Bachelors Degree in Digital Media Technology

About the Animation and Visual Effects Minor

People that work in visual effects create images that appear to move and visual effects for various forms of media and entertainment. 

According the the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of multimedia artists and animators employment of special effects artists and animators is projected to grow 16 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 7,800 openings for special effects artists and animators are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Projected growth will be due to increased demand for animation and visual effects in video games, movies, and television. See the BLS.GOV Website for more information on this Career Path.

In the Bachelor’s of Science in Digital Media Technology at Eastern Illinois University students will learn in photo, video and visual effects courses, through hands on experience, how to do the following:

• Capture and edit photographs
• Capture and edit videos
• Create and manipulate 3D models
• Apply textures, lighting and effects to models and digital environments
• Apply visual effects tools and techniques
• Composite various content into various professional projects

Students will use in their coursework industry standard software as well as hardware such as SLR cameras, studio lighting equipment, drones, 360 cameras and other cutting edge equipment. This area of focus will prepare students to work in professions such as:

• Photography
• Visual effects in video production
• 3D Modeling
• Lighting, Texturing, and Rendering for digital projects
• Digital composition

This minor provides both the theoretical foundation and practical skill set for students to create animated and visual effects content for digital media, games, and interactive environments. Through a balance of courses in 3D modeling, animation, lighting and rendering, students learn to design and produce digital assets, animate characters and environments, and apply visual effects techniques to enhance narrative and interactive experiences. Coursework emphasizes indsutry-standard workflows and creative problem-solving, preparing students to contribute to animation and visual effects pipelines across a range of media and entertainment contexts.

The following coursework is offered in the Game Development and Interactive Media Minor:

18 Total Credit Hours

Required (6 Credit Hours):

• DGT 2123 - Introduction to Digital Photography. Credits: 3
• DGT 3013 - 2D Computer Animation. Credits: 3
  
  

Electives (12 Credit Hours):

• DGT 3313 - 3D Modeling for Digital Media. Credits: 3
• DGT 4123 - Advanced Digital Photography. Credits: 3
• DGT 4753 - Visual Effects. Credits: 3
• DGT 4773 - Lighting, Texturing, and Rendering. Credits: 3
• DGT 4933 - 3D Animation and Motion Capture. Credits: 3
• EGT 2043 - Computer-Aided Engineering Drawing. Credits: 3
• EGT 3063 - 3D Modeling. Credits: 3

Note:

No more than 12 semester hours counted toward this minor can be double counted with another minor or major.

For a complete listing of course descriptions please visit our courses page or undergradate catalog.

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