Drexel University - Art and Design Programs Profile

Degrees Offered: B. S. Animation and Visual Effects, Game Art and Production, Graphic Design, Web Development and Interaction Design; M. S. Digital Media

Tuition Information:  Undergraduate $41,500, graduate $24,000 for the 2011 – 2012 school year (graduate) and 2012 – 2013 school year (undergraduate).  Tuition does not include undergraduate fees of $2,300 per year or graduate fees of $520 per year.

Contact Information:
3141 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215.895.2000
www.drexel.edu/

Scope of Program:

Animation and Visual Effects students at Drexel University complete core art courses in art history, design history, design for media, drawing and figure drawing.  They then concentrate on computer programming, shooting and lighting, screenwriting, typography, computer graphic imagery, audio production and post-production, digital storytelling, multimedia timeline design, web authoring, vector authoring, visual effects, digital compositing, organic modeling and character animation.  All students complete a co-op, participate in a digital media seminar and create a senior project.

Game Art and Production students begin their studies with core art courses in art history, design history, design for media, drawing and figure drawing.  They continue with coursework in computer graphic imagery, computer animation, digital design tools, digital spatial visualization, multimedia timeline design, animation history, game development foundations, game development workshop, artificial intelligence for gaming, serious games, web authoring, vector authoring and computer gaming.  All students participate in a seminar, complete a co-op and create a senior project.

Graphic Design students may choose to concentrate on advertising, environmental or web and motion graphic design.  Students begin their studies with coursework in art history, photography, drawing, figure drawing, painting and design.  They continue with courses in multimedia studio, computer imaging, photography, typography, visual computing and screenprint.  Web and Motion Graphic Design students focus on web graphics, vector authoring, web authoring and storyboarding.  Advertising Design students concentrate on advertising design, print advertising, television and web advertising and copywriting.  Environmental Graphic Design students complete coursework in architectural signage, wayfinding, exhibit design and environmental branding.  All students complete a co-op and create a senior thesis.

Web Development and Interaction Design students complete coursework in art history, design history, drawing, digital imaging, typography, web graphics, design for media, shooting and lighting, web development history, game development scripting, mobile interactive devices, web development, rich internet applications, computer graphics imagery, digital design tools, creative concept development, multimedia timeline design and computer gaming.  All students participate in a seminar, complete a co-op and create a senior project.

Master's degree candidates in Drexel University's Digital Media program focus on new media history, theory and methods, gaming, interactive TV DVD-ROM, immersive world building, particle systems and artificial intelligence for visual effects, interactive 3D environments and digital matte painting.  All students create a new media project and thesis.

Drexel University's curriculum includes several required writing-intensive courses; most majors require at least one co-operative experience ("co-op").  Merit and need-based scholarships are available.