Introduction

Please click here to see general Visual Arts information.

The 3D graphics and animation emphasis is a competitive and rigorous four-year curriculum focused on preparing students to work in a wide variety of fields that use animated digital computer graphics (CG), including entertainment, film and television, gaming, medicine, and science.

Program Delivery

• This is an on-campus program.
• The 3D graphics and animation emphasis courses (DACD 2810-4820 below) are billed at a different rate than the standard course tuition due to the state-of-the-art technology used in the classroom. For more information regarding this rate, contact the College of Arts & Media at CAM@ucdenver.edu. 

Declaring This Major

• Click here to go to information about declaring a major.
• Students who are applying for entrance into the 3D graphics and animation emphasis must submit a portfolio, as described below. The 3D graphics and animation emphasis accepts applications only once per year. Students who meet the requirements and are accepted will be able to register for advanced 3D animation courses.

Eligibility

Students are eligible to apply to the 3D graphics and animation emphasis after completing the following courses with a grade of C (2.0) or better each and a minimum overall animation course GPA of 2.8:

• FINE 1810 Digital 3D Foundations 
• FINE 1820 Animation Foundations 

Please note that FINE 1810 Digital 3D Foundations and FINE 1820 Animation Foundations are billed at regular tuition rates.

Portfolio Application Requirements

The student's application must be submitted electronically in the Spring no later than the first Saturday before Finals Week. Detailed instructions are provided during the spring semester in FINE 1810 Digital 3D Foundations and FINE 1820 Animation Foundations. Selection for entrance into the 3D graphics and animation emphasis is a competitive process (by faculty review) that requires:

• Submission by the candidate of a "Portfolio Demo Reel". The reel must include original works from FINE 1810 Digital 3D Foundations and FINE 1820 Animation Foundations as well as representative works created in other visual arts courses completed during the first year of the program. The Portfolio Demo Reel must be turned in as a shareable link to a video sharing website like Vimeo or YouTube. Still work should be a component of the reel and should be on screen for at least 3 seconds but no more than 10 seconds. Name and contact information should appear at the beginning and end of the reel. The reel should not be greater in length than 1.5 minutes.
• A "breakdown sheet" that lists the following: the run time at which the work occurs, and which describes what work is included on the submission reel, and, if collaborative in nature, what aspect of the work shown was created by the applicant. Turn in as a PDF file only please.
• A one- to two-page double-spaced written statement regarding the applicant's aspirations as a productive and contributing member of the 3D graphics and animation cohort and the CG community as a whole. Turn in as a PDF file or in the description of the video.
• Information of where to submit the DAC Portfolio Application will be provided duringFINE 1810 and FINE 1820 Animation Foundations. 

Students should show only their best work and show the very best work first. Students should be selective since reels may only be 1.5 minutes long. Music may be included in reels, but will not be considered part of the portfolio.

For more portfolio information, please see the College of Arts & Media 3D graphics and animation website and the Digital Animation Center website, or contact jeremy.d.brown@ucdenver.edu.

Transfer Students

If you are an eligible transfer student, please email contact jeremy.d.brown@ucdenver.edu to arrange your portfolio submission before the deadline on the Friday after Finals Week in May. 

If you are a transfer student and transferring into 3D Graphics and Animation after the portfolio submission deadline, please email jeremy.d.brown@ucdenver.edu for information on how to submit your portfolio. 

General Requirements

To earn a degree, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the areas below, in addition to their individual major requirements.

• CU Denver General Graduation Requirements
• CU Denver Core Curriculum
• College of Arts & Media Graduation Requirements
• Click here for information about Academic Policies

Program Requirements

1. A minimum of C (2.0) is required for each course applied toward a College of Arts & Media major, minor or certificate requirement. A grade of C- (1.7) or lower will not fulfill a major, minor or certificate requirement. A grade of S is acceptable only for courses in which the grading basis is S/U. No more than 6 semester hours of P+/P/F is allowed in any given semester. No more than 12 semester hours may be elected as P+/P/F toward the degree.
2. All upper-division visual arts courses must be taken at CU Denver unless approved otherwise by Department of Visual Arts faculty.
3. At least 27 semester hours of visual arts credits (at any level) must be taken at CU Denver.
4. At least 24 semester hours of total visual arts courses must be upper-division.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Pre-Portfolio
Take all of the following Pre-Portfolio courses:
FINE 1810	Digital 3D Foundations	3
FINE 1820	Animation Foundations	3
3D Graphics and Animation Emphasis
Take all of the following 3D Graphics and Animation Emphasis courses (available only to students accepted to emphasis via portfolio review):
DACD 2810	DAC: Modeling 1	3
DACD 2820	DAC: Surfacing and Lighting 1	3
FINE 2822	Digital Cinematography	3
DACD 2830	DAC: Surfacing and Lighting 2	3
or DACD 2850	DAC: Modeling 2
FINE 3841	Creating Visual Story - Narrative Techniques and Visual Design	3
DACD 3810	DAC: Production Practices	3
DACD 3820	Animation 1: Introduction to Animation and Rigging	3
DACD 3846	Production I	3
FINE 3850	DAC: Dynamic Simulation	3
or FINE 3845	DAC: Preproduction for Story
DACD 3830	Advanced Character Animation	3
DACD 4810	Production II	3
DACD 4820	Production III	3
Take all of the following courses:
FINE 1002	International Perspectives through Animation	3
FINE 1100	Drawing I	3
FINE 1500	Three-Dimensional Design	3
FINE 2155	Introduction to Digital Photography	3
or FINE 1150	Introduction to Darkroom Photography
FINE 2600	Art History Survey I	3
FINE 2610	Art History Survey II	3
FINE 4990	Contemporary Art: 1960 to Present	3
Or Upper Division Art History Elective
Take twelve semester hours of Visual Arts Electives. These may include studio, lecture, internship or art history courses.		12
Total Hours		75

Please contact the College of Arts & Media at CAM@ucdenver.edu for course sequencing, any prerequisite updates and for lists of approved electives and more information about this emphasis.

To review the Degree Map for this program, please visit our website.