Spring 2024 DMD Student Advising Guidelines

DMD students - Below is information regarding the following:

Variable topics and other special courses to be offered in Spring 2024.
Courses that are available to students on both campuses, either via distance learning or by being taught in our Telepresence Classrooms cross-campus (136 Bishop / 3.12 Stamford). Just be aware of the policies regarding home campus and student fees (the majority of your credits must be taken on your home campus).
Courses that require a PERMISSION NUMBER.

The descriptions of all DMD courses can be found in the UConn Course Catalog.

To request permission numbers, please complete the form. It is best to complete this WITH YOUR ADVISOR during your advising session. Use THIS form: Permission # Request Form

Any questions regarding requests should be directed to Rossy.Pichardo@uconn.edu

REQUIRED COURSES FOR ALL MAJORS:

It is important that you complete DMD 2010 History of Digital Culture by the end of your sophomore year, and DMD 3010W Critical Perspectives on Digital Media ideally in your junior year. We are offering more sections of 3010W this semester, so make sure to sign up if you are a junior or senior!

BA (Bachelor of Art) Students: Due to the accreditation requirements of NASAD (National Association of Schools of Art & Design), the B.A. in Digital Media Design is capped at 45 credits of DMD courses. Students earning the Bachelor of Arts are limited in the quantity of DMD courses that they can take. Students who want to take more major courses should carefully consider the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Talk to your faculty advisor about options if you are unsure.

Storrs BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) students - ART requirements:

Reserved Caps are in place for DMD BFA students in ART 1030 Drawing 1 : 5 seats in each section (you can directly enroll without permission numbers.).

Basic Studio Art courses: Once students have taken ART 1030, they can enroll in one of the Basic Studio Art courses: ART 2010, 2210, 2310, 2410, 2510, or 2610. Students should reach out directly to the professor via email to request a permission number as soon as possible for the basic studio art courses. Be sure to remind the professor that you completed the ART 1030 prerequisite and you are required to take a second studio art course for your BFA degree plan of study. It also helps to let the professor know why you are specifically interested in their class (i.e., you are not interested ONLY because it is a requirement, but because of genuine curiosity/ interest in learning.) *Note: The basic studio requirement should be completed no later than the fourth term. It is important to know that professors may not open up seats for DMD majors until after all Studio Art majors are enrolled, so BE PATIENT and know you will not get a permission number right away (Check back in after November 9).

Stamford BFA students - ART requirements: To request your required ART courses (ART 1030 Drawing 1 + an additional course), please email Haley at - haley.bueschlen@uconn.edu

SENIOR BFA STUDENTS: You will need DMD 4075 Senior Project twice in order to graduate. Stamford BFA Seniors, be sure to take DMD 4025 Portfolio and Professional Development: Putting It All Together, which is also a senior BFA requirement.

SOPHOMORE BFA FILM STUDENTS: You MUST enroll in TWO spring Sophomore courses in your 4th semester:

DMD 2810 Cinematography
DMD 3850 Sound Design

Variable Topics / Specialized courses:

For all concentrations:

DMD 3620/HIST 3104 Collaborating with Cultural Organizations II: Practice
M/W 12:20 - 2:15 pm, STORRS In-Person, taught by Clarissa Ceglio
Prerequisites: Open to sophomores or higher. Recommended preparation: DMD 3610/HIST 3103

Museums, archives, and other cultural organizations are spaces of digital media experimentation as they seek new ways to communicate ideas, make collections accessible, inspire learning, connect people, and build community. In this class we will undertake a project in partnership with a cultural organization. This will provide immersion in issues of contemporary practice while building collaborative competency in design thinking approaches. This course can be substituted for DMD 4040 Agency with advisor approval and a substitution form.

DMD 3998.001 / 5998.010 Diverse Perspectives in Digital Media and Design
Wed 5:00 - 7:45pm, STORRS - In Person, taught by Clarissa Ceglio
*** PERMISSION NUMBER REQUIRED; Counts for Art History/Theory requirement.
Prerequisites: Juniors, Seniors, Graduate students (students who have completed their foundation and 2000-level intro courses) are encouraged to enroll.

