Program Overview

School of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication

The School of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication offers a Bachelor of Arts in Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication with an Animation and Games Concentration.

Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication with Animation and Games Concentration

This concentration provides a thorough grounding in the development and creation of digital animation and games, including 3D Computer Animation, Motion Graphics, Motion Capture, Educational Games, Real Time Entertainment, and Social Gaming. Students are eligible to apply to the Animation and Games concentration during their third semester within the School. Admission to the Animation and Games concentration requires a portfolio submission including course work examples, a writing component, and any other materials deemed appropriate.

Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts in Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication with Animation and Games Concentration requires 120 semester credit hours.

Core Curriculum Requirements

• Communication: 6 semester credit hours
  • COMM 1311 Survey of Oral and Technology-based Communication
  • RHET 1302 Rhetoric
• Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
  • Choose one course from the following:
    • MATH 1306 College Algebra for the Non-Scientist
    • MATH 1314 College Algebra
  • Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Mathematics Core courses
• Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours
  • Select 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences Core courses
• Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours
  • Choose one course from the following:
    • HUMA 1301 Exploration of the Humanities
    • LIT 2331 Introduction to World Literature
    • PHIL 1301 Introduction to Philosophy
    • PHIL 2316 History of Philosophy I
    • PHIL 2317 History of Philosophy II
  • Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture Core courses
• Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours
  • Choose one course from the following:
    • ARTS 1301 Exploration of the Arts
    • AHST 1303 Survey of Western Art History: Ancient to Medieval
    • AHST 1304 Survey of Western Art History: Renaissance to Modern
    • AHST 2331 Understanding Art
    • DANC 1310 Understanding Dance
    • THEA 1310 Understanding Theatre
    • FILM 2332 Understanding Film
    • MUSI 1306 Understanding Music
• American History: 6 semester credit hours
  • Choose two courses from the following:
    • HIST 1301 U.S. History Survey to Civil War
    • HIST 1302 U.S. History Survey from Civil War
    • HIST 2301 History of Texas
    • HIST 2330 Themes and Ideas in American History
• Government / Political Science: 6 semester credit hours
  • GOVT 2305 American National Government
  • GOVT 2306 State and Local Government
• Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours
  • Select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences Core courses
• Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours
  • Choose two courses from the following or other Component Area Option
    • ARHM 2340 Creativity
    • ARHM 2342 Connections in the Arts and Humanities
    • ARHM 2343 Science and the Humanities
    • ARHM 2344 World Cultures

Major Requirements, Lower-Division

• Foundations:
  • ATCM 2300 Introduction to TechnoCulture
  • ATCM 2301 Computer Imaging
  • ATCM 2302 Design I
  • CS 1335 Computer Science I for Non-majors
• Fundamentals:
  • ATCM 2303 Project Management for Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication I
  • ATCM 2310 Animation and Game Fundamentals
  • Choose one from the following:
    • ATCM 2321 Reading Media Critically
    • ATCM 2330 Digital Art and Social Practice
    • ATCM 2345 Principles of Digital Audio
    • ATCM 2350 Time-Based Media
    • ATCM 2355 Survey of Digital Fabrication
  • Choose one from the following:
    • ATCM 2315 Animation Origins and Techniques
    • ATCM 2375 History of Games

Major Requirements, Upper-Division

• Choose five from the following: (At least 2 must be 4000 level)
  • ATCM 3305 Computer Animation I
  • ATCM 3306 Modeling and Texturing I
  • ATCM 3307 Lighting and Composition I
  • ATCM 3308 Rigging I
  • ATCM 3312 Surfacing and Shading
  • ATCM 3338 Motion Graphics I
  • ATCM 3365 Game Design I
  • ATCM 3367 Level Design I
  • ATCM 3370 Virtual Environments I
  • ATCM 4305 Computer Animation II
  • ATCM 4306 Modeling and Texturing II
  • ATCM 4307 Lighting and Comp II
  • ATCM 4308 Rigging II
  • ATCM 4388 Motion Graphics II
  • ATCM 4365 Game Design II
  • ATCM 4367 Level Design II
  • ATCM 4370 Virtual Environments II
• Choose one from the following:
  • ATCM 3315 Animation Studies
  • ATCM 3366 Game Studies I
• Choose one from the following:
  • ATCM 3311 Tools Development for ATEC
  • ATCM 3368 Scripting for Games I
  • CS 3360 Computer Graphics for Artists and Designers
• Choose one from the following:
  • ATCM 4397 Senior Seminar
  • ATCM 4398 Capstone Project
  • ATCM 4399 Senior Honors in Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication

