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CDM Home > Academics > BA in Animation

BA in Animation

Bachelor of Arts 2011-2012

Animation

The BA in Animation at DePaul CDM emphasizes solid traditional animation and storytelling skills, while encouraging experimentation in form, content and medium. Students are free to work in hand-drawn, stop-motion, cut-out and 3D computer animation. They may produce hybrid forms fully integrated with live action video, draw web-based shorts inspired by Hollywood or anime, or design motion graphics for film titles and commercials.

Students will gain a broad foundation in the rich history of the art form, drawing and design skills, and prepare for the future under the guidance of faculty with professional experience in television, film, art and interactive media. Students will have access to the latest in animation technology, computing systems, and software. Students will gain valuable production experience both in class and through internships, and benefit from CDM’s relationship with Chicago’s many animation and production studios.
Online Learning Options
Some courses are available for review and playback via the CDM Course Online playback system (COL). If a course is COL-enabled, any student registered in the course has access to the course playback. Students are strongly encouraged to utilize the COL resource wherever available. Some undergraduate courses are offered online. However, CDM currently does not offer any undergraduate program completely online. For more information on online learning at CDM visit the Online Learning page.
Course Requirements
Liberal Studies
The Liberal Studies program is the general education portion of the curriculum at DePaul University. Students must earn a grade of D or better in all courses taken to satisfy these requirements. The only exception is the Capstone course which is considered also a major requirement and in which students need to earn a C- or better.

Students may choose to take some CDM courses that carry Liberal Studies credit but they cannot double count them if they are part of the major requirements. A complete list of courses that carry Liberal Studies credit can be found on the Liberal Studies website along with an overview of the Liberal Studies requirements for this program . Students can search for courses that satisfy a particular Liberal Studies requirement on campusconnect.

Note Students must complete an ethics class as one of the Philosophical Inquiry or Religious Dimensions requirements. In this sample schedule the ethics requirement replaces one of the Philosophical Inquiry requirements.

Students must complete the eight credit hour Mathematical and Technological Literacy requirement which is both LSP 120 and LSP 121. LSP 121 may replace one course from any one of the six Learning Domains as long as the student takes at least one course in each domain. In this sample schedule it replaces one Religious Dimensions requirement.

The representation of these course requirements on a year-by-year basis is just a suggestion. Students are free to take these courses in any order they choose, provided they have mastered the course-specific prerequisites.
Course Legend
First Year
GD 105
ANI 201*
ANI 206
DC 201
DC 220
ART 218
* ANI 101 allowed for transfers
Liberal Studies Requirements
ART 106
LSP 110
OR LSP 111
LSP 112
WRD 103
WRD 104
1 Self, Society, and the Modern World
Second Year
ANI 220
ANI 230
ANI 231
ANI 320
DC 210
ART 318
Liberal Studies Requirements
LSP 120
LSP 121
LSP 200
1 Arts & Literature
1 Self Society and the Modern World
1 Understanding the Past
Third Year
ANI 240
ANI 340
ANI 222
DC 215
MCS 207
OR MCS 208
OR MCS 209
2 Major Electives
2 Open Electives
Liberal Studies Requirements
1 Junior Year Experiential Learning
1 Philosophical Inquiry (Ethics)
DC 233
OR ART 200
Fourth Year
ANI 260
ANI 394
ANI 395 (Capstone)
2 Major Electives
2 Open Electives
Liberal Studies Requirements
1 Scientific Inquiry
1 Understanding the Past
1 Self Society and the Modern World
1 Philosophical Inquiry
1 Religious Dimensions
Major Electives
Major Electives can be chosen from any ANI, DC, GAM, GD, GPH, IM, VFX, TV or ART courses except the following: ART 102, ART 104, ART 105, DC 120, GPH 211.

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

Open Electives
Open Electives may be taken from any unit at DePaul. These are the only courses that may be taken under the pass/fail option (see the DePaul Undergraduate Course Catalogue for details). Students must earn a grade of D or higher in all open elective courses. Courses that satisfy a CDM minor or other minors are normally credited as open electives.
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 all Major courses (excluding Liberal Studies courses and Open Electives)
  • maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
Students who earn a cumulative DePaul University GPA:
  • between 3.500 and 3.699 will be graduated cum laude
  • between 3.700 and 3.849 will be graduated magna cum laude
  • of at least 3.850 will be graduated summa cum laude
For DePaul's policy on repeat courses and a complete list of academic policies see the DePaul Undergraduate Handbook in the Course Catalog.