To paraphrase James Baldwin, nothing can be changed until it is faced. This is certainly true of the inequities that have historically shaped digital media technologies, content, fields, and careers. This class interrogates how racism, sexism, classism, ageism, and other forms of oppression are perpetuated through digital media works, practices, and industries. We will, as the chief learning activity of this class, meet and talk with contemporary practitioners who are challenging and changing the status quo. For six of our class sessions, we will meet virtually and sometimes in-person with industry professionals, artists, and media scholars from film, game, design, cultural and other sectors so that we can learn how issues of equity manifest in their work, creative processes, and professions. Because these practitioners are also part of DMD’s Diverse Perspectives in Digital Media & Design: 2024 Speaker Series, students will also have the opportunity to participate as hosts in the series, learn how to professionalize their on-camera presence, and gain skill in preparing and moderating live Q&A sessions. Interactions with our guests will be supplemented by readings, in-class film screenings, and engagements with other media works. Over the course of the semester, we will reflect on how our own areas of practice can support greater equity, diversity, and inclusion in digital media and design.

[To see what we do, you can access the past installments of the Diverse Perspectives in Digital Media & Design series here: https://dmd.uconn.edu/major/diverse-perspectives/ ]

DMD 4045 Digital Content Design, Creation, and Distribution Studio - AgencyX
STORRS In-Person + STAMFORD Remote, (T/Th 2:00 - 4:30pm), taught by Mike Vertefeuille (BOTH CAMPUSES)
Prerequisites: must be senior Digital Media and Design majors, instructor consent required. Recommended preparation: DMD 2710, 2810, 3035, 3200 or 3300. Open to senior DMD students in Storrs and Stamford.

Do you LOVE DMD? Want to help share your passion for DMD with the world? Then join AgencyX, DMD’s student marketing team. Work with a cross-disciplinary team to develop, design, and execute an integrated marketing campaign for the Digital Media and Design Department’s undergraduate recruitment efforts and celebrate our DMD successes! Learn how to build and manage digital advertising campaigns using Facebook for Business, Google Ads, Blip Billboards, and other digital ad solutions. Create video promotions for DMD and participate in the Admitted Students Day events. Direct questions to: Michael Vertefeuille at vert@uconn.edu.

** Can substitute the requirement for DMD 4040 Agency on your Plan of Study.

Art/Design History/Theory course options:

DMD 3570 / AMST 3570/ ARTH 3570 History and Theory of Digital Art
M/W 12:20 - 1:35pm, STORRS In Person, taught by Kelly Dennis
Prerequisites: ENGL 1007 or 1010 or 1011 or 2011. Open to Sophomores or Higher

At what point does information begin to mean? In 2011, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) began “collecting” video games and emojis. More recently, it acquired the “@” sign. What is digital art? Who decides? This class investigates forms of digital and Internet art and the forgotten histories of the women and POC behind their technology histories. Forms of digital and Internet art to be explored include games/gaming, surveillance art, cyberfeminism, data visualization, and crowd sourced internet art, among others. How does art that utilizes or produces forms that are alterable, copied, or obsoletized by hard- and soft-ware upgrades affect long standing ideals about authenticity, uniqueness, and materiality in art? How do we understand the public sphere for digital and Internet art’s reception? CA 1. CA 4.

DMD 3998.001 / 5998.010 Diverse Perspectives in Digital Media and Design
Wed 5:00 - 7:45pm, STORRS - In Person, taught by Clarissa Ceglio
(See description above)

Motion Design & Animation courses:

DMD 4200/5280 Advanced Motion Media: Motion in New Media
M/W 12:20 - 2:50pm, STORRS In-Person, taught by Heejoo Kim
Prerequisites: DMD 3200 or instructor approval

Motion in New Media is a course dedicated to the in-depth exploration of topics within the contemporary film, animation, and motion media industry, along with emerging technologies such as UI/UX, AR, VR, XR, gaming, and more. Throughout this course, students will enhance their technical skills in 2D and 3D motion design, film, UI/UX design with the goal of creating work suitable for inclusion in a portfolio and demo reel. The course places a strong emphasis on tailoring the curriculum to each student's unique study path. Students will develop their semester study plans and nurture their projects through guided research and hands-on experience. In addition to their individual projects, students will participate in an interdisciplinary collaborative project. The class will cultivate a cohort environment in which students learn from and alongside one another. https://motioninnewmedia.dmd.uconn.edu/