Elective Requirements

• Prescribed Electives: 15 semester credit hours
  • Choose any five courses from the following: (At least 2 must be 4000 level)
    • ATCM 3301 Writing for ATEC
    • ATCM 3303 Project Management for ATEC II
    • ATCM 3305 Computer Animation I
    • ATCM 3306 Modeling and Texturing I
    • ATCM 3307 Lighting and Compositing I
    • ATCM 3308 Rigging I
    • ATCM 3309 Pre-Production Design
    • ATCM 3310 Procedural Animation
    • ATCM 3311 Tools Development for ATEC
    • ATCM 3312 Surfacing and Shading
    • ATCM 3313 2D Animation
    • ATCM 3315 Animation Studies
    • ATCM 3350 Digital Video Production I
    • ATCM 3365 Game Design I
    • ATCM 3366 Game Studies I
    • ATCM 3367 Level Design I
    • ATCM 3368 Scripting for Games I
    • ATCM 3369 Games and Narrative
    • ATCM 3370 Virtual Environments I
    • ATCM 3371 User Experience Design for Games
    • ATCM 3372 Sound Design for Games
    • ATCM 3388 Motion Graphics I
    • ATCM 4305 Computer Animation II
    • ATCM 4306 Modeling and Texturing II
    • ATCM 4307 Lighting and Compositing II
    • ATCM 4308 Rigging II
    • ATCM 4309 Pre-Production Design II
    • ATCM 4310 Motion Capture Animation
    • ATCM 4312 Digital Sculpting
    • ATCM 4313 Special Effects
    • ATCM 4314 Character Effects
    • ATCM 4315 Computer Animation III
    • ATCM 4316 Animation Lab I
    • ATCM 4317 Animation Lab II
    • ATCM 4318 Motion Capture Lab
    • ATCM 4319 Topics in Animation
    • ATCM 4338 Motion Graphics II
    • ATCM 4365 Game Design II
    • ATCM 4366 Game Studies II
    • ATCM 4367 Level Design II
    • ATCM 4368 Scripting for Games II
    • ATCM 4370 Virtual Environments II
    • ATCM 4373 Animation for Games
    • ATCM 4376 Game Lab I
    • ATCM 4377 Game Lab II
    • ATCM 4379 Topics in Games
    • ATCM 4384 Ethics in New Media Technology and Communication
    • ATCM 4311 Experimental Lab
    • ATCM 4374 Interactives Lab
• Free Electives: 15 semester credit hours
  • Both upper-and lower-division courses may be used as electives, but students must complete at least 51 semester credit hours of upper-division courses to qualify for graduation.

Faculty

The faculty for the School of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication includes:

• Professors:
  • Anne Balsamo
  • Christine (xtine) Burrough
  • Paul Fishwick
  • Roger Malina
  • Mihai Nadin
  • Marilyn Waligore
• Associate Professors:
  • Heidi Cooley
  • Monica Evans
  • Eric Farrar
  • Todd Fechter
  • Midori Kitagawa
  • Kim Knight
  • Maximilian Schich
  • Andrew Scott
  • Dean Terry
• Assistant Professors:
  • Olivia Banner
  • Juan Llamas Rodriguez
  • Sean McComber
  • Josef Nguyen
  • Wendy Sung
  • Hong An Wu
• Clinical Professors:
  • Elizabeth (Lisa) Bell
  • Tim Christopher
  • Paul Lester
• Clinical Associate Professor:
  • Harold (Chip) Wood
• Associate Professors of Practice:
  • Bryon Caldwell
  • Nelson Lim
• Senior Lecturers:
  • Elizabeth Boyd
  • Christopher Camacho
  • Adam Chandler
  • Harold Fitzgerald
  • Sharon Hewitt
  • Laura Imaoka
  • Casey Johnson
  • Timothy Lewis
  • David Marks
  • Peter McCord
  • Roxanne Minnish
  • Christina Nielsen
  • Kara Oropallo
  • Monika Salter
  • Christine Veras