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MS in Computer Graphics and Motion Technology 
Students with a strong eye for visual design will find the Master of Science in Computer Graphics and Motion Technology appealing. This degree unites the technical and aesthetic principals of digitally created motion graphics and animation.
 

MS in Computer Graphics and Motion Technology 2009

The MS in Computer Graphics and Motion Technology 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.

What Students Learn From This Program

  • 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
  • Become appreciative of the two “cultures” of computer graphics – the one drawing on communication design and the other deriving from computer science

Concentrations



The degree program offers three concentrations: a Technical Director concentration, a Developer concentration and a Visualization concentration. While the Technical Director and Developer 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.

Course Requirements

The MS in Computer Graphics and Motion Technology 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.

The degree has five components :

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

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 3.85 or higher will graduate with distinction.


Program Requirements 2009


To view Graduate Program Requirements for previous years click here.
Master of Science in Computer Graphics and Motion Technology 2009
 

Prerequisite Phase
The courses in the Prerequisite Phase for the MS in Computer Graphics and Motion Technology are:
Technical Director & Developer Concentrations
 
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
√        HCI 402 Foundations of Digital Design    
√        GPH 212 Perceptual Principles for Digital Environments II   
√ √      IT 240 Introduction to Desktop Databases   Self Placement Test  
 
 
Technical Director Concentration
 
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
√ √      CSC 211 Programming in Java I   Self Placement Test  
√ √      and  CSC 212 Programming in Java II   
√ √      or  CSC 261 Programming Languages I: C/C++   
         and  CSC 262 Programming Languages II: C/C++   
√ √      or  CSC 224 Java for Programmers   Self Placement Test  
√ √      or  CSC 396 Programming in Java I and II   
√        GPH 259 Design Geometry   
 
The Technical Director prerequisite track requires two quarters of programming in either Java or C/C++ so students entering with prior course work in C++ will satisfy this requirement. Any TD student who wishes to eventually take courses in the Developer track as electives are encouraged to take the C++ programming track CSC 261 and CSC 262 to satisfy their prerequisite programming requirement.

Developer Concentration
 
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
√ √      CSC 261 Programming Languages I: C/C++   
         CSC 262 Programming Languages II: C/C++   
         CSC 393 Data Structures in C++   
√        MAT 150 Calculus I   
√        or  MAT 160 Calculus for Mathematics and Science Majors I   
√        or  MAT 170 Calculus I with Scientific Applications  * 
 
*MAT 170 Recommended

Visualization Concentration
 
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
√        HCI 402 Foundations of Digital Design   
√ √      IT 223 Data Analysis   
√ √      CSC 261 Programming Languages I: C/C++   
         CSC 262 Programming Languages II: C/C++   
         CSC 393 Data Structures in C++   
√        MAT 150 Calculus I   
√        or  MAT 160 Calculus for Mathematics and Science Majors I   
√        or  MAT 170 Calculus I with Scientific Applications  * 
         MAT 151 Calculus II   
         or  MAT 161 Calculus for Mathematics and Science Majors II   
         or  MAT 171 Calculus II with Scientific Applications [prereq  ** 
 
*Calculus 1, MAT 170 Recommended
**Calculus 2, MAT 171 Recommended

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 Foundation Phase courses prior to completing their prerequisites. The student must submit an online Change of Status request when the Prerequisite Phase is completed to inform the Student Services offices that the block can be removed. The online request 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 Graduate Phase of the program. Students may submit the Change of Status request by logging in to MyCDM.

Fundamental Phase
The courses in the Fundamental Phase for the Technical Director and Developer concentrations are:
 
 
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
√        HCI 470 Digital Page Formatting I   
√        GPH 425 Survey of Computer Graphics   
         GPH 438 Computer Animation Survey   
         GPH 448 Computer Graphics Scripting   
 
 
The courses in the Fundamental Phase for the Visualization concentration are:
 
 
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
√        HCI 470 Digital Page Formatting I   
√ √      HCI 440 Usability Engineering   
         CSC 431 Scientific Computing   
√        GPH 425 Survey of Computer Graphics   
√        GPH 436 Fundamentals of Computer Graphics   
 
 

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

Technical Director Concentration
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
         GPH 450 Digital Modeling I   
         HCI 422 Multimedia   
         GPH 560 Modeling Spaces   
√ √      HCI 440 Usability Engineering   
 
 
Developer Concentration
 
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
√        GPH 436 Fundamentals of Computer Graphics   
         GPH 469 Computer Graphics Development   
         GPH 572 Principles of Computer Animation   
 
 

Visualization Concentration
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
√ √      CSC 481 Introduction to Image Processing   
         GPH 469 Computer Graphics Development   
         GPH 572 Principles of Computer Animation   
 
 
 
Advanced Phase
The Advanced Phase courses for the MS in Computer Graphics and Motion Technology are:
Technical Director Concentration
 
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
√        GPH 565 Designing for Visualization   
√        GPH 539 Advanced Rendering Techniques   
 
 
Developer Concentration
 
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
√        GPH 539 Advanced Rendering Techniques   
√        GPH 570 Visualization   
         GPH 580 Hardware Shading Techniques   
 
 
Visualization Concentration
 
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
√        GPH 570 Visualization   
         GPH 580 Hardware Shading Techniques   
 
 
Elective Courses
Three Electives must be taken in the following areas. Elective courses must not have been otherwise used to satisfy degree requirements.
 
 
CDM Courses (2) - 420 level or above
GPH Course (1) - 420 level or above
At least one of the above 3 courses must be 500 level or above
Suggested Electives
 
Technical Director Concentration
 
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
√ √      CSC 421 Applied Algorithms and Structures   
√ √      CSC 423 Data Analysis and Regression   
         CSC 482 Applied Image Analysis   
         CSC 483 Information Processing Management   
         CSC 521 Monte Carlo Algorithms   
         GPH 448 Computer Graphics Scripting   
√        GPH 487 Forensic Animation   
         GPH 536 Smooth Surface Modeling for Graphics and Animation   
         GPH 540 Procedural Shading   
         GPH 575 Advanced Graphics Development   
 
 
Visualization Concentration
 
Offered Fall  
In class Online  
         GPH 438 Computer Animation Survey   
         GPH 450 Digital Modeling I   
√        GPH 539 Advanced Rendering Techniques   
         GPH 560 Modeling Spaces   
 
 
All courses in degree
 
  • CSC 211 Programming in Java I
  • CSC 212 Programming in Java II
  • CSC 224 Java for Programmers
  • CSC 261 Programming Languages I: C/C++
  • CSC 262 Programming Languages II: C/C++
  • CSC 393 Data Structures in C++
  • CSC 396 Programming in Java I and II
  • CSC 421 Applied Algorithms and Structures
  • CSC 423 Data Analysis and Regression
  • CSC 431 Scientific Computing
  • CSC 481 Introduction to Image Processing
  • CSC 482 Applied Image Analysis
  • CSC 483 Information Processing Management
  • CSC 521 Monte Carlo Algorithms
  • GPH 212 Perceptual Principles for Digital Environments II
  • GPH 259 Design Geometry
  • GPH 425 Survey of Computer Graphics
  • GPH 436 Fundamentals of Computer Graphics
  • GPH 438 Computer Animation Survey
  • GPH 448 Computer Graphics Scripting
  • GPH 450 Digital Modeling I
  • GPH 469 Computer Graphics Development
  • GPH 487 Forensic Animation
  • GPH 536 Smooth Surface Modeling for Graphics and Animation
  • GPH 539 Advanced Rendering Techniques
  • GPH 540 Procedural Shading
  • GPH 560 Modeling Spaces
  • GPH 565 Designing for Visualization
  • GPH 570 Visualization
  • GPH 572 Principles of Computer Animation
  • GPH 575 Advanced Graphics Development
  • GPH 580 Hardware Shading Techniques
  • HCI 402 Foundations of Digital Design
  • HCI 422 Multimedia
  • HCI 440 Usability Engineering
  • HCI 470 Digital Page Formatting I
  • IT 223 Data Analysis
  • IT 240 Introduction to Desktop Databases
  • MAT 150 Calculus I
  • MAT 151 Calculus II
  • MAT 160 Calculus for Mathematics and Science Majors I
  • MAT 161 Calculus for Mathematics and Science Majors II
  • MAT 170 Calculus I with Scientific Applications
  • MAT 171 Calculus II with Scientific Applications [prereq
 
Career Options: 

Students who have a passion for art and an interest in technology can find a number of exciting and challenging career paths in computer graphics and animation.

Computer graphics and animation specialists create visuals for video games, movies, television, advertising and various industries.

Computer graphic  artists may work on fantastic computerized special effects that push the limits of imagination or on digital rendering of real-life objects.

As the field becomes more sophisticated the industry seeks more individuals with highly specialized training in 3D animation,  lighting, digital painting and more.

Possible career options may include work in: 

  • Special Effects Design 
  • Mathematical Modeling
  • Technical Art and Design.
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