Contact heejoo.kim@uconn.edu for more information

DMD 4200 Advanced Motion Media: Animating History
M/W 3:35 - 6:05pm, STAMFORD In-Person, taught by Steve Harper
Prerequisites: DMD 3200; others with DMD 3850 or instructor approval

Students in this topical advanced studio will produce an animated micro-documentary— an innovative and concise visual story using a blend of animation, text, photos/video, graphics, and audio. Students will experience the entire production process, including ideation, research, scripting, storyboarding, and final production. The goal of this advanced course is to produce a finished film for inclusion in a student’s portfolio and festival competition.

Contact steve.harper@uconn.edu for more information

DMD 3998.002 Motion Design for UConn Athletics
T/Th 3:30 - 6:00pm, STORRS in Person, taught by Nurudeen Musa
*** PERMISSION NUMBER REQUIRED
Prerequisites: DMD 2200 Motion 1; Preference for advanced (Junior, Senior) students; others with instructor consent

Students enrolled in this experiential learning course will create motion design content to be used for live events, social media, and/or promotional projects in collaboration with UConn Athletics. Students will use design, video, and animation software from the Adobe suite and Cinema 4D.

This course is most suitable for students with MDA experience, but also could be good for:

Students with a passion for UConn Athletics and design
Any students with previous Graphic Design coursework or experience
Students with previous Agency, Brand Studio, Sports Entertainment Studio, or other related coursework

Film/Video courses:

DMD 3998.881 / 5998.018 Color Grading for Film
M/W 2:30 - 5:00pm, Distance Learning, taught by Ramzy Telley (BOTH CAMPUSES)
*** PERMISSION NUMBER REQUIRED
Prerequisites: DMD 2210 and 2810.

An advanced post-production course on the technical craft and aesthetics of color grading for digital film and video. Through analysis of films, technical instruction, and hands-on color grading exercises, students will learn how to utilize color in their film and video projects. This course will teach color correction in DaVinci Resolve, how to develop cinematic looks, and introductory color theory. This is a project-based course that requires students to complete a series of technical exercises culminating in the color grading of a 5-10 minute short film or video project.

DMD 3641 / 5998.003 // HRTS 3540/5351 Human Rights Archives II: Visual Storytelling Practices
Fri 12:20 - 3:20pm, STORRS - taught by Catherine Masud
*** PERMISSION NUMBER REQUIRED
Prerequisites: DMD 2200 or 2210. Open to Digital Media and Design majors and Human Rights majors/minors, with instructor consent.

Students will study different approaches and techniques of documentary storytelling using oral history interviews and primary archival materials, focusing on a community that bears the multi-generational scars of genocide and displacement. Students will work collaboratively on a documentary project and also develop their own individual creative projects on a human rights-related theme, using primary archival sources (personal and/or institutional) to enable them to reflect on the importance of history, witnessing, and memory in human rights film practice.

QUESTIONS? CONTACT: catherine.masud@uconn.edu

Web / Interactive Media Design courses:

DMD 3998.019/5998.019 Designing for Extended Reality (XR)
Mon/Wed 2:30 - 4:55pm , STORRS In Person, taught by Zhenzhen Qi
Prerequisites: Open to all concentrations - Juniors, Seniors, Graduate Students

The rise of social XR platforms, where users can interact with others in a virtual environment, has been a significant development. These platforms, stemming from gaming, are expanding into areas like virtual meetings, social gatherings, and healthcare. Designing for Extended Reality (XR) prepares designers for the world of Extended Reality (XR), including Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and synthetic Reality (AI generated visual content).

During the first half of the semester, weekly lectures and hands-on labs will cover specific topics such as spatial design, user interface design, interaction design, immersive storytelling, and ethical issues. During the second half of the semester, students will be guided to integrate weekly learning points into a comprehensive XR project of their own choice. Technically, students will focus on WebXR, a JavaScript API that allows for the creation of VR and AR experiences on web browsers. Alternatively, students can also develop with Unity, a powerful game engine for interactive narrative creation. Projects developed on both platforms are cross-compatible on a variety of platforms, such as VR headsets, AR-capable smartphones, and desktop computers, making it accessible to a wide audience.

