages should take CSC 224.

By taking these courses and receiving a grade of a B- or better in each, the student will have completed the requirements of the Prerequisite Phase. All or part of the Prerequisite Phase may be waived if a student has the equivalent academic background. Alternatively, students with practical experience may complete a Graduate Assessment Examination (GAE) to show competency in a prerequisite. All students are blocked from enrolling in Core Knowledge Phase courses prior to completing their prerequisites. The student must submit a Change of Status request when the Prerequisite Phase is completed to inform the Student Services offices that the block can be removed. The form must be submitted two weeks before the student intends to register for graduate level classes. The student will then be considered a fully admitted student, and may pass to the Core Knowledge Phase of the program.

Fundamental Phase

The courses in the Fundamental Phase for the MS in Computer Graphics and Animation are:

Core Phase

The Core Knowledge Phase courses for the MS in Computer Graphics and Animation are:

Advanced Phase

The Advanced Phase courses for the MS in Computer Graphics and Animation are:

Elective Courses

Students in this program will have 3 electives to be chosen from the following list