ART 120 - Introduction to Drawing
3 credits/4 contact hours
This course is an introduction to the problems, techniques, and materials of drawing. Each class project will focus on a different aspect of visual perception, composition, and artists’ materials. The aim of the course is to develop an understanding of the technical and aesthetic issues involved in composing drawings. Students will complete a research project, which analyzes the work of an artist in relation to the topics covered in class.
ART 122 - Drawing for Animation
3 credits/4 contact hours
This course covers the foundational drawing skills used in animation historically and today by creating
the visual guides used to create animation and traditional film, character sheets and storyboards.
Students will learn to translate vision to paper, putting a concept into a format that others can understand
and work from. Traditional drawing skills and their role in current animation is explored, as
well as drawing skills and their role in gaming and traditional film. The primary focus of this course is
to develop the skills used in today’s computer animation.
Prerequisite: ART 120
ART 126 - Foundations of Design
3 credits/3 contact hours
This fine arts course provides the fundamentals of artistic design including the concepts of color theory, balance, visual weight, and scale. As a result, it is a foundation course for a variety of design-related fields, including web design and other forms of digital media and publication design. Students will complete hands-on art projects as they study and practice the elements of design.
ART 136 - Digital Photography
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course serves as an introduction to digital photography as an art form. Emphasis is placed on fundamental techniques of the digital camera and digital editing. The course covers the operation of digital cameras with manual functions, digital editing, digital printing, studio lighting, and image composition. The course also covers the use of computers, image-editing software, and printers. Students will create portfolios of their work, and engage in critical analysis of their own and others’ photographs. For this course, students are required to own, or have access to, a digital camera with manual exposure control, and to be familiar with the basic operation of a digital camera.
MUL 110 - Digital Imaging
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course explores the fundamentals of image editing and object creation. Topics covered in this course include imaging and design methods, pixel manipulation, and use of specific color modes. Students apply graphic techniques using basic concepts of Adobe Photoshop software.
MUL 122 - Digital Illustration
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of illustration in the digital environment using
Adobe Illustrator software. Students will explore the various features of vector based drawings using
current illustration software. Use of Bezier curves and control of vector based creation tools will be
practiced with an emphasis on the creation of quality digital illustrations.
MUL 125 - Intermediate Graphic Design
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course takes the fundamental concepts and practices of Foundations of Design (ART 126) and Digital Imaging (MUL 110) courses and expands on their application in real world situations. Students use current design software to create graphics and documents for web and print media. An emphasis is placed on developing an understanding of layout and design in the digital environment.
Prerequisites: ART 126 and MUL 110
MUL 126 - Typography
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course provides an introduction to the art of typography with an emphasis placed on fundamental
type design techniques including: type rendering, letter spacing, type and headline groupings, type
relationships, type images and type applications. The course includes letter forms and their use in
visual communications, image composition, portfolio development, and critical analysis. This course
utilizes current layout and design software.
Prerequisite: ART 126
MUL 130 - Motion Graphics
3 credits/3 contact hours
Students study storyboard layout and how it plays a role in animation. Topics covered in this course include design and the design process, animation throughout history, and animation development. Students apply animation techniques using current industry software.
Prerequisite: ART 120
MUL 140 - Web Graphics
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course will teach students the design concepts and skills required to create and modify effective
web graphics, using industry standard software. Topics include: graphic formats, color palettes,
compression, text as graphics, image slicing, image optimization, and animation. Course concepts and
skills are learned through hands-on exercises and projects. Students will create original backgrounds,
banners, navigation and other design elements, as well as advanced graphics such as rollovers, fly-out
menus, and animation.
Prerequisites: WEB 131 and MUL 110
MUL 170 - Introduction to Game Development
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course provides an introduction to 3D game design and level editing. Building a game level will
show the student several concepts including: aesthetic and game flow considerations, controlling
game environment, scripting, texture and model creation/ importing, and shader use. Students will
be introduced to the construction and implementation of their own textures and game assets for use
in the game, as well as game story development.
MUL 175 - Texturing & Lighting
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course focuses on the visual refinement of 3D lighting, texturing, and rendering. Artistic applications of the lighting and texturing and the difference in final output they create are explored. Students will enhance their knowledge of 3D modeling and animation through the use of realistic textures and the development of atmospheres using various lighting techniques.
