The pathway below represents an efficient and effective course taking sequence for this program. Individual circumstances might require some changes to this pathway. It is always recommended that you meet with an academic counselor to develop a personalized educational plan.
The courses have been intentionally placed and should be prioritized in
the order
in which they appear. If you are unable to take all the courses in
a semester, you
should prioritize enrolling in the courses in the order below.
Some courses have
been noted as “Appropriate for Intersession” 
. Should you need (or want) to take
classes
in the summer and/or winter intersessions,
the program recommends these courses as appropriate for the condensed
schedule of
the intersessions.
Some pathways combine a “Certificate of Achievement” and an “Associate
Degree”. If
you are pursuing only the Certificate of Achievement, you are only
required to take
the courses marked “Program Requirement” 
.
All pathways include at least one “Gateway Course” 
which introduces you to the program and/or field of study and helps you
decide if you want to continue with this Academic and Career Path.
Most Associate degrees (though not Associate Degrees for Transfer)
require satisfying the SMC Global Citizenship requirement. If the Program
Requirements do not include a “Global Citizenship course” 
, be sure to select a General Education course that also satisfies Global Citizenship.
The Animation A.S. Degree program is a comprehensive study of the skills necessary to create 2D or 3D digital animation for the entertainment industry. The required coursework begins with the Animation Foundation Certificate of Achievement, combining a solid foundation in animation history and visual storytelling with hands-on experience in digital animation pre-production and production processes.
After successfully completing the Animation Foundation, students pursue a concentration in 2D Animation, 3D Animation, 3D Production, or Visual Development. Each concentration reflects an area of industry specialization, and is awarded as a second Certificate of Achievement. Students must complete the required coursework for the Animation Foundation and at least one concentration to be eligible for the Animation A.S. Degree.
Throughout the Animation A.S. Degree program, students learn to develop professional skills, demonstrate those skills in effective entry-level portfolios, and work collaboratively on team-based projects. Students may also participate in internships with industry partners when available.
Upon completion of the program, students will:
- Upon completion of the program, students will be able to create original content that demonstrates an understanding of the professional animation production pipeline, and develop an effective portfolio for transfer or entry-level employment in the entertainment industry.
Icon Key
-
Gateway Course
-
Program Requirement
-
General Education -
Appropriate for
Intersession
-
Available Online -
Global Citizenship
Semester 1
15 Units
This introductory course prepares students to create effective stories for entertainment projects through an understanding of the fundamentals of storytelling and story structure. Covering a broad history of story from cave paintings to video games, the course will explore archetypal figures and motifs as well as the evolution of hero myth narratives. Emphasis will be placed on the social and cultural impact of modern storytelling.
This introductory course provides a basic overview of the tools used in the creation of 2D digital animation. Through lectures and hands-on projects, students will learn the core principles of 2D animation and be introduced to 2D animation software. This course serves as a foundation for advanced courses in 2D and 3D animation.
This introductory course provides a basic overview of the tools used in the creation of 3D digital animation. Topics covered include modeling, character rigging, animation, shading, lighting and rendering. This course emphasizes the fundamental concepts of 3D digital animation as well as an understanding of the software. In addition to completing weekly exercises, students will apply the skills they learn to create an individual project.
This introductory course explores the fundamentals of the storyboarding process used in the entertainment industry. Through the use of computer software and the digital drawing tablet, students will learn the basic principles of visual storytelling including techniques such as staging, composition and camera movement. The class will analyze and discuss the various applications of digital storyboarding for games, web, 2D and 3D animation, and visual effects.
This course provides an exploration of intellectual, psychological, social and physical factors that impact lifelong learning, well-being and success. Topics include motivation and self-efficacy; critical thinking, academic integrity and active study strategies; health issues and lifestyle choices; relating to others as a global citizen; written and oral communication; time management; career exploration; and educational planning.
- E - Lifelong Understanding and Self-Development
Semester 2
15-16 Units
Select courses based on your chosen "concentration" within the program
This course will explore the history of animation through its earliest beginnings to the present. In addition to the chronological order of events, this course will look at the multi-faceted aspects of this relatively modern art form. The influences of economics and social/political pressures on the art form will be examined. Included will be the study of individual animators and studios, big and small; different art techniques, materials 2D and 3D. The class will also examine the principles of movement and how they apply to the zoetrope as well as the computer.
- 3A: Arts
- C2 - Humanities
- Area III: Humanities
This course focuses on the principles of three-dimensional drawing. Emphasis is placed on fundamental concepts such as diminution, foreshortening, convergence and shading. Concepts such as horizon lines, vanishing points, and picture planes will be covered. Perspective drawing methods will be applied to rendering interiors, exteriors, objects and figures.
Students in this course will study the development of color perception, harmony, expression, visualization, and the application of color in traditional and digital imagery using a 2D, 3D, or 4D format through a series of problem-solving exercises and projects.
This course allows students to further their understanding and application of the core principles of animation including squash and stretch, anticipation, staging, overlapping action, arcs, timing, and exaggeration through lectures and hands-on projects. Students will also be introduced to the basics of lip-sync and character animation.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 2
This course allows students to further their understanding and application of the core principles of animation including squash and stretch, anticipation, staging, overlapping action, arcs, timing, and exaggeration through lectures and hands-on projects. Students will also be introduced to the basics of lip-sync and character animation.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 2
This course focuses on the core principles of animation as applied to 3D characters, covering techniques including posing, timing, weight, anticipation, squash and stretch, overlapping action, and staging.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 3
This course provides an overview of the production process used to create digital assets for pre-rendered and real-time entertainment projects. Using industry-standard tools and methods, students will learn to create production-ready 3D models. Hard surface modeling and UV mapping workflows will be covered. Students will also learn the basic principles of 3D texture mapping as well as methods for optimizing models for 3D game engines. This course uses Autodesk Maya, Algorithmic Substance Painter and Unity.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 3
This course provides an overview of the tools and methods used to texture, light and render 3D characters and environments for pre-rendered or real-time scenes. Areas covered include surface materials, UV mapping, texturing, scene lighting, and rendering for production or portfolio development.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 3
This course focuses on the principles of three-dimensional drawing. Emphasis is placed on fundamental concepts such as diminution, foreshortening, convergence and shading. Concepts such as horizon lines, vanishing points, and picture planes will be covered. Perspective drawing methods will be applied to rendering interiors, exteriors, objects and figures.
Students in this course will study the development of color perception, harmony, expression, visualization, and the application of color in traditional and digital imagery using a 2D, 3D, or 4D format through a series of problem-solving exercises and projects.
This course explores the process of designing compelling characters for entertainment projects. Students will learn how to develop characters in a variety of styles for 2D and 3D animation production. The course will emphasize the importance of self-expression in character design, and enable students to develop an effective personal style.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 4
SMC GE Area IV-A Course 3 units
SMC GE Area IV-B Course 3 units
Semester 3
15 Units
Select courses based on your chosen "concentration" within the program
This advanced 2D animation course is an in-depth analysis of emotion and acting principles as applied to a digital character. Emphasis will be placed on creating convincing performance animation in which characters think, feel, and speak.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 20
This course covers the digital production pipeline for producing 2D animated short films, commercials, TV series, and feature-length films. Students will have hands-on experience with the following stages of digital production: scanning, timing, clean-up, ink and paint, background painting, sound design, camera movement and compositing. Asset management of digital files will also be covered.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 20
This course focuses on advanced principles of 3D character animation. Students will learn to create effective performance animation using the fundamentals of acting, staging and exaggeration. Advanced topics such as facial animation, lip-synch and motion capture will also be covered.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 30
In this course, digital previsualization will be covered through the process of using virtual cameras, characters and environments to visualize complex shots or sequences before final production begins. Students will use digital tools along with traditional filmmaking techniques to create compelling 3D cinematic sequences for entertainment projects. Topics covered include shot composition, camera rigging and movement, staging, timing, and editing.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 30
This course covers digital character creation techniques from basic design principles to advanced digital sculpting techniques. Students will explore the aesthetic and psychological aspects of design in order to create compelling and original character and creature concepts. Students will also learn the technical aspects of creating 3D character assets from basic stylized characters to high-end, realistic digital sculptures. This course uses Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk Maya, and Pixologic ZBrush.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 35
This course covers the technical aspects of creating effective animation controls for 3D characters. Using industry-standard tools and methods, students will develop intuitive and efficient character rigs. The use of deformers, constraints, expressions, scripts, utility nodes and kinematic controls will be covered. Students will also be introduced to advanced topics such as skinning, deformations, and facial rigging. This course uses Autodesk Maya.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 35
This course explores the process of designing compelling environments for entertainment projects. Students will develop strategies to understand, evaluate and create a variety of environments for 2D and 3D production. Topics covered include visual composition, perspective drawing, digital cinematography, and designing for interactive and virtual environments.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 18 and
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 19
This course explores the process of designing compelling props and vehicles for entertainment projects. Students will learn how to visually develop concepts from initial sketches to final renderings of objects from the everyday mundane to the fantastic. Emphasis is placed on principles of three-dimensional drawing and the application of design research.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 18 and
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 19
SMC GE Area I Course 3 units
SMC GE Area II-A Course 3 units
SMC GE Area II-B Course 3 units
Semester 4
15 Units
This course provides an overview of the strategies and techniques to develop a career within the entertainment industry, which includes jobs in the production of live action, animation, game, interactive, internet, visual effects, as well as performance and other entertainment fields. Students will learn to identify and research potential career paths in these various industries. They will develop personal marketing tools, such as resume, cover letter and other presentation materials (i.e. demo reels, personal websites, portfolios, etc.), that will help to brand and promote them into the industry. Networking skills and interviewing techniques will prepare them for any entry-level position in the entertainment industry.
This course covers the design and production of an individual portfolio for transfer or entry-level employment in the animation industry. Students may collaborate in small groups or work individually, but each student will be responsible for developing an effective portfolio from original content. Projects may focus on any aspect of 2D or 3D animation production.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 21 or
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 31 or
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 37
This course covers the creation of an individual visual development portfolio for transfer or entry-level employment in the animation industry. Students will visually develop an idea using the pre-production process established by the entertainment industry. Areas covered by this course include story development, writing, concept art, character and background development, storyboarding, layout, sound design, and timing. Students will create an individual story bible, a style guide and an animatic of their project. The course will also examine the differences in the design process for film, broadcast and video game production.
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 4 and
- Skills Advisory: ANIM 40