Bachelor of
Arts
The Bachelor of Arts in Animation and Digital Arts is a unique four-year program granted through the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences in conjunction with the School of Cinematic Arts. Students study within the framework that combines a broad liberal arts background with specialization in a profession. Areas of concentration might include character animation, experimental animation, visual effects, 3-D computer animation, science visualization and interactive animation.
Undergraduate students take their pre-professional courses in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, including the general education requirements. Major courses are selected from the curriculum of the School of Cinematic Arts. The degree requires 128 units, including a minimum of 14 lower division units and a minimum of 24 upper division units in Cinematic Arts.
General Education Requirements
The university’s general education program provides a coherent, integrated introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated person. This program requires six courses in different categories, plus writing, foreign language and diversity requirements, which comprise the USC core. See here and here for more information.
| Required
courses |
Units |
| CTAN 101 Introduction
to the Art of Animation |
2 |
| CTAN 102 Introduction
to the Art of Movement |
2 |
| CTAN 201 Introduction
to Animation Techniques |
3 |
| CTAN 202 Advanced
Animation Techniques |
3 |
| CTAN 301 Introduction
to Digital Animation |
3 |
| CTAN 302 Introduction
to 3D Computer and Character Animation |
3 |
| CTAN 336 Ideation
and Pre-Production |
2 |
| CTAN 436 Writing
for Animation |
2 |
| CTAN 401ab
Senior Project |
4-4 |
| CTAN 432 The
World of Visual Effects |
2 |
| CTAN 451 History
of Animation |
2 |
| CTAN 496* Directed
Research |
2 max 4* |
| CTCS 190 Introduction to Cinema, or |
|
| CTCS 201 History of International Cinema |
4 |
| CTPR 495* Internship
in Cinema Arts |
2 max 4* |
| FADW 101 Introduction to Drawing: Studio Projects, Methods, Materials |
4 |
| FADW 201 Intermediate Drawing |
4 |
*Students can take either one or both classes but must
take a minimum of 2 units in a directed research or
internship
Two units must be selected from the following list
USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences – Physical Education
| |
PHED 104ab Self-Defense |
1 |
| |
PHED 120a Yoga |
1 |
| |
THTR 122 Improvisation and Theatre Games |
2 |
| |
THTR 181ab
Modern Dance |
2 |
| |
THTR 184abc
Jazz Dance |
2 |
| |
THTR 188ab
International Style Ballroom Dance |
2 |
| |
THTR 189ab Tap Dance |
2 |
| |
THTR 216 Movement
for Actors |
2 |
| One
course must be taken from the following list |
|
| CTCS 192
Race, Class, and Gender in American Film |
4 |
| CTCS 392 History
of the American Film, 1925-1950 |
4 |
| CTCS 393 History
of the American Film, 1946-1975 |
4 |
| CTCS 400 Non-Fiction
Film and Television |
4 |
| CTCS 403 Studies in National and Regional Media |
4 |
| CTCS 407 African American Cinema |
4 |
| CTCS 409 Censorship
in Film |
4 |
| CTCS 464 Film
and/or Television Genres |
4 |
| CTCS 469 Film and/or Television
Style Analysis |
4 |
| Total units: |
52 |
Areas of concentration
Areas of concentration might include character animation, experimental animation, 3-D computer animation, visualizing science, inter active animation and visual effects. Students work in consultation with the undergraduate coordinator and faculty to help them decide their course of study while at USC.
Senior Project
In the spring semester of their third year students develop their senior project through CTAN 336 Ideation and Pre-Production under the guidance of the lecturer. This project will focus on an area of concentration studied throughout the B.A. by the student. At the end of this class, students present their senior project concepts for review to the Division of Animation and Digital Arts faculty. Progression into CTAN 401ab is contingent upon faculty committee approval.
In the final year, students concentrate on their senior projects, completing production and post-production. The student’s project will be presented to the committee upon completion.
Completion is defined as a fully rendered, animated piece with a completed sound track. In the case of installation work, the piece must be mounted in a suitable space with all sound and animated components completed and functional.
In the case of an interactive work, the piece must be fully functional with completed animation, sound and interactivity.
In addition to completion of the senior project, the student must provide the faculty committee with written and visual documentation of the research. This can be documented as a publishable paper (2000 words), Website or interactive DVD.
Grade Point Average Requirements
A minimum grade of C, 2.0 (A=4.0), must be earned in all required and prerequisite courses. A grade of C‐ (1.7) or lower will not fulfill a major requirement.
Students who do not earn the minimum grade of C (2.0) in CTAN 101, CTAN 102, CTAN 201, CTAN 202, CTAN 301, CTAN 302 or CTAN 401ab after repeating these requirements will be
disqualified from the program.
Limitations on Enrollment
Registration in graduate level courses (numbered 500)
for undergraduate credit requires prior approval of
the School of Cinematic Arts.
Curriculum Review
Cinematic Arts majors are expected to meet with an
advisor every semester to review their progress. Contact
the Cinematic Arts John C. Hench Animation and Digital Arts Division
Office, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211,
(213) 740-3986, or online at http://anim.usc.edu
The application deadline is December 1 for the fall semester.
International Program
John C. Hench Animation and Digital Arts offers a fall semester abroad at Studio Art Centers International (SACI) in Florence, Italy. B.A. students will be required to take equivalent classes in animation and digital media while also benefiting from the wide range of liberal arts courses offered at SACI.
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