Overview
The Bachelor of Arts in Digital Entertainment and Interactive Arts degree consists of courses that prepare the student for a broad range of positions requiring a background in digital entertainment and interactive design theory, production, and project management. Students learn and apply development theory and practice for creating digital media and choose concentrations that allow for focused studies in the areas of Digital Design and Web Development, Video Game Art and Animation, Video Game Design and Production, and Cinematic Arts. Graduates of the program are in high demand because they possess a combination of skills and knowledge vital to today's workplace. This program prepares students for positions in marketing, business, publishing, government, education and training as Web Designer/Developer, Game Designer, Animator, Project Manager, and Multimedia Specialist.
Upon completion of the program students should be able to:
- Communicate effectively with clients, project managers, and media production team members in various electronic formats using oral, visual, and written methods.
- Identify the features of distribution media such as the Internet and other network systems and their application in digital media projects.
- Describe the phases of production cycles, from the initial planning stages to the final delivery of a professional product.
- Describe the appropriate technological choices associated with the software and hardware used in a broad range of digital media projects.
- Analyze digital media production software features in selecting the appropriate products to accomplish a specified project goal.
- Explain such legal issues as copyright and the process of obtaining the use of original and licensed material in media project.
- Explain ethic issues including contemporary issues of developing of digital media and video game projects.
- Apply the principles of graphic design, information design and usability design in the generation of digital media projects.
- Prepare active and interactive content with graphics, animation, sound and digital video using contemporary digital media authoring software.
- Design interactive media using authoring software and scripting language controls such as HTML, Action Script and Lingo.
- Design a professional electronic portfolio that demonstrates writing and design competency in a variety of media, including digital design, web, digital video, 2D and 3D graphics and animation.
Requirements
To receive a Bachelor of Arts degree with a Major in Digital Entertainment and Interactive Arts, students must complete at least 180 quarter units as articulated below, 45 of which must be completed in residence at National University, and 76.5 of which must be completed at the upper-division level. The following courses are specific degree requirements. In the absence of transfer credit, students may need to take additional general electives to satisfy the total units for the degree.
Students are expected to possess or have access to a computer outside of National University so that they can work on projects both on and off campus. Given the nature of digital media technology, this computer should be a 2.8 GHz processor with 512 Megabytes of RAM or better. Software for the Multimedia program is provided for onsite computer labs only. Students are responsible for software expenses associated with online and outside activities.
Preparation for the Major
(8 courses, 36 quarter units)
COM 100 Introduction to Communications
or
COM 200 Effective Communication
COM 220 Media Literacy
MUL 200 Communication Tools
MUL 205 Principles of Graphic Design
MUL 245 Principles of Web Design
MUL 255 Interactive Design
MUL 265 Digital Audio and Video
MUL 275 3-D Modeling and Rendering
Requirements for the Major: General Core Courses
(11 courses, 49.5 quarter units)
MUL 300 Convergence Media
(Prerequisites: MUL 200 level requirements or equivalents)
MUL 305 Applied Graphic Design
(Prerequisites: MUL 200 level requirements or equivalents)
MUL 332 Electronic Design and Layout
(Prerequisites: ENG 100/101 and COM 100)
MUL 335 Digital Design for Print
(Prerequisites: ENG 100/101 and COM 100
MUL 345 Applied Web Design
(Prerequisites: MUL 200 level requirements or equivalents)
MUL 355 Game Scripting
(Prerequisites: MUL 200 level requirements or equivalents)
MUL 365 Applied Digital Audio and Video
(Prerequisites: MUL 200 level requirements or equivalents)
MUL 315 Video Game Design
(Prerequisites: MUL 200 level requirements or equivalents)
MUL 375 Applied 3-D Modeling and Rendering
(Prerequisites: MUL 200 level requirements or equivalents)
MUL 445 Management of Web Projects
(Prerequisites: MUL 200 level requirements or equivalents)
or
MUL 495 Practicum in Multimedia Arts (Internship)
(Prerequisites: 9 upper-division quarter units in a media concentration or approval by intern coordinator and lead faculty)
Capstone Core Course
MUL 420 Portfolio Project
(Prerequisites: all general core courses)
Note: this is a two-month long class occurring after concentration courses
Multimedia Art Concentrations
Concentrations allow students to select a specific area of study to match their personal interests and fulfill demand for specialization in the marketplace. Upon entering the concentration, the student will begin learning the specialized skills through threaded projects spanning the whole of the concentration. Each course will build upon the prior course, culminating in a final advanced project presentation. In order to fulfill concentration requirements, students take the four designated courses in the concentration and choose two upper-division courses from MUL, COM, or CST courses.
Concentration in Video Game Art and Animation
(610-115-192)
(6 courses, 27 quarter units)
MUL 381 Video Game Art
(Prerequisites: all general core courses)
MUL 385 Video Game Animation
(Prerequisites: all general core courses; MUL 381)
MUL 480 Character Animation
(Prerequisites: all general core courses; MUL 381; MUL 385)
MUL 481 Advanced Animation Project
(Prerequisites: all general core courses; MUL 381; MUL 385; MUL 481)
Plus two Upper-Division Electives from MUL, COM, or CSC courses
Concentration in Cinematic Arts
(610-115-191)
(6 courses, 27 quarter units)
MUL 460 Advanced Digital Audio and Video
(Prerequisites: all general core courses)
MUL 461 Motion Graphics
(Prerequisites: all general core courses; MUL 460)
MUL 462 Digital Audio Creation
(Prerequisites: all general core courses; MUL 460; MUL 461)
MUL 463 Digital Video Production Project
(Prerequisites: all general core courses; MUL 460; MUL 461; MUL 462)
Plus two Upper-Division Electives from MUL, COM, or CSC courses
Concentration in Video Game Production and Design
(610-115-193)
(6 courses, 27 quarter units)
MUL 325 Psychology of Video Gaming
(Prerequisites: all general core courses)
MUL 318 Video Game Production
(Prerequisites: all general core courses; MUL 325)
MUL 401 Advanced Video Game Design
(Prerequisites: all general core courses; MUL 325; MUL 318)
MUL 411 Video Game Production Project
(Prerequisites: all general core courses; MUL 325; MUL 318; MUL 401)
Plus two Upper-Division Electives from MUL, COM, or CSC courses.
Concentration in Digital Design and Web Development
(610-115-190)
(6 courses, 27 quarter units)
MUL 440 Multimedia Design for the Web
(Prerequisites: all general core courses)
MUL 430 Advanced 2-D Graphic Imaging
(Prerequisites: all general core courses; MUL 440)
MUL 470 Advanced Digital Interactivity
(Prerequisites: all general core courses; MUL 440; MUL 450)
MUL 471 Advanced Digital Interactivity Project
(Prerequisites: all general core courses; MUL 440; MUL 450; MUL 470)
Plus two Upper-Division Electives from MUL, COM, or CSC courses
| Degree Program Locations | |
|---|---|
| Costa Mesa Campus | |
| Kearny Mesa Campus | |
| La Mesa Campus | |
| Los Angeles Campus | |
| Mission Valley Campus | |
| South Bay Campus | |
| Spectrum Business Park Campus | |