Courses
DET 210 – Intro to Digital Entertainment:
This course comprehensively introduces the digital entertainment industry, covering foundational film, animation, and game design concepts. Students will explore key topics such as storyboarding, project management, conflict development, storytelling, and design elements. They’ll also begin building their digital portfolios and work toward earning an Adobe Certification by the end of the course, gaining both practical skills and a professional qualification to enhance their career readiness.
DET 220 – Intro to 3D Modeling
In this course, students begin with the basics of 3D art, exploring core concepts and techniques using Blender, an industry-standard software. The course guides them through the process of producing models and scenes for use in animation and game engines. Students will also be introduced to basic texturing, shaders, lighting, and dynamics to enhance the detail and design of 3D models.
DET 230 – 2D Animation for Games and Storytelling
This course covers essential techniques for animation, including the 12 Principles of Animation, character creation, and the foundations of effective scriptwriting/storytelling. Students will learn to create animated logos for branding and explore advanced skills such as adding skeletal rigs (bones) to 2D models–expanding the range of movement and expressiveness in their animations.
DET 255 – Game Textures
Introduction to concepts of creating 2D bitmap textures for use on 3D models for games and animations. Students will learn to use image editing software to produce diffuse textures and bump/normal maps for use in various 3D environments and applications, focusing on medium-to-high resolution quality.
DET 260 – Game Engines
This course introduces students to game development principles using Unity, a leading game engine. Students will learn essential techniques, including C# coding for gameplay, level design, virtual environment creation, and deploying games on various platforms.
DET 315 – Game Materials
This intermediate course builds on techniques learned from DET 255: Game Textures. Students will learn to create Physically-Based Rendering (PBR) materials and apply them to games and digital cinematics. Students will also learn to create Procedural Materials and apply them to 3D models and scenes using various node-based material creation tools.
DET 320 – Advanced 3D Modeling
A sequel to DET 220: Intro to 3D Modeling, this advanced course covers sophisticated 3D modeling and visualization techniques. Students will learn to create intricate character models and build skeletal structures for animation, using industry-standard software to prepare their models for seamless integration into game engines, animated projects, and film production.
DET 330 – 3D Animation: Keyframes and Pixels
This course delves deeper into the principles and history of animation–examining foundational techniques and theories developed by leading studios. Using industry-standard software, students will learn essential principles of 3D animation, explore the basics of acting, and gain an introduction to character animation.
DET 360 – AR/VR Development
This course introduces the fundamentals of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) application development. Students will work with various game engines and scripting languages to create mixed-reality content and gain skills in basic programming, lighting, and interactive design to enhance the realism and engagement of AR/VR experiences.
DET 365 – Virtual Production
Students will learn to create game cutscenes and real-time CGI, develop 3D cinematic stories, learn advanced greenscreening techniques, and create special effects using Unreal Engine.
DET 370 – Serious Games
This course explores the theory and design of crafting meaningful learning experiences through games. Key topics include instructional design models, designing games for educational purposes, and building effective learning environments using current technology.
DET 380 – Game Engines II
This advanced course builds on techniques from DET 260: Game Engines. It focuses on proficient use of Unreal Engine and introduces students to multiplayer server creation.
DET 410 Advanced Digital Entertainment
In their final “Capstone” course, students consolidate their animation, film, and game development knowledge to prepare for graduation. A key focus of the class is refining their portfolios to a professional standard, ensuring they’re ready for the job market or graduate school opportunities.