Program: Mass Communication, Animation Concentration, B.S. - Middle Tennessee State University

Apr 04, 2025

2014-15 Undergraduate Catalog

Department of Electronic Media Communication
615-898-5628
Kevin McNulty, program coordinator
Kevin.Mcnulty@mtsu.edu

The Animation concentration is designed for those who wish to work professionally in animation and/or imaging, including motion graphics, video games, character animation, visual effects, and image manipulation. This specialty blends theoretical and hands-on approaches to electronic media education. Students are encouraged to complete their education with internships in professional settings.

NOTE: Mass Communication majors must earn a C (2.00) or better in each course in the college in order to graduate.

Admission to Candidacy

To be admitted to candidacy in the Animation concentration, the student must meet the following requirements:

45 hours completed before applying for candidacy
Grade of C (2.00) or better in each of the following:

EMC 1020 /JOUR 1020 /RIM 1020

JOUR 2710 , EMC 3020 , or EMC 3060

ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020

ART 1610

ART 1620

EMC 2120

Minimum overall GPA in all college coursework of 2.50.
Math course satisfying General Education requirements.

Required Courses (48 hours)

NOTE: Total hours in college not to exceed 48

College Core (9 hours)

EMC 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours OR
RIM 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours
JOUR 2710 - Media Writing 3 credit hours OR
EMC 3020 - Writing for the Electronic Media 3 credit hours OR
EMC 3060 - Writing for Digital Media 3 credit hours
EMC 4250 - Mass Media Law 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 4250 - Mass Media Law 3 credit hours OR
EMC 3650 - Free Expression, Mass Media, and the American Public 3 credit hours OR
PHOT 4190 - Ethics and Law for Visual Communicators 3 credit hours

Animation Requirements (39 hours)

EMC 1050 - Basic Digital Photography and Imaging 3 credit hours OR
PHOT 1050 - Basic Digital Photography and Imaging 3 credit hours
EMC 1300 - Animation and the Illusion of Motion 3 credit hours
EMC 2120 - Sight, Sound, and Motion 3 credit hours
EMC 2130 - Introduction to Field Video Production 3 credit hours
EMC 3040 - Motion Graphics I 3 credit hours
EMC 3300 - Introduction to Digital Animation 3 credit hours *
*Must be taken no later than second semester of the sophomore year
EMC 3310 - Intermediate Digital Animation 3 credit hours
EMC 3320 - Introduction to Digital Compositing 3 credit hours
EMC 4300 - Advanced Digital Animation I 3 credit hours
EMC 4310 - Advanced Digital Animation II 3 credit hours
EMC 4400 - Animation Seminar I 3 credit hours
EMC 4410 - Animation Seminar II 3 credit hours
Mass Comm elective 3 credit hours

Other requirements (72 hours)

72 hours outside the college of Mass Communication

Required Art minor (18 hours)

ART 1610 - Two-Dimensional Design 3 credit hours
ART 1620 - Drawing I 3 credit hours
ART 1630 - Three-Dimensional Design 3 credit hours
ART 1640 - Drawing II 3 credit hours
Elective 3 credit hours
Upper-division Art elective 3 credit hours

Computer Literacy Requirement (3 hours)

CSCI 1150 - Computer Orientation 3 credit hours OR
CSCI 1160 - Introduction to Computing: A Multimedia Approach 4 credit hours

Recommended Curriculum

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Freshman Fall

ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
Mathematics 3 credit hours (satisfying General Education requirements)
Elective 3 credit hours
EMC 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci)
ART 1610 - Two-Dimensional Design 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 15 Hours

Freshman Spring

ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
CSCI 1150 - Computer Orientation 3 credit hours (recommended) OR
CSCI 1160 - Introduction to Computing: A Multimedia Approach 4 credit hours
ART 1620 - Drawing I 3 credit hours
COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
EMC 1300 - Animation and the Illusion of Motion 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 15 Hours

Sophomore Fall

ART 1630 - Three-Dimensional Design 3 credit hours
EMC 1050 - Basic Digital Photography and Imaging 3 credit hours
EMC 2120 - Sight, Sound, and Motion 3 credit hours
EMC 3300 - Introduction to Digital Animation 3 credit hours
EMC 3020 - Writing for the Electronic Media 3 credit hours OR
EMC 3060 - Writing for Digital Media 3 credit hours OR
JOUR 2710 - Media Writing 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 15 Hours

Sophomore Spring

ART 1640 - Drawing II 3 credit hours
EMC 2130 - Introduction to Field Video Production 3 credit hours
EMC 3310 - Intermediate Digital Animation 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
Elective 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 16 Hours

Junior Fall

ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HUM 2610 - Foreign Literature in Translation 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
EMC 3650 - Free Expression, Mass Media, and the American Public 3 credit hours OR
EMC 4250 - Mass Media Law 3 credit hours OR
PHOT 4190 - Ethics and Law for Visual Communicators 3 credit hours
EMC 3320 - Introduction to Digital Compositing 3 credit hours
EMC 4300 - Advanced Digital Animation I 3 credit hours
ART elective 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 15 Hours

Junior Spring

EMC 3040 - Motion Graphics I 3 credit hours
EMC 4310 - Advanced Digital Animation II 3 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
Upper-division ART elective 3 credit hours
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 15 Hours

Senior Fall

EMC 4400 - Animation Seminar I 3 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
Mass Communication elective 3 credit hours
Elective 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 16 Hours

Senior Spring

EMC 4410 - Animation Seminar II 3 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Electives 4 credit hours
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours

Admission to Candidacy

Required Courses (48 hours)

College Core (9 hours)

Animation Requirements (39 hours)

Other requirements (72 hours)

Required Art minor (18 hours)

Computer Literacy Requirement (3 hours)

Recommended Curriculum

Freshman Fall

Subtotal: 15 Hours

Freshman Spring

Subtotal: 15 Hours

Sophomore Fall

Subtotal: 15 Hours

Sophomore Spring

Subtotal: 16 Hours

Junior Fall

Subtotal: 15 Hours

Junior Spring

Subtotal: 15 Hours

Senior Fall

Subtotal: 16 Hours

Senior Spring

Subtotal: 13 Hours

Total hours in program: 120