Prerequisite: MUL 110
MUL 180 - 2D Game Design
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course is intended to describe the basics of 2D game design and level editing. Students will design
and create 2D graphics, use specific styles and themes, create animated symbols, action scripting,
and use common external code classes to control game play. Students will be focused on the role
that scripting plays in games, and adjusting existing code to create their own unique module from the
provided code samples. Students will design the game environment and the success of the module to
operate as designed.
MUL 185 - 3D Game Design
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course will familiarize students with the creation and editing tools used in commercial 3D game
design. Students will create graphical environments and models, program behavior and functionality,
and work within a Quality Assurance environment.
Prerequisite: MUL 170
MUL 190 – Introduction to Mobile Application Design
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course introduces students to the design of mobile device applications. Students will learn the
skills to design, code, and publish applications for mobile devices development using a mobile OS
Software Development Kit (SDK). Current industry techniques and best practice examples will be
utilized to create a functional mobile application structure. Each student will develop a prototype
and demonstrate the user experience.
Prerequisites: WEB 131 and MUL 110
MUL 200 - Topics in Digital Media
3 credits/3 contact hours
This hands-on course explores a specialized topic in Digital Media. Students will learn the fundamentals
of the topic, including general principles and techniques, the use and application of materials and
tools, and relevant vocabulary. The goal is to increase the student’s awareness of the current techniques
and trends in the field of Digital Media.
Prerequisite: MUL 110
MUL 202 – Digital Page Layout
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course introduces students to the topic of page layout for print and digital distribution. Students
apply digital page layout skills to create the materials most widely required in the communications
field. Students are exposed to concepts such as the importance of proper page layout, page layout
planning, capturing content, font management and cross platform compatibility, proper image preparation,
color management (including spot color specification), and file preparation for output. Also
covered will be industry standards, page layout terminology, and page proofing.
Prerequisites: MUL110 and MUL 125
MUL 210 - Advanced Digital Imaging
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course provides advanced techniques using pixel based and vector based image editing software, as well as instruction in computer graphics hardware usage, design and the professional environment. Students will receive training in generating vector graphics for illustrations and preparing work for professional printing.
Prerequisite: MUL 110
MUL 225 - 3D Modeling and Character Animation
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course builds upon the concepts of 3D computer modeling and character creation. Students will explore animating characters and creating personality in those characters, with a focus on sketching and development of objects and characters through storyboarding to actual models. Animating through pivot points and the use of bones is practiced and compared.
Prerequisite: MUL 110
MUL 230 - Computer Animation
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course explores the history of animation and the impact of digital animation on film making.
Students study the process of developing a concept from sketch to screen, building scenes, lighting
and texturing, and integration of sound. The fundamentals of animation, such as storyboarding,
timing, and staging will be emphasized. Students use industry standard software to create a complete
animation.
Prerequisite: MUL 130.
MUL 265 - Advanced Computer Animation
3 credits/3 contact hours
This course is the culmination of the animation skills learned in the foundational courses. Students
will use skills gained in previous courses to create a project animation as a production team where
cooperative and organizational skills are stressed and put into practice. Emphasis is on developing the
skills and techniques to create rich, coherent, and impactful animations. Students will refine animations
from previous courses for inclusion in their portfolio.
Prerequisites: MUL 225 and MUL 230.
MUL 290 - Digital Media Internship
3 credits/3contact hours
This course provides the student an opportunity to integrate classroom theory and knowledge with
the daily practices of a firm or studio working in the field of Digital Media. The course is designed
to promote professional development by providing challenging and valuable work experience and
prepare students for future careers in the animation or graphic design fields. In addition to field
work, students are also required work with their faculty sponsor and to submit written assignments
on a regular basis. Students are expected to spend a minimum of 135 hours working in the field and
complete written assignments related to the experience. Prerequisites: MUL 125 or MUL 225, a
cumulative GPA of 3.0, with at least 30 credits earned in the program of study and permission of the
Department Chair.
WEB 131 – Web Development I
3 credits/3 contact hours
This hands-on course covers the fundamentals of developing and authoring a web site from initial design to implementation. Course topics include markup and display languages such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), as well as presentation languages such as Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). The course focuses on the use of current industry best practices to develop web sites for accessibility and usability.