Elective Courses

DA 515  Digital Imaging (1.5) The ability to generate and manipulate imagery is fast becoming one of the primary literacies of the 21^st century.  This course ensures that graduate students who may have come from a non-visual arts background or who require review of Photoshop techniques have the necessary skills to participate in contemporary visual culture.

DA 617 Contemporary Storytelling (3) Narrative in the 21^st century is defined not only in literary terms, but also across numerous kinds of media including film, game, web, and even oral tradition. This course explores the numerous overlapping vessels for narrative, develops a syntax for the discussion of narrative across media, and identifies typical elements of the construction of successful modern narratives. While the theories of this class are applicable across all multimedia, students will focus their efforts into the creation of video works.

DA 622 Motion Graphics (1.5) This course will enable students to develop several different methodologies for producing motion graphics. Students will develop skill in animation and design techniques. Narrative and visual aesthetics will provide a theoretical foundation.

DA 625 Mathematics, Music, and Imagery (1.5)This course examines the core mathematics behind the programs used by digital artists. While commercial and open source applications allow artists to create sound and imagery within limits, learning the underlying mathematics enables students to extend their work in essentially limitless ways. This course also provides the theoretical context for both open source and commercial software.

DA 630 Audio Post-Production (1.5) Introduction to Apple's Logic, Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro, and related software to compose, orchestrate, and produce music and audio for film, video, and television. We will examine workflow and team coordination. Limited access to a Pro Tools© system on campus will allow students to experiment with an important commercial system.

DA 635 Composition & Sound Design for Multimedia (1.5) This class examines artistic and technical approaches to conceiving and preparing music for film, video, radio, and theater. Included are an historical survey of successful multimedia composers and an examination of the repertoire and literature of the field. Throughout the course, students will produce short multimedia works that can be added to their Practicum portfolio.

DA 640 Multichannel Sound Design (1.5)This course teaches students to understand and utilize the multichannel audio protocols required for film, video, and theatre including 3-1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, and 10.2. Both discrete and compressed audio systems are explored.

DA 645 Realtime, Interactive Signal Processing (1.5) An introduction to real-time multimedia programming languages (Cycling'74s Max/MSP/Jitter, Ableton Live, Reason, UCSD's Pure Data, SuperCollider 3, and Princeton's ChucK). The focus is on creating multimedia teams of performers and composers to prepare studio compositions as well as alive, interactive, compositions for public performance in the concert hall or over the internet.

DA 656 Advanced 3D Modeling (1.5) This course expands upon the material covered in 3D Modeling and Motion Graphics, while preparing students for cross-disciplinary work in modeling. Students gain further proficiency with Cinema4D and work with Unity to develop complex sequences within a 3-dimensional space.

DA 665 Interactivity (3) This course will give the student an understanding of the technical components of web design and developing interactive projects. Focus will be on the understanding of web based languages, interactive design models and animation as it is seen on the web. Possible area covered: HTML, design practices for the World Wide Web, web languages (AJAX, JQuery, Actionscript, CSS).

DA 670 Web Development (3) students will learn advanced techniques for creation on the web. They will learn to develop for a wide variety of web-enabled devices, how to develop sophisticated web applications, and how to employ cutting edge web-centric techniques