Students from a variety of coding level and professional interests, including 3D, animation, film, architecture, communications, CS, psychology, education technology, physics, etc. are welcome.

DMD/DRAM 3420/5420 Wearable Electronics and Interactive Objects
Professors: Michael Vertefeuille and Edward Weingart
Tu/Th 9:30am - 10:45am (lecture) and Friday 9:00-11:00am (lab)
Prerequisites: DMD 1060; others with instructor consent.

Provides a basic understanding of electronics, key components, function, construction, and project design for wearable electronics and interactive objects. Concepts learned will form the core for students to continue to proactively explore and experiment with wearable electronics and interactive objects beyond the classroom.

Digital Media Business Strategies courses:

DMD 3998.016 / 5998.013 Digital Ethics
M/W 12:20 - 1:35pm, STORRS, taught by John Murphy
*** PERMISSION NUMBER REQUIRED
Prerequisites: DMD 2710 Social Media Business Applications, or permission of the instructor

In an era dominated by rapid technological advancements, our society faces profound ethical questions that demand thoughtful reflection and analysis. "Social Media Ethics: Navigating the Ethical Challenges of the Digital Age" offers a deep dive into the ethical dilemmas arising from the pervasive influence of digital technologies in our lives. This engaging course explores the intersection of ethics, technology, and humanity, equipping students with the critical thinking skills necessary to make informed decisions in the digital landscape. The class will cover AI, Emerging Tech, Data Privacy, Digital Citizenship, Social Media, Social Justice, and more. Engage in lively discussions, case studies, ethical debates, and interactive projects that encourage critical thinking and ethical reasoning. Guest speakers from diverse fields will provide real-world perspectives, enhancing your understanding of digital ethics in practice.

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List of courses available at BOTH CAMPUSES

Web / Interactive Media Design courses:

DMD 3470/5470 Web II
T/TH 9:30 -10:45am, taught by Brian Daley (BOTH CAMPUSES)
Prerequisites: DMD 1070; open only to Digital Media and Design majors, others by instructor consent

Explores intermediate and advanced web design and development techniques, covering Cascading Style Sheets, XML, dynamic HTML with Javascript, common frameworks, and the principles of site management. The course will also cover more advanced design concepts in website creation, such as efficient navigation design, designing for portability and accessibility, separating content from presentation for easy site updating and maintenance, planning interactivity, and search engine optimization.

DMD 3475/5998.009 Coding for Web/Interactive
T/TH 11:00am - 12:15pm, taught by Brian Daley (BOTH CAMPUSES)
Prerequisites: DMD 1060 and 1070; open to Digital Media and Design majors; others with instructor consent. Recommended corequisite: DMD 3470.

Explores intermediate programming techniques for web and interactive media projects.

Digital Film/Video Production courses:

DMD 3998.881 / 5998.012 Color Grading for Film
M/W 2:30 - 5pm, Online Synchronous, taught by Ramzy Telley (BOTH CAMPUSES)
*** PERMISSION NUMBER REQUIRED (See description above)

DMD 3840.881 / 5998.005 Creative Producing for Independent Film
Wednesday 6:00 - 9:00 pm, Online Synchronous, taught by Rona Edwards (BOTH CAMPUSES)
Prerequisites: DMD 2700 or 3230; open to Digital Media and Design majors only, others with instructor consent.

Examination of each phase of the filmmaking process, from conception to marketing and distribution, through the role of a creative producer. Students develop pitching materials and entrepreneurial business plans for their original narrative, documentary or new media film projects.

Digital Media Business Strategies courses:

DMD 2710 / 5710 Social Media Business Applications
M/W 2:30 - 3:45pm, Bishop 136 / Stamford 1.30, taught by John Murphy (BOTH CAMPUSES)
Prerequisites: DMD 2700, which may be taken concurrently; open to Digital Media and Design majors only, others by instructor consent. Recommended preparation: DMD 1002 and 1102, STAT 1000Q or higher

Explores and analyzes the changes in consumer decision-making and behavior in today's digital world.

DMD 3840.881 Creative Producing for Independent Film
Wed 6:00 - 9:00pm, Distance Learning, taught by Rona Edwards (BOTH CAMPUSES)
*** (See description above)

Animation / Motion courses:

DMD 2230.881 / 5998.008 3D Motion I
T/Th 6:30 - 9pm, Online Synchronous, taught by Sung In Sohn (BOTH CAMPUSES)
Prerequisites: DMD 2200, open to Digital Media and Design majors only, others by instructor consent.

Introduction to techniques of 3D motion such as modeling, lighting and texturing 3D forms; keyframes and keyframe interpolations; and motion graphics effectors and simulations.

DMD 4310/5315 3D Rigging
T/Th 9:30am - 12:00pm, Online Synchronous, taught by Dan Pejril (BOTH CAMPUSES)
Prerequisites: DMD 3350; open to B.F.A Digital Media and Design 3D Animation concentration students, others with instructor consent. Recommended preparation: DMD 3300. MDA students interested in this course that have also completed DMD 2230, contact dan.pejril@uconn.edu

Concepts of rigging, with emphasis on animated props and characters. Techniques for using and creating bones, constraints, skeletons, skinning and weight painting.

List of courses that require permission numbers and their requirements:

STORRS Students ONLY:

DMD 3010W Critical Perspectives on Digital Media - ALL Sections (001 (M/W 10:10a-11:25a), 002 (T/TH 11a - 12:15p) and 003 (T/TH 3:30p - 4:45p)

Requirements: DMD 2010 + Junior/Senior in DMD program

DMD 3620 Collaborating with Cultural Orgs II: Practice - M/W 12:20 - 2:15pm

Requirements: Open to sophomores or higher. Recommended preparation: DMD 3610/HIST 3103

DMD 3641 Human Rights Archives II - Visual Storytelling Practices - Fri 12:20 - 3:20pm

Requirements: DMD 2200 or DMD 2210.

DMD 3998.001/5998.010 Diverse Perspectives in Digital Media - Wed 5:00 - 7:45pm

Requirements: Juniors, Seniors, Graduate students (must have completed first year and 2000-level intro courses)

DMD 3998 Motion Design for UConn Athletics - T/TH 3:30p - 6p

Requirements: DMD 2200; Preference for advanced (Junior, Senior) students; others with instructor consent

DMD 3998.016 Digital Ethics - M/W 12:20 - 1:35p

Requirement: DMD 2710 prerequisite, or instructor consent

DMD 3998.019 Designing for Extended Reality (XR)- M/W 2:30 - 4:55p

Requirement: open to all DMD concentrations that are juniors, seniors, or graduate students

DMD 4040 Agency - T/Th 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Requirements: Senior in last two semesters prior to graduation

DMD 4075 Senior Project - M/W 9:05 - 11:35 am

Requirements: BFA student enrolled in DMD 4075 Senior Project in Fall 23 or graduating in December 2024.

Stamford Students ONLY:

DMD 3010W Critical Perspectives on Digital Media - T/Th 11:00a - 12:15p

Requirements: DMD 2010 + Junior/Senior in DMD program

DMD 4025 Portfolio and Professional Development - M/W 12:20p - 2:20p

Requirements: BFA ONLY; BFA student enrolled in DMD 4075 Senior Project in Fall 23 or graduating in December 2024, then rising seniors(Last three semesters)

DMD 4075 Senior Project - M/W 9:05 - 11:35 am

Requirements: BFA student enrolled in DMD 4075 Senior Project in Fall 23 or graduating in December 2024.

DMD 4200 Advanced Motion Media - M/W 3:35 - 6:05pm

Requirements DMD 3200 Prerequisite; Others with DMD 3850 Sound Design or instructor consent

DMD 4725 Advanced Digital Analytics -M/W 12:20 - 2:20pm

Requirements: DMD 3720 Prerequisite

Cross Campus All Students (Storrs/Stamford)

DMD 2230 3D Motion - T/TH 6:30p - 9p

Requirements: DMD 2200 Motion Design 1 and BFA - Motion Design Concentration only, Storrs and Stamford

DMD 3998.001 / 5998.012 Color Grading for Film - M/W 2:30 - 5pm

Requirements: BFA in Film concentration + DMD 2810; 5998 prerequisite

DMD 4045 AgencyX Digital Content Design, Creation, and Distribution Studio - T/TH 2:00-4:30pm

Permission: must be senior or graduate Digital Media and Design majors, instructor consent required.

Spring 2024 Courses