DePaul University Adds 2 Animation Programs

DePaul University in Chicago has added two new degree programs in computer animation as part of the College of Computing and Digital Media’s School of Cinema and Interactive Media offerings. According to officials, the new programs were added in part due to a rising demand in the digital arts industries for animators, citing a U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics report that shows jobs in the multimedia artist and animator field are expected to increase by more than 47 percent during the next eight years. The university also cited student demand as another factor in the decision. The university already has more than 25 different animation courses offered in the current quarter, with more than 500 students currently enrolled in them. Since January, students have had the option to major in two undergraduate programs in animation at DePaul, one a bachelor of arts, the other a bachelor of science. This spring, nearly 40 students have declared majors in animation, and approximately 60 animation majors are expected to enroll by this fall, officials say. The bachelor of arts degree in animation is a broad-based exploration of different animation techniques including 3D, hand-drawn, stop-motion, and Flash animation skills for the web, as well as imparting a basic art foundation for the moving image. The program also offers electives in experimental animation methods. The bachelor of science degree contains many of the same foundational components, but is more focused on 3D computer animation and modeling. The science degree is also part of DePaul’s “Game Dev,” a team-based multidisciplinary approach to game development, in which students work alongside game programmers and designers in project-based courses. For more information, visit www.cim.depaul